November Minutes

November 20, 2014

MEMBERS PRESENT

Voting: Professors V. Anand, K. Collins, T. P. Cronan, N.D. Dennis A.J. Dowdle, K.S. Grover, V.H. Hunt, K.L. Needy, J.T. Scott, F. Spiegel, R. Warren, J.D. Wiersma; Ms. M.M. Hui, Mr. T. Talafuse

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

MEMBERS ABSENT

Voting: Professor P.R. Selvam

Non-Voting: Ms. M. Harwood-Rom

GUESTS: Professors K. Barta, R. Davis, M. Feldner, E. Funkhouser, P. Harington, G. House, S. Pierce, A. Pope, C. White, J. Wu

SECRETARY: Ms. T. M. Fisher


The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by Chair Patricia Koski
  1. Minutes for the September 18, 2014, Graduate Council meeting stand approved, as no changes were suggested. (Please review the Graduate Council Minutes).
  2. Professor Koski reported that Graduate Education week, and the Abstract to Contract student paper competition went well.
  3. Committee Reports: The Academic Appeals Committee did not meet in November. The Teaching Assistant Effectiveness Advisory Committee will meet with a visiting scholar in early December.
  4. There was no old business.
  5. New Business, Program Changes, Following discussion, all proposals were unanimously approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate. Program proposals may be viewed at https://nextcatalog.uark.edu/programadmin.
    1. Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences
      (1). Department of Art: Professor S. Pierce presented a proposal to modify the MFA degree in Art (ARTMFA) by reducing the number of credit hours in studio courses from 45 to 42, increasing the number of art history hours from nine to twelve with selected courses required, removing a list of possible elective ARHS seminars from the Art History requirements, and making other minor changes.
      (2). Department of Geosciences, Professor R. Davis presented a proposal to change the M.A. degree in Geography (GEOGMA) to an M.S. (GEOGMS) degree with resulting curricular changes.
      (3). Department of English, Professor A. Pope, presented a proposal to offer the graduate certificate in Technical Writing and Public Rhetorics (TWRHGC) on-line.
      (4). Department of Mathematical Sciences, Professor P. Harington presented a proposal to modify the M.S. degree in Mathematics (MATHMS) by making comprehensive exam requirements more specific and adding a thesis option.
      (5). Department of Philosophy, Professor E. Funkhouser presented a proposal to modify the Ph.D. degree in Philosophy (PHILPH) by eliminating the language requirement. Advisors will work with students to develop programs needed to acquire specialist knowledge as appropriate.
      (6). Department of Psychological Sciences, Professor M. Feldner, presented a proposal to modify the Ph.D. degree in Psychology (PSYCPH) with a specialization in Clinical Psychology by eliminating the requirement for PSYC 5053, 6083 and 6223, and adding the requirement of PSYC 5313.
      (7). School of Social Work, Professor G. House presented a proposal to modify the MSW degree (SCWKMS) by removing a general practice course in the advanced year (SCWK 6013) in order to provide students with the opportunity to take a population specific practice course (either SCWK 6233 or SCWK 6243).
    2. College of Education and Health Professions, Eleanor Mann School of Nursing, Professor K. Barta presented a proposal to modify the post-BSN option in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (NURSDP) by adding the Family Nurse Practitioner concentration to the on-line offerings.
    3. College of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, Professor J. Wu presented a proposal to modify the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering (ELEGPH) by adding the following phrase to the requirements for the degree: “other conditions as stipulated in departmental guidelines for doctoral degrees.”
    4. Walton College of Business, Professor V. Anand presented a proposal to modify the course requirements for the Executive MBA program (BADMMB), to add five focus areas (Retail Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, Entrepreneurship/Innovation, and Business Analytics), and to remove the restriction of “taught exclusively in Shanghai, China” from the focused study areas.
  6. New Business, New program proposal, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: Professor C. White presented a proposal to create a graduate certificate in African and African American Studies (AASTGC). The proposal was unanimously approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate.
  7. New Business, Policy Change: Following discussion, the Graduate Council approved this resolution: In order to avoid the perception of a conflict of interest, students are discouraged from providing refreshments and faculty are discouraged from creating the expectations that students will provide refreshment during oral defenses (candidacy exam defenses, dissertation proposal, thesis or dissertation defense, etc.). This needs no further approval.
  8. The course change report from the University Course and Programs Committee (UCPC) was approved unanimously.
  9. The graduate faculty recommendations contained in Attachment A were approved.

There being no other business, the Council adjourned at 3:22 p.m. The Council will meet next on Thursday, December 18th, 2014 at 2:00 in Upchurch Conference Room of Bell Engineering.

Submitted by: Patricia R. Koski, Chair

Approved by: Kim Needy, Dean