UMGSB GRADUATE COUNCIL
MINUTES
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Led by: UMB
Teleconference
In Attendance: Man Kyo Chung, Brandy Garzel, Donna Harrington, Katia Kontrogianni, Meg Johantgen, Sarah Tom, Matthew Trudeau, Bruce Yu, Erin Golembewski, UMBC attendees, Janet Rutledge
Welcome
Approval of Minutes from Council Meeting held on October meeting date? September 3, 2015
· A motion was made to accept the minutes with the addition of Sarah Tom to the attendance list. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
Announcements/plans/issues UMB
· Graduate Deans from the USM and Maryland Private Colleges met at Frostburg University to discuss current issues including State Authorization that allows Maryland schools to offer their online programs to out of state students as well as offer clinical experiences out of state. Maryland has been approved by SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements), which will make the process to approve programs quicker.
· The PROMISE Program has begun accepting applications for 1-2 postdoctoral fellowships that include a stipend and benefits for 1 year. The deadline to apply is Friday, November 20, 2015.
Announcements/plans/issues UMBC
· The Candidacy Ceremony was held on Tuesday, November 3rd and was a wonderful event.
GSA Reports
· UMB – The UMB GSA has had two meetings where many issues were discussed. (1) There will be changes to student parking and students will be moving from the BioPark garage to a new location. (2) Meyerhoff and NOVA both have requested funds to host events. (3) The new Graduate Student lounge has opened in the SMC Campus Center, third floor. (4) They discussed the potential to offer a business certificate along with PhD programs. (5) GSA is evaluating the Police escort service and ways to improve the van service by adding more personnel. (6) The GRC and Candidacy Ceremony will be spilt into two separate events this year. They are hoping to make the Candidacy Ceremony a more important event and are looking to choose a date soon.
· UMBC – No Report
Committee Reports
Graduate Faculty - the following was approved:
UMB
Gene Blatt / Special 5Jennifer Swanberg / Regular
Simeon Taylor / Regular
John Cagle / Regular
UMBC
Dena Aufseeser / Regular
Jonathan May / Special 3
Williams Holman / Special 3
Sarah Spellman / Special 3
Joseph Demattos / Special 3
Williams Thomas / Special 3
Scott Townsley / Special 3
New Courses
Courses Recommended for Approval :
UMBC New Courses
· BIOL 690 Chemical Communication and Brain Disorders
· CHEM 605 Inorganic Chemistry
· CHEM 611 Chemical and Statistical Thermodynamics
· CHEM 720 Critical Assessment of the Scientific Literature
· HIST 614 Historic Preservation in the United State
· SOCY 670 Social Ties Across the Life Course
· IS 680 Readings in Systems Designs
Courses Denied Approval
UMB
· MHS 700 MHS Capstone
· MHS 609 Research Seminar
A motion was made to accept the committee’s recommendations as submitted. There was unanimity at UMB and UMBC.
Program Review –
· LLC – The committee highlighted three issues from the review:
o Lessening the heavy workload for LLC faculty members – They have improved this by hiring a new faculty member (Dr. Cedric Herring)
o Eliminating individual MOUs from LLC to departments and the transfer of LLC Graduate Assistant to collaborating departments – MOU agreements will be revised in Spring 2015 but the contribution of faculty members from other departments is necessary and some GA resources should continue to be assigned to other departments
o Disparity between full-time and part-time students
In summary, the reviewers were optimistic about the potential for LLC to be a national leader – with space. Yet, to make all the required changes, the reviewers advise that for one year the program take on no new students to allow faculty the time to plan and set up the learning lab. The Deans report stated that the option of having such a transition year is not considered since much of the potential in the External Reviewer’s repot is already within LLC’s reach.
· TESOL – The committee highlighted two issues from the review:
o Stronger collaboration with the TESOL Professional Training Program (TPTP) – With enhanced communication and collaboration, “A systemic financial plan that provides incentives for continued outreach and development,” both “the professional training program and the MA program” can be created.
o Adding a tenure track faculty member to replace Jodi Crandall – The Deans office allocated a search to the Education department for this purpose
· ISD – The committee highlighted four issues from the review
o Redefine the scope of the curriculum to establish its identity within the ISD discipline
o Developing a funding model that supports growth of program – The ISD director is working with DPS in order to determine whether a self-supporting funding model is sustainable
o Hiring of additional full-time faculty and support staff – This cannot be looked at until they address the issues of focus and funding
o The “academic home” of the program should be reviewed – While the Education department might not be the most appropriate home for the program, it is not clear yet that other departments are more appropriate intellectually or logistically.
A motion was made to accept the committee’s recommendations as submitted. There was unanimity at UMB and UMBC.
Long Range Planning & New Programs – No Report
New Business
· UMBC GPD’s are meeting to discuss the Graduate Council policy on milestones and the current time limits on them. They will also discuss whether or not GA’s need to be full-time every semester-including the last semester. They will come back with more information at the December meeting.
· There is currently no policy regarding taking a leave of absence mid semester. It is at the discretion of the faculty member and student to rearrange exams and assignments.
Old Business
None
Next Meeting:
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Teleconference
Led by: UMBC