BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY
MINUTES OF THE May 7, 2007 MEETING OF THE GRADUATE COUNCIL
PLACE:
Couper Administration Building, Room 148
PRESIDING:
Nancy E. Stamp, Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School
MEMBERS:
Ben Brewster, Gisela Brinker-Gabler, David Campbell, Theresa Grabo,
Maria-Theresia Holub, Maneesha Lal, Tom McDonough, Weiyi Meng,
Susan Pollock, Karen Salvage, Olga Shvetsova, Eugene Stevens,
Marilyn Tallerico, Steve Tammariello, Diane Wiener
EX OFFICIO
MEMBERS:
Susan Currie, Dara Silberstein, Gerald Sonnenfeld, Lindsay Tremain
EXCUSED:
Stephen Gilje, Maria-Teresa Romero
ABSENT:
James Constable, Murali Jagannathan, Ed Kokkelenberg, Daryl Santos,
Steven Schwartz
GUESTS:
Katherine Krebs, Stephen Straight, Sharon Holmes
I. CALL TO ORDER:
Vice Provost and Dean Nancy Stamp called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m.
II. MINUTES:
The minutes of the March 5, 2007 meeting were approved as written.
III. COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Academic Standards Committee
The committee has not met.
Advisory Committee for Scholarship and Research
Professor Tammariello reported that the committee has been reviewing proposals for
interdisciplinary research awards. They are reviewing the Organized Research Centers.
They look at whether they are really acting as a Center and if the money they are
requesting is actually going toward acting like a Center. They are interested in looking at
how these Centers are trying to become more independent financially. The Centers are
set up to receive funds for three years and then should be able to self sustain after that.
Budget Advisory Committee
The Graduate School/Binghamton Foundation Travel Awards were awarded to 14
students for the spring semester.
The committee also worked on the document, Deadline for Encumbrance of Graduate
School Allocation to Units. In the past, some departments were really late in
encumbering their TA/GA allocations. This money comes from Academic Affairs and, if
it looks like the money is not being used, they can take the money back or reduce the
allocation the following year. The Graduate School wants to get the word out to
departments to encumber their allocation as soon as they can.
Curriculum Committee
• BIOL 523: Cancer Biology
• BIOL 533: Advanced Studies in EEB I (Ecology, Evolution & Behavior)
• ANTH 570: Topics in Anthropology
• PLSC 502: Introduction to Formal Theory
• MTLS 590: Materials Communications and Seminar
• MIS 525: Networks and Communications
• MKTG 550/MGMT 550: Integrated Communications
• ENT 560: Entrepreneurship
• FIN 555: Fixed Income Securities
• ENT 561/FIN 561: New Venture Financing
• ACCT 540: Accounting Theory I
• ACCT 541: Accounting Theory II
• CHEM 524: Biosensors and Molecular Bioelectronics
• CHEM 546: Bioinorganic Chemistry
All courses were approved.
• Proposal for Graduate Certificate in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing—
Approved (13 yes, 2 abstentions, 0 no)
• Proposal for Combined Degree Program in Political Science & Public Admin.
Approved (unanimous)
• Proposal for a Dual Degree in Public Administration (MPA) and MS Nursing
Approved (unanimous)
Grievance Committee
The committee reviewed department grievance procedures. The committee drafted a
template for graduate programs. The programs must have a grievance procedure in
place, but they are not required to use the template. There was discussion and the
following changes were suggested:
• I A. The first sentence should have “within 10 working days” added on the end.
• E5. Remove word “informal”
There was a proposal to have this template recommended for updating a department’s
procedures or to use as a template to develop procedures. (Vote: 14 yes 1 abstention)
Strategic Planning Committee
The committee has been discussing issues that look ahead in terms of graduate
education. The committee found a pilot study at Indiana University on avoiding
plagiarism. We are going to use this at this year’s new TA orientation and will report
back to the Council on what we learned, to see if it should be required that all graduate
students complete this. Susan Curry reported that the Library has a committee on
information literacy that provides support to faculty and students. Associate Dean
Silberstein reported that in the Summer Term I they are recommending all Clark fellows
take a course in writing, which is designed to help students with theses and
dissertations.
IV. NEW BUSINESS:
Stephen Straight spoke about the international graduate programs on campus. There is
currently a joint master’s program in Political Science with Moscow State Institute for
International Relations and Binghamton University.
Katherine Krebs explained that the Office of International Programs is primarily
responsible for developing linkages and partnerships between students and faculty.
They are mostly about study abroad for undergraduates, but they are hearing more from
graduate departments about expanding the programs. Recently they were approached
by Central European University in central Budapest. This is a graduate only institution
and they are looking at some short-term faculty exchange possibilities. They are also
looking at a study abroad program with the Central European University and the Masters
in Public Administration program. They hope that both the joint degree program and the
new study abroad program will serve as models for other departments/programs to start
thinking about how they could begin to get graduate students abroad in a more
systematic and thoughtful way. Through the Fulbright committee they are trying to do
more outreach to graduate students to show them the funding opportunities through the
Fulbright and hope to be able to identify additional sources of funding for periods of
research abroad. Her office also talks and advises undergraduate students who think
they would like to do their master’s degree or PhD abroad.
Sharon Holmes, Director of the proposed Master’s of Student Affairs program, attended
to explain the Letter of Intent that she will be submitting to SUNY. Dean Stamp
explained there are two formal steps when proposing a new graduate program. The first
is the Letter of Intent which is telling SUNY that we are planning on submitting a
proposal. The second part is the formal proposal which goes to the Curriculum
Committee, then to Graduate Council for a vote, and then it goes to the Faculty Senate
for review. Professor Holmes explained that they are trying to structure a program that
will be comparable and competitive with the top ten programs around the country in
Student Affairs Administration. They will be giving students the opportunity to have
cognitive areas in leadership as well as public administration and multiculturalism on
campus. This program will give the students not only an understanding of student
affairs, but the total institutional structure.
V. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Dean Stamp thanked the outgoing members: Ben Brewster, Theresa Grabo, Murali
Jagannathan, Steven Schwartz and Gene Stevens.
The Faculty Senate reviewed the Biomedical Engineering Masters/PhD program. This
will be sent to SUNY System this summer.
The Graduate School By-Laws revisions were passed by faculty vote.
The first annual Research Day was quite successful.
Dean Stamp thanked all the Graduate Council members for their work on the Council
and committees this year.
VI. ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 4:49 p.m. on a motion by Professor Stevens and
seconded by Professor McDonough.
_____________________________
Minutes recorded by Alta Hooker,
Secretary to the Vice Provost and Dean
of the Graduate School