Graduate Council

Year-end Report 2004 – 2005

Richard P. Hughes, Chair

 

 

Introduction

The Graduate Council is a standing committee of the Faculty Senate and is charged with promoting, reviewing and evaluating programs and issues related to graduate education at The University of Montana.  The committee held thirty full meetings in the 2004–2005 academic year in addition to regular email correspondence and numerous sub-committee meetings. 

 

2004-2005 Committee Membership

Richard Hughes, Chair                      Media Arts

Stephen Black, Vice-Chair                Pharmacy     

Teresa Beed                                      Accounting & Finance

Gene Burns                                        HHP

Mark Kayll                                           Mathematics

Neil Moisey                                        Forestry

Nigel Priestley (fall 2004)                  Chemistry

Randy Skelton                                   Anthropology      

Tully Thibeau                                     Linguistics

Stephanie Wasta                               Curriculum & Instruction

Albert Borgmann                               Philosophy

Michael McClintock                            English

Michael DeGrandpre (spring 2005) Chemistry

 

Ex-Officio

David Strobel                                     Dean, Graduate School

Arlene Walker-Andrews                    Associate Provost

 

Graduate Students

Randy Tanner                                    Forestry

Stephanie  Kucera                             Psychology

 

 

Agenda Items and Actions:

Curriculum Review

There were 234 total proposals:

       • 171 course changes

       • 54 new courses (20 of which were UG)

       • 3 program modifications

       • 4 level II proposals

          - Option in Central and Southwest Asian Studies

          - Masters in Public Health

   - Option in School Psychology within Psychology PhD Program

   - Certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution

       • 1 level I proposals   

- Add Computer Science Specialization to the

                      Mathematical Sciences PhD

 

Distribution of awards in support of research:

There were a total of 11 awards as follows:

       5 awards at $500 each in Science

       4 awards at $500 each in Social Science

       2 awards at $250 each in Social Science

 

Bertha Morton Fellowships/Scholarships

Graduate Council members reviewed 43 applications and awarded:

(1)     $3,000 fellowship

(28) $2,000 scholarships

 

Program Review

The Graduate Council played a part in the review process of three programs this academic year: Anthropology, Wildlife Biology and Sociology. Reports were forwarded to the Office of the Provost.  

 

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

As part of an evaluation of electronic theses and dissertation feasibility The Graduate Council reviewed and responded to a report that was compiled by the library.


Procedural Issues:

Program Review procedures and timeline

       The Graduate Council discussed ways of making the process more efficient and suggested to the Associate Provost that program information be compiled in the spring and reviewed by the Council as the first agenda item the following fall.   

 

Bertha Morton Tie-breaking procedure

       The Graduate Council discussed ways of making the awards as fair as possible and decided that there needs to be a better system for breaking ties that might occur in the final spot.  As a result, the Council voted to re-assess those applicants who were tied for the final spot and to rank them once again.  The final award would go to the student with the highest ranking from that group.

 

Pending:

Still pending level II- Water Resource Science Program 

       The Graduate Council reviewed the proposal and recommendations will be sent to the Dean of The Graduate School.  At this point the Council is awaiting a response.