August Minutes

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• 2017 Minutes
• August Minutes

August 17, 2017

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

1. Minutes for the May 18, 2017, 2017, Graduate Council meeting stand approved, as no changes were suggested. (Graduate Council Minutes).
2. Professor Koski welcomed new Graduate Council members Robert Costrell, Kate Mamiseishvili, and Anna Zajicek.
3. Professor Koski reported that the Academic Appeals Committee met in August and heard two cases; also, a very successful new graduate student orientation was organized by Amanda Cantu.
4. Dean Needy made several announcements:
   • The Graduate School was one of 29 schools chosen to receive a grant from the Council of Graduate Schools on Ph.D. career pathways;
   • Fayetteville will be the site of the annual meetings of the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools, February 22-25, 2018;
   • We have increased the stipend for Doctoral Academy Fellows from $10,000 to $12,000 per year, including current recipients
   • We are hoping to secure a commitment of permanent funds for the dissertation year fellowship, the summer research GA, and the 2 for 1 assistantship offer.
5. Committee Assignments: Jim Gigantino volunteered to represent the Graduate Council on the University’s Calendar Committee; Paul Cronan volunteered to represent the Graduate Council on the University Course and Program Committee; and Justin Chimka agreed to continue on the Library Committee. We thanked all of our volunteers.
6. There was no old business
7. New Business: The following program change proposals were approved unanimously and will go next to Faculty Senate. Also see Attachment A.
   • Proposal to modify the Ph.D. degree in Physics (PHYSPH) by deleting the concentration in Space and Planetary Sciences; adding concentrations in Astrophysics, Biophysics, Neuroscience, and General Physics; changing the requirements for the candidacy exam; and changing and reducing course requirements. Professor P. Thibado presented the proposal.
   • Proposal to modify the Nurse Executive Leader concentration and the Nurse Educator concentration in the MS degree in Nursing (NURSMS-EXLD and NURSMS-NUED) by changing course requirements. Professor M. Butler presented the proposal.
   • Proposal to modify the Ph.D. degree in Health, Sport and Exercise Science, Health Behavior concentration (HSESPH-HLBV) by removing HHPR 699V as a required course and adding three hours to the requirements for electives, from 33 hours to 36 hours required. Professor S. Dittmore presented the proposal.
   • Proposal to modify the MS degree in Operations Management (OPMGMS) by removing OMGT 5873 as a core course and replacing it with OMGT 5623. Professor R. Ham presented the proposal.
8. New Business: The Council discussed the residency requirement embedded in the transfer credit policy for master’s students, which requires that 24 hours be earned at the U of A, either by distance or on campus. Council members will poll their constituencies on possible changes to the policy and this will be discussed at the September meeting. See Attachment B.
9. The course change report from the University Course and Programs Committee was unanimously approved (Attachment C).
10. The graduate faculty recommendations contained in Attachment D were unanimously approved. However, the Council wishes to issue a warning that we will no longer approve graduate faculty status for students who will be teaching their peers, defined as other students who are in the same degree program regardless of whether the students share classes.

There being no other business, the Council adjourned at 3:42 p.m. The Council will meet next on Thursday, September 21st, at 2:00 p.m., in the Upchurch Conference Room of Bell Engineering.