BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY
MINUTES OF THE April 20, 2009 MEETING OF THE GRADUATE COUNCIL
PLACE:
Couper Administration Building, Room 148
PRESIDING:
Nancy E. Stamp, Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate
School
MEMBERS:
Jacques Beaumont, David Campbell, Michael Conlon, James
Fang, Mark Fowler, Christof Grewer, Robert Guay, Sarah
Lam, Weiyi Meng, Susan Pollock, Maria-Teresa Romero,
Olga Shvetsova, Pamela Stewart Fahs, Marilyn Tallerico,
EX OFFICIO
MEMBERS:
Gerald Sonnenfeld, Stephen Gilje, Dara Silberstein, Lindsay
Tremain
EXCUSED:
Susan Currie, William Heller, Wendy Martinek, Tom
McDonough, Max Pensky, Karen Salvage, Marilyn Tallerico,
Diane Wiener
GUESTS:
Joyce Ferrario, Theresa Grabo, Mary Muscari
ABSENT:
William Haver, Edward Li, Andrew Merriwether, Nan Zhou
I. CALL TO ORDER:
Vice Provost and Dean Nancy Stamp called the meeting to order at 3:00 pm.
II. MINUTES:
The minutes of the March 16, 2009 were approved.
III. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Academic Standards Committee
The Academic Standards Committee met on Tuesday, April 14th. The committee looked at
national patterns for improving training and mentoring opportunities for our teaching assistants.
A trend nationwide is a scaffolding teaching experience, meaning TA’s are given various levels
of teaching opportunities which we would like to implement here. The committee also looked at
the resources we have for Teaching Assistants; such as the TA Orientation each year.
The committee discussed expectations of our teaching assistants. It was felt that TA’s should
fulfill the majority of the requirements to obtain their Certificate of College Teaching before they
become instructors of record, and complete the certificate before graduating. About 15 years
ago, Graduate Council developed the Certificate of College Teaching (available on the graduate
school’s website). Then about 5 years ago, Graduate Council reviewed and updated the
Certificate of College Teaching by using the sequence of scaffolding, which will assist students
through the experience. This discussion will continue at the next meeting.
Advisory Committee for Scholarship and Research
Advisory Committee for Scholarship and Research met April 1, 2009, and has completed its
work for the year. They have recommended two of fifteen proposals for the Interdisciplinary
Collaborative Research Grant program. The Vice President and the Associate Vice President
for Research will review the budget limitations.
Budget Advisory Committee
This Committee met to discuss the Travel Awards for graduate students. Twenty awards were
given.
Clark Fellowship Advisory Committee
The Clark Fellowship Advisory Committee met on Wednesday, April 15, 2009. The committee
made seven offers for the Clark Fellowship Award.
Associate Dean Dara Silberstein explained the NSF-AGEP grant from the National Science
Foundation. The grant supports underrepresented minority graduate students in the STEM
disciplines and encourages them to enter the professoriate. For our senior Clark Fellowship
students, who are underrepresented minorities in the STEM disciplines, the Graduate School
established a co-teaching program. Two students are participating in the program, one in
computer science and one in math. Next year, there will be 4 students participating in the
program. The co-teaching program is an opportunity for students to teach junior and senior
undergraduate courses with a faculty partner. Feedback from the current students in the coteaching program has been positive.
Associate Dean Silberstein also stated that in addition to the Clark Fellowship Awards, there
were two students who received Diversity STEM Fellowships from the SUNY-wide competition.
Curriculum Committee
This Committee met on Wednesday, April 15, 2009. The committee approved the following
proposals:
1. Proposal for new Graduate Course: PSYC 694A Continuing Clinical Training
2. Geography changes
3. Proposed change to an existing Graduate Proposal: MA Program in Economics and
Finance
4. Proposal for Psychiatric Nursing Certificate and M.S. degree
5. Proposal for Doctorate in Nursing Practice
The proposal for the new graduate course in Psychology (PSYC 694A) would be a one-credit
course and would be intended for those students who are course complete and are continuing
in their clinical studies. The motion was made to accept the course proposal and all were in
favor.
The Geography department proposed a change to the name of their current track - Urban and
Retail Planning to Applied Urban Geography. They would be offering the same courses with a
more-updated name. Geography also proposes an addition of another track called Race and
Ethnicity, using existing courses. The motion was made to accept the changes in Geography
and all were in favor.
The combined master’s degree in Economics and Finance currently requires 9 courses. They
would like to change this requirement to 8 courses, which would be consistent with their regular
master’s degree. The motion was made to approve this change and all were in favor with the
exception of one abstention.
Joyce Ferrario, Dean of the Decker School of Nursing, gave an overview of the proposal for a
Psychiatric Nursing Certificate and M.S. degree. She stated that there is a huge need in New
York State and the nation for psychiatric mental health services. The motion was made to
approve this proposal and all were in favor with the exception of one abstention.
Theresa Grabo, Graduate Director from the Decker School of Nursing, gave an overview of the
Doctorate in Nursing Practice. She stated that the master’s program that is currently offered is
a master’s in Advance Practice Nursing. In the year 2015, the national educational
requirements will be for students to have a doctorate degree. The proposal is to take the current
master program and add courses that have been recommended by a national accrediting body.
The DNP will have two entry points: 1) post-baccalaureate and 2) post-master and will offer two
advanced practice roles, Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Specialist. The postbaccalaureate degree would require an additional 77 credits for the Doctor in Nursing Practice
and the post-masters degree would require an additional 38 credits. Faculty currently teaching
in the master’s program would teach courses in the doctoral program but will move beyond the
basics. Students with a Doctorate in Nursing Practice will be able to practice at an advance
level. Having the DNP will allow students to design intervention strategies that move beyond
direct care. The motion was made to forward it to SUNY; all were in favor.
Grievance Committee
The Committee has not met.
Strategic Planning Committee
This committee met on Friday, April 17. The committee discussed some of the results from the
Carnegie Initiative for the Doctorate Study. This was an 8-year study that was conducted with
44 major research universities. Six disciplines were studied and surveys were developed for
faculty and doctoral students. The surveys were in parallel of each other. The first survey was
to see what expectations the faculty had of their students and the second survey was to see
what expectations the students had of their program. The committee felt there were two areas
of special concern - TA training and students learning to collaborate with those outside of their
discipline. Graduate council discussion included a suggestion for availability of websites for the
students to help them write their research/thesis papers.
The committee also reviewed the Strategic Plan that was adopted in 2006. A concern is making
sure that graduate stipend levels are maintained and remain competitive.
IV. NEW BUSINESS
Dean Stamp gave an update on the National Research Council 2006 Doctoral study. Data were
collected in Fall 2006 and the results of this study may be released by NRC in June 2009.
V.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 4:20 on a motion by Professor Shvetsova and seconded by
Professor Lam.
_____________________________
Minutes recorded by Cheryl McGowan
Secretary to the Vice Provost and Dean
of the Graduate School