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Graduate Council Minutes

August 16, 2012

MEMBERS PRESENT

Voting: Professors T.P. Cronan, N.D. Dennis, A.J. Dowdle, A.E. Ellstrand, P.M. Hewitt, V.H. Hunt,  F.M. Scheide, P.R. Selvam, T.G. Shields, J.D. Wiersma

Non-Voting: Professors P.R. Koski, M.T. Miller, L.J. Robertson, J.R. Young; Ms. Harwood-Rom



MEMBERS ABSENT

Voting: Professors M.S. Bradley, R.M. Costrell, M.D. Richardson; two representatives from the Graduate Dean’s Student Advisory Board

Non-Voting: C.H. Adams, A. O’Leary-Kelly


GUESTS              Professors M. G. Beavers, C. Wissehr

SECRETARY         Ms. T. M. Fisher

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

  1. Minutes for the May 17, 2012, Graduate Council meeting stand approved, as no changes were suggested.  (The minutes of the Graduate Council may be found at http://grad.uark.edu/dean/gradcouncil/minutes/index.php). 
  2. Professor Koski welcomed our new Council members:   Andrew Dowdle and Valerie Hunt return to the Council for another term, representing Fulbright College and the interdisciplinary programs respectively.  Norm Dennis will replace Terry Martin as one of the voting representatives for the College of Engineering, and Anne O’Leary-Kelly will replace Moez Limayem as a non-voting ex officio member from the Walton College of Business.  (See Attachment A and Attachment B).
  3. Professor Koski announced that a very successful new graduate student orientation was held the day before and an orientation for new teaching assistants was held last Monday.   The Teaching Assistant Effectiveness Advisory Council will be planning a series of events for the fall semester. 
  4. The Academic Appeals Committee heard several cases by e-mail over the summer.
  5. There was no old business.
  6. New Business:
    1. Professor Wissehr presented a proposal to modify the degree requirements for the M.Ed. degree in Curriculum and Instruction (CIEDME) as described in Section V of Attachment C.  Following discussion, the proposal was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate.  (Please note that the attachment is an edited version of that included with the agenda
    2. Professor M.G. Beavers presented a proposal to reduce the number of hours required for the Ph.D. degree in Computer Science (CSCEPH) from 78 to 72 hours beyond the bachelor’s degree or from 48 to 42 hours beyond the master’s degree (Attachment D). Following discussion, this proposal was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senat
    3. Professor M.G. Beavers presented a proposal to reduce the number of hours required for the Ph.D. degree in Computer Engineering (CENGPGH) from 78 to 72 hours beyond the bachelor’s degree or from 48 to 42 hours beyond the master’s degree (Attachment E). Following discussion, this proposal was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate.
    4. Professor Koski presented a proposal on behalf of the cross-college interdisciplinary program directors to change the term for their Graduate Council representative from one year to three years.  Following discussion, this proposal was approved and will be implemented immediately. 
  7. The Council discussed whether graduate degree programs should be allowed to dismiss students for academic dishonesty even if they are not subject to dismissal from the University.  Following discussion, it was agreed that this would not be consistent with the academic dishonesty rubric and will not be recommended as a policy.
  8. Council members were reminded to poll their constituencies about whether we will allow an X to be removed from a CF grade “upon graduation or completion of the period of suspension” for graduate students as is currently stated in the Academic Integrity policy.  We will discuss this at the September Council meeting.
  9. Professor Shields reported that departments/programs will have access to Turnitin.com for the purpose of checking theses/dissertations for plagiarism.  They will have this access for one year to see if it works as we hope.  Following that trial period, the University may make the subscription available permanently.  We are waiting now for the purchase of the subscription for the current year.
  10. The course change report contained in Attachment F was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate.
  11. The graduate faculty recommendations contained in Attachment G were approved.
  12. Professor Shields reported that he will rely on the Graduate Council to give us feedback on growing graduate enrollment. 

There being no other business, the Council adjourned at 3:00 p.m.

Submitted by:                                                  Approved by:                                     

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