April 20, 2005

The April special meeting of the Graduate Council was called to order by Dean David Wittrock, at 8:30 a.m., April 20, 2005, in the Badlands Room in the Memorial Union.

In Attendance: Mark Aune, Canan Bilen-Green, Amanda Dillard, Harlene Hatterman-Valenti, Qun Huo, Jake Glower, Ayanava Majumdar, Stephen O'Rourke, Donna Terbizan, Rodney Traub, Charlene Wolf-Hall

NEW BUSINESS

• Rodney Traub, Stephen O'Rourke, Paul Gleye and Jake Glower forwarded language they use to distinguish a thesis from a comprehensive study paper. The language is similar to what is out there at other universities.
  
  The difference between a Plan B and a Plan C is whether or not it is submitted to the Graduate School and if the committee has a Graduate School Appointee, as that is how the language reads. A coursework only program has nothing to submit to the Graduate School . Comprehensive exam results could be submitted, but the language states there is no paper or exam.
  
  Dean Wittrock presented the option of either a comprehensive exam or capstone course. Stephen O'Rourke asked if this would be a Graduate School requirement or if the term "may" would be used in the description.
  
  Rodney Traub said our MBA program requires the comprehensive exam, but most MBA programs don't. Word of mouth about this exam may hurt the program. Since the program is for working adults it may take 4 years to complete the program and covering that material in a comprehensive exam is problematic. Dean Wittrock asked if the program has a capstone course. Rodney Traub said the Strategic Management course qualifies as it has seven prerequisite courses. Dean Wittrock pointed out that we questioned this same this when reviewing the MML program so it seems important to the group.
  
  Dean Wittrock offered the statement "Each department must define a culminating experience such as a capstone course, written exam or some other means of comprehensive understanding of the material presented in the program."
  
  Canan Bilen-Green asked if the Plan C required a supervisory committee. Dean Wittrock said yes, but it is an internal committee (much like the MBA program). He said for the Plan B option there is a committee with an appointee, a written product submitted to the Graduate School . What should be submitted for the field experience? Donna Terbizan said their program has a notebook that details how and why of their experience. This notebook is submitted to their committee and then returned to the student.
  
  Jake Glower said there must be a defined Plan B paper, project or field experience approved by Graduate School . Rodney Traub said the Graduate School should approve what the department requires and not require submission to the Graduate School . Dean Wittrock said each department must determine comprehensive project programs by picking projects that are justified pedagogically or by precedent.
  
  Dean Wittrock also said the Graduate School could require a synopsis be submitted to the Graduate School as defined by the department. Rodney Traub asked if each committee requirements need to be defined. Dean Wittrock said yes as you need to know under which rules you are working. The council returned the proposal to the subcommittee for one more rewrite.
  
  
• The Graduate Council began reviewing the Graduate Assistantship Policy. Dean Wittrock said this was a good first draft. Harlene Hatterman-Valenti said her committee searched other schools for their policies and reviewed information Dean Wittrock collected from other departments in order to get something on paper.
  
  The council pointed out typographical errors and suggested changes.
  
  Jake Glower said there should be information about maintaining eligibility by maintaining a 3.0. Mark Aune suggested a description be added for the Graduate Teaching Assistant and state that some departments give GTA's full responsibility for teaching.
  
  Dean Wittrock suggested getting rid of the second sentence " A graduate assistant receives a stipend for services rendered." He asked that a statement be added that Fellowship recipients are sometimes asked to teach and that some departments may assign duties similar to that of a GTA or GRA. This section may need to be redefined.
  
  The proposal was returned to the subcommittee for revisions.

At 9:55, Dean Wittrock adjourned the meeting.

Submitted by,

Melissa Selders-Ortez, Student Services Associate