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Graduate Council Minutes

May 17, 2012

MEMBERS PRESENT

Voting: Professors M.S. Bradley-Engen, T.P. Cronan, A.J. Dowdle, A.E. Ellstrand, P.M. Hewitt, V.H. Hunt, T.W. Martin, M.D. Richardson, F.M. Scheide, T.G. Shields, J.D. Wiersma; Ms. Emilija Djurdjevic; Ms. Tamara St. Marthe

Non-Voting: Professors P.R. Koski, M.T. Miller, J.R. Young

MEMBERS ABSENT

Voting: Professors R.M. Costrell, P.R. Selvam

Non-Voting: Professor C.H. Adams, M. Limayem, L.J. Robertson; Ms. Harwood-Rom

SECRETARY: Ms. T. M. Fisher

GUESTS: Professor N.M. Arenberg, M.M. Dunagan, J.B. Kerr, B.D. Williams

The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by Chair Patricia Koski

  1. Minutes for the April 19th, 2012 Graduate Council meeting stand approved, as no changes were suggested. (The minutes of the Graduate Council may be found at grad.uark.edu/dean/gradcouncil/minutes/).
  2. There were no announcements.
  3. Committee reports were distributed by e-mail before the meeting (Attachment A).
  4. There was no old business.
  5. New Business:
    1. Professor M.D. Richardson presented a proposal to modify the admission requirements for the MS degree in Agricultural Economics (AGECMS) by requiring either the GRE or GMAT (Attachment B). Following discussion, the proposal was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate in September 2012.
    2. Professor N.M. Arenberg presented a proposal to modify the MA degree in French, by eliminating the two separate options for degree completion and having only one set of requirements (Attachment C). Following discussion, the proposal was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate in September 2012.
    3. Professor M.M. Dunagan presented a proposal to modify the managerial MBA degree offered in Panama by replacing MKTG 5333 with MGMT 5363 (Attachment D). Following discussion, the proposal was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate in September 2012.
    4. Professor M.M. Dunagan presented a proposal to modify the requirements for the Ph.D. degree in Business administration with a specialization in Finance (FINNPH), by changing two statistics requirements (Attachment E). Because these courses are offered by the Department of Mathematical Sciences, in the Fulbright College, this proposal is contingent on the approval of that department and dean. Following discussion, the proposal was approved (with this contingency) and will go next to the Faculty Senate in September 2012.
    5. Professor B.D. Williams presented a proposal to modify the requirements for the Ph.D. degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Supply Chain Management by revising the required curriculum (Attachment F). Because there was concern about requiring students to take SPCM 6453 four times with different titles assigned to the course, the Council tabled the proposal and asked the department to consider creating four separate courses.
    6. Professor J.B. Kerr presented a proposal to modify the Ph.D. degree in Public Policy by eliminating three areas of study (recreation policy; community development; and disability policy) and creating a new area of study in Community Development and Recreation (Attachments G, H, I, J). Following discussion, the proposal was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate in September 2012. The proposal to eliminate the areas of study will also need approval by the Board of Trustees and Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE).
    7. Professor P.R. Koski presented a proposal to eliminate the graduate certificate in Gerontology (but not to eliminate any GERO courses) (Attachment K, L). Following discussion, the proposal was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate in September 2012. This proposal will also need approval by the Board of Trustees and ADHE.
  6. The course change report contained in Attachment M was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate in September 2012.
  7. The graduate faculty recommendations contained in Attachment N were approved.
  8. Professor Cronan reminded the Council that we agreed to report back from our constituencies on whether we will allow an X to be removed from an XF grade “upon graduation or completion of the period of suspension,” as currently stated in the Academic Integrity Policy. Following considerable discussion, a motion to change the policy was made and tabled, so as to allow further discussion with all parties who might be concerned about this action. We agreed to take up this discussion again at a later meeting of the Council.
  9. Professor P.R. Koski also reminded the Council that we agreed to revisit this summer the issue of whether programs may dismiss students for academic dishonesty even if they are not subject to dismissal from the University.
  10. Professor T.G. Shields reported to the Council that the Provost supports the use of Turnitin.com plagiarism software as a tool available to help faculty and students avoid plagiarism in theses/dissertations. However, Professor Shields asked the Council to poll their constituencies again on whether this should be mandatory for students to submit their theses/dissertations to the Graduate School for graduation.

There being no other business, the Council adjourned at 3:05 p.m.

Submitted by:                                                      Approved by:

______________                                                ___________________

Patricia R. Koski, Chair                                       Todd G. Shields, Dean