May Minutes

May 21, 2015

MEMBERS PRESENT

Voting: Professors K. Collins, T.P. Cronan, N.D. Dennis, V.H. Hunt, K.L. Needy, J.T. Scott, J.D. Wiersma; Ms. Mary Margaret Hui

Non-Voting: Professors J. Ganson, P.R. Koski, Y. Murphy-Erby

MEMBERS ABSENT

Voting: Professor V. Anand, A.J. Dowdle, K.S. Grover, P.R. Selvam, F. Spiegel, R. Warren; second representative from the Graduate Dean’s Student Advisory Board

Non-Voting: Professors J. Ganson, P.R. Koski, Y. Murphy-Erby

SECRETARY: Ms. T. M. Fisher

GUESTS: Professors S. Bell, S. Boss, A. Ferguson, G. House, D. Rhoads


The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by Chair Patricia Koski
  1. Minutes for the April 16th, 2015, Graduate Council meeting stand approved, as no changes were suggested. (Please review the Graduate Council Minutes).
  2. Dean Needy reported that we have chosen Dr. Curt Rom as the new Associate Dean for International Education beginning June 1st, and that we now have signage in G. David Gearhart Hall indicating the location of the Graduate School and International Education.
  3. Professor Koski noted that Panneer Selvam, a member of the Council, has been elected to serve as vice president in the Arkansas Academy of Science.
  4. Professor Koski added an agenda item, 8 below, pertaining to graduate student representation on committees.
  5. Professor Koski reported that:
    • The Academic Appeals Committee heard one case by e-mail
    • The Teaching Assistant Effectiveness Advisory Committee is planning the Teaching Assistant Orientation
    • The Calendar Committee heard a request for a class meeting time on MW at 2:00-3:15
  6. Old Business: Item 7d, below, was tabled at the April Graduate Council meeting and removed from the table for consideration at this meeting.
  7. New Business:
    1. Professor A. Ferguson and Glenda House presented a proposal to modify the MSW degree in Social Work (SCWKMS) by offering the Advanced Standing Program as an online option. The proposal was unanimously approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate.
    2. Professor S. Bell presented a proposal to modify the MA degree in Spanish (SPANMA) by changing the distribution of additional credit hours under the Pedagogy Track. The proposal was unanimously approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate.
    3. Professor D. Rhoads presented a proposal to modify the spoken English requirement for the Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology (CEMBPH). The proposal was approved by a vote of five in favor and three abstaining. It will go next to the Faculty Senate.
    4. Professor S. Boss presented a proposal to modify the course requirements in the Ph.D. degree in Environmental Dynamics (ENDYPH). The proposal was tabled for consideration after further discussions about broadening the representation on the steering committee in the Environmental Dynamics program. The vote was 7 in favor of tabling and one abstaining.
      All program changes and program proposals may be viewed at https://nextcatalog.uark.edu/programadmin). Program proposals are also listed in Attachment A.
  8. Professor Koski asked the Council for their initial thoughts on changing the nomination of student representatives to a variety of committees, including the Graduate Council and Academic Appeals Committee, from the Graduate Dean’s Student Advisory Board to the Graduate Student Congress. Following discussion, it was agreed that this discussion would be taken up again in the fall semester.
  9. The course change reports listed in Attachment B were approved unanimously.
  10. The graduate faculty recommendations contained in Attachment C were approved unanimously.

There being no other business, the Council adjourned at 3:16 p.m. The Council will meet next on Thursday, June 18th at 2:00 in Upchurch Conference Room of Bell Engineering, if there is pressing business that warrants the meeting. The Council does not meet in July. Given the possibility that we will not meet in June, Professor Koski thanked Professor Wiersma for her service on the Council as Professor Wiersma’s term of service ends this summer.

Submitted by: Patricia R. Koski, Chair

Approved by: Kim Needy, Dean