Graduate Council Minutes

November 17, 2016

MEMBERS PRESENT

Voting: Professors V. Anand, J.R. Chimka, T.P. Cronan, V.H. Hunt, K. Korth, J.W. Murry, K.L. Needy, J.C. Rupe, R. Warren; Mr. M. Christie

Non-Voting: Professors A.E. Ellstrand, J. Durdik, P.R. Koski, J. Penner-Williams

MEMBERS ABSENT

Voting: Professors N.D. Dennis, P.K. Dowe, J. Gigantino, D. Shirey

Non-Voting: Professors M.R. Evans, LL. Lennertz; Dr. S. Adams

SECRETARY: Ms. T. M. Fisher

GUESTS Professors A. Brogi, R. Ham, J. Hunter, R. Kali, L. Sparks, J. Tullis, G. Zamarro

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

  1. Minutes for the October 27th, 2016, Graduate Council meeting stand approved, as no changes were suggested. (Graduate Council Minutes).
  2. Professor Koski made several announcements:
    • Professor P. Cronan, a member of the Council, was the recipient of “Wally’s Chair” for October
    • Professor J. Gigantino, a member of the Council, received the Diversity Award from the Staff Senate
    • The name of the Lemke Department of Journalism will change to the School of Journalism and Strategic Media
    • An item for next month’s agenda will be a discussion of transfer credit for doctoral students, which is currently not allowed by Graduate Council policies
    • The Academic Appeals Committee met the day before and decided one time-extension appeal
  3. Dean K.L. Needy discussed the Chancellor’s eight guiding principles and how she would organize the discussion of “strengthening graduate education,” which is the committee she will chair.
  4. Old Business: An item tabled from the October meeting was a proposal to change from temporary to permanent the graduate faculty status for instructors. Council members were asked to report back from their constituencies about this proposal. Following discussion, it was decided that the current policy of granting only temporary graduate faculty status to instructors would remain in place.
  5. New Business: Proposed changes to the following existing programs were approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate. The person presenting the proposal is indicated in parentheses after the item. Exact changes may be found in Attachment A or at http://registrar.uark.edu/program-unit-changes/index.php.
    • M.A. degree in English (ENGLMA) (Professor L. Sparks)
    • Ph.D. degree in English (ENGLPH) (Professor L. Sparks)
    • M.S. degree in Geography (GEOGMS) (Professor J. Tullis)
    • M.A. degree in History (HISTMA) (Professor A. Brogi)
    • M.M. degree in Music (MUSCMM) (Professor J. Hunter)
    • Concentrations in the MM degree in Music (Professor J. Hunter)
      • Music Composition (MUSCMM – CMPM)
      • Music Choral Conducting (MUSCMM – MCCM)
      • Music History (MUSCMM – MHSM)
      • Music Instrumental Conducting (MUSCMM – MICM)
      • Music Theory Concentration (MUSCMM – MTHM)
    • Master of Public Administration (PADMMP) (Professor V.H. Hunt)
    • MA degree in Physics (PHYSMA) (Professor J. Durdik)
    • Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism Spectrum Disorders (APBAGC and AUTSGC)) (Professor J. Penner-Williams)
    • Ph.D. degree in Education Policy (EDPOPH) (Professor G. Zamarro)
  6. New Business: Proposed new concentrations or degrees were approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate.
    • Proposal to add a concentration in Executive Healthcare to the Executive MBA degree, in collaboration with UAMS, and to make catalog changes (Professor R. Kali)
    • Proposal to merge the Ph.D degree in Rehabilitation and the Ph.D. degree in Counselor Education, and to delete the Ph.D. degree in Rehabilitation. (Professor J. Penner-Williams)
    • Proposal to create a new Master of Science degree in Engineering Management (EMGTMS) (Professor R. Ham)
    • Proposal to modify concentrations in the Ph.D. degree in Public Policy (PUBPPH) by deleting Environmental Policy, Disability Policy (DSPO), Recreation Policy (RCPO), and Transportation Policy (TRPO); changing the name of Community Development and Recreation Policy (CDRP); changing the name of Public Policy Leadership to Public Policy Management (PPMG); and changing catalog copy for Education Policy (EDPO), Family Policy (FMPO), Health Policy (HLPO), and Policy Studies in Aging (PSIA) (Professor P.R. Koski and Professor V.H. Hunt)
  7. New Business, Proposed Policy Change: A proposal was made to modify the transfer credit policy for master’s students as shown in Attachment B. Following discussion, these proposed changes were approved and will go next to the Faculty Senate. (Note: Editorial changes to the policy were also made.)
  8. Discussion: The Council continued the discussion of whether we should require background checks for all graduate assistants. The Council feels that it still does not have enough information to make a recommendation about this and specifically would like more information on these questions:
    • What is the issue that has arisen that requires a change in our policies?
    • Would a check box on an application which inquires about past criminal behavior suffice to address that issue?
    • What is the requirement for faculty?
  9. Discussion; Should summer enrollment continue to be required for post-candidacy doctoral students? The Council asked for additional time to poll their constituencies. This issue will be on the December Graduate Council agenda.
  10. The course change report from the University Course and Programs Committee was unanimously approved (Attachment C).
  11. The graduate faculty recommendations contained in Attachment D were unanimously approved.

There being no other business, the Council adjourned at 3:35 p.m. The Council will meet next on Thursday, December 15th, 2016, at 2:00 p.m., in the Upchurch Conference Room of Bell Engineering.