August Minutes

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• Graduate School and International Education
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• Graduate Council
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• 2023 Minutes
• August 2023 Minutes
• August Minutes

August 17^th, 2023

1. Minutes for the April 13, 2023, Graduate Council meeting stand approved as no corrections were suggested. (Graduate Council Minutes)
2. Announcements (Associate Dean Ed Bengtson)
   After introducing himself as the new Associate Dean in the Graduate School, he shared that it’s been a busy time preparing for GA’s and incoming graduate students as well as working on degree clearances. GSIE received a promising report from Vice Provost Jim Gigantino that the Graduate School’s numbers are improving, and the data shows potentially higher numbers than this time last year.
3. Dean’s Report (Dean Ed Pohl)
   Dean Pohl introduced himself as the new Graduate School Dean. He shared that GSIE has been busy hiring team members and a second Associate Dean. He announced that an offer was extended to a candidate for Director of Admissions. Additionally, the data shows the Fall numbers are better than anticipated. Currently, he is focused on hiring staff and learning the functions of the Graduate Council. He advised the members that his office is a service organization.
4. Graduate Council Representation on Faculty Senate Committee: The nomination of Associate Dean Ed Bengtson to serve on the Graduate Council’s Calendar Committee for a three -year term was approved.
5. The course change reports contained in Attachment A were approved unanimously.
6. The Council discussed the graduate faculty recommendations for faculty (Attachment B). Professor M. Ganio presented the application of Karynecia Conner separately. After discussion, the Council unanimously approved her application. The Council then voted unanimously to approve the remainder of the recommendations. Graduate faculty recommendations approved remotely via email from May to July 2023 are included in Attachment D
7. Other Business – The Chemical Engineering (CHEG) Department (Kevin Hall) submitted a request to allow graduate TAs to receive graduate faculty status and grade quizzes in classes that include their peers (see Attachment C). After discussion and determining this is just for Fall 2023, a motion was made, and it passed unanimously. It’s noted that if this exception is needed in the future, the department will submit a new request to the Graduate Council.
8. Questions
   
   1. A Council member asked how to remove faculty with graduate faculty status who have retired,left the college, passed away, etc. Dr. Bengtson stated that the GSIE will develop a policy to share with the departments about how to remove graduate faculty.
   2. Dr. Bengtson shared that when a faculty member seeks a new graduate faculty status (e.g., promotion), a new application is required.
   3. The Council discussed situations wherein students want to earn a master’s degree while working on a PhD; however, when applying to a master’s program, students are told to change programs although the box in Slate is checked. Although students filed for Masters, the Graduate School advised them that they need to reapply to the master’s program. Drs. Pohl and Bengtson will check into this.
   4. Dr. Bengtson advised the Council to be aware that more graduate faculty applications are being received and that remote voting will be necessary in the coming weeks.
   5. Dr. Bengtson also advised that the agendas for future meetings will be ready two weeks prior to the monthly meetings. The agendas will be posted to the Graduate Council’s Teams site.