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Graduate Council Minutes

March 14th, 2013

MEMBERS PRESENT

Voting: rofessors N.D. Dennis, A. J. Dowdle, A.E. Ellstrand, P.M. Hewitt, V.H. Hunt, F.M. Scheide, J.T. Scott, P.R. Selvam, J.D. Wiersma; Ms. J. Bailey

Non-Voting: Professors P.R. Koski, M.T. Miller, A. O’Leary-Kelly, L.J. Robertson; Ms. M. Harwood-Rom

MEMBERS ABSENT

Voting: Professors M. Bradley, R.M. Costrell, T. P. Cronan, T.G. Shields; one student representative

Non-Voting: Professors C.H. Adams; J. Ganson

GUESTS Professor R. Brown

SECRETARY Ms. T. M. Fisher

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

  1. Minutes for the February 14th, 2013, 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).
  2. Professor Selvam told the Council that a new dean for the College of Engineering, Dr. John English, has been announced.
  3. Professor Koski reminded Council members that if new graduate faculty status is required for anyone teaching in the May intersession, that status must be approved no later than the April Graduate Council meeting. Professor Koski also told the Council that with respect to graduate students on assistantship, tuition during the January intersession will be paid for students on assistantship during the spring semester; tuition during the May intersession will be paid for students on assistantship during the summer sessions; and tuition during the August intersession will be paid for students on assistantship during the fall semester.
  4. Committee reports were distributed by e-mail earlier in the day and are included as Attachment A.
  5. There was no Old Business.
  6. Professor N. Dennis presented proposals for changes to the M.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering (BMENMS) and the Ph.D. degree in Engineering with a concentration in Biomedical Engineering (ENGRPH) as described in Attachment B and Attachment C. After discussion, the proposals were approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate. Additional approval (off-campus) is not required.
  7. Council members reviewed proposed changes to the rules governing master’s thesis defenses and suggested some editorial changes. The revised proposal is included as Attachment D and will be placed on the April Graduate Council agenda for vote.
  8. Council members reported from their constituencies on the idea of requiring a standardized exam for admission to the Graduate School. Feedback is included as Attachment E.
  9. The course change report contained in Attachment F was approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate.
  10. The graduate faculty recommendations contained in Attachment G were approved.
  11. In response to a question from the Council, Professor Koski gave an update on the progress toward an electronic admissions management process.

There being no other business, the Council adjourned at 2:52 p.m.


Submitted by: Patricia R. Koski, Chair

Approved by: Todd G. Shields, Dean