Faculty Senate

Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

September 10, 2008

GBB 202, 12:10-1:00 p.m.

Members Present: L. Ametsbichler, R. Baker, R. Bolton, T. Herron, J. Hirstein, M. McGuirl, N. Moisey, G. Quintero, G. Stanley, C. VonReichert, C. Watson, C. Winkler

Members Absent/Excused: L. Frey

Ex-officio members Present: Associate Provost Brown

Guest:  Associate Provost Walker-Andrews

The meeting was called to order at 12:10 p.m.

The 9/3/08 minutes were amended and approved.

Communication:

Associate Provost Walker-Andrews distributed a document providing information regarding program review progress. She is required to give a report to the Board of Regents in November. A sample report can be viewed at:
http://mus.edu/board/meetings/2007/Nov07/ASA/MUSProgramReviewAY0607.pdf

For this academic year, the Council will be involved with reviewing Physical Therapy and Computer Science.  The self-study for these two programs will be available on Blackboard soon. Social Work is also scheduled to be reviewed, however their site visit won't be until 2/10/09. 

Many of the reviews are offset to correspond with accreditation visits. Recreation Management has an accreditation visit this fall and Forestry has one in the spring.  Often the self-study information will be in a different format for these programs.  The Council can ask for additional information if documentation is not provided to address its guidelines. 

The timeline for reviews is pretty loose mostly due to the inconsistency of site visits and receiving the external reviewers report..  The Council should try to submit its report within a reasonable time after receiving access to the self-study and external report. 

Next academic year three programs in the School of Business are scheduled for review, as well as Modern and Classical Languages and Literature, English, Philosophy, and Health and Human Performance.

After the self-study, the external report, and Graduate Council's report have been reviewed by Academic Affairs, it provides a letter listing commendations and recommendations to the program for the basis of discussion.  Then there is a meeting with the Department Chair, Academic Dean, Provost, and Associate Provost of Graduate Education. After the meeting the Provost sends a follow-up letter identifying the action plan. If possible the Council would like to be copied on the letters as a means of follow-up to its review.  

Business Items:

• Professor Erickson agreed to chair the IIP Oversight Committee
• Professor Bolton was nominated and agreed to serve as chair-elect.
• Subcommittee Chairs were identified as follows:

Professor Herron will chair the Schools Subcommittee for program review.

• The Professional Schools Subcommittee reviewed the Art's admissions proposal and recommended approval. The Council concurred.
• The Science Subcommittee will report on the admissions proposal from Mathematics at next week's meeting.
• The IIP Oversight Committee chair is responsible for delivering a report to the Council each year according to the recommendations that were approved in 2006. A report was not given last year. However, a written report was submitted over the summer and will be sent to Council members to review. Members also asked to review the recommendations document. Camie will send this as well.
• A workgroup reviewed the Interdisciplinary Master's Program and made recommendations in 2007. At the time, action was not taken due to the pending search for the Graduate School Dean. The Council should review the recommendations and discuss them with Associate Provost Brown.
• Chair Moisey asked that Camie send members Blackboard user IDs.

Good and Welfare:

• Council members are invited to join the Faculty Senate for a reception after the meeting on Thursday in the Gallagher Business Building Piazza.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 p.m.