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Graduate Council Minutes

Thursday, January 17, 2013

MEMBERS PRESENT

Voting: Professors M. Bradley, A. J. Dowdle, A.E. Ellstrand, P.M. Hewitt, V.H. Hunt, F.M. Scheide, J.T. Scott, P.R. Selvam, T.G. Shields, J.D. Wiersma; Ms. J. Bailey; Mr. C. Stoudenmire

Non-Voting: Professors J. Ganson, P.R. Koski, M.T. Miller, A. O’Leary-Kelly

MEMBERS ABSENT

Voting: Professors R.M. Costrell, T. P. Cronan, N.D. Dennis

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

GUESTS Professors F. Mendez, M. Reid, G. Wardlow; Ms. M.M. Hui

SECRETARY Ms. T. M. Fisher

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

  1. Professor Koski welcomed Professor Thad Scott to the Council. Professor Scott replaces Michael Richardson and is a representative from the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.
  2. Minutes for the December 20th, 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.html).
  3. Announcements
  4. Reports from the Academic Appeals Subcommittee and the Teaching Assistant Effectiveness Advisory Committee
  5. Professor Koski asked Council members to let people know not to sign electronic program change forms and supporting documentation. These forms are posted on the web and if they go to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, they are also posted on that website. We do not want to put people in danger of identity theft. All documentation that needs an original signature may be submitted with the signed (paper) program change form.
  6. Dean Shields announced that he presented to the Executive Committee on the number of and stipend support for state-funded GA positions and found the Committee receptive to increasing both the number of centrally-funded tuition waivers and raising the stipend level.
  7. Committee reports: Reports for the Academic Appeals Committee and the Teaching Assistant Effectiveness Advisory Committee were distributed by e-mail before the meeting and are included as Attachment A.
  8. Information Item: Professor G. Wardlow explained why the Department of Agricultural and Extension Education (AEED) is changing its name to Agricultural Education, Communication, and Technology (AECT). Professor Wardlow noted that the name of the M.S. degree in Agricultural and Extension Education (AEEDMS) will not change ( Attachment B and Attachment C).
  9. Old Business: Professor F. Mendez presented a proposal to modify the Ph.D. degree in Economics (ECONPH) in the ways described in Section V of Attachment D. Following discussion, the proposal was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate.
  10. Professor Koski asked the Council members to report from their constituencies about a proposal to eliminate 4000-level dual credit classes. It was decided that there is sufficient opposition that the proposal should not be taken forward. However, Council members were asked to poll their constituencies about limiting the number of 4000 level courses that graduate students may use in their degree programs. Following the meeting, the e-mail contained in Attachment E was distributed for polling various constituencies.
  11. The course change report contained in Attachment F was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate.
  12. The graduate faculty recommendations contained in Attachment G were approved.

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


Submitted by: Patricia R. Koski, Chair

Approved by: Todd G. Shields, Dean