Graduate Studies

Graduate Council Minutes - September 9, 2019

3:00 – 5:00 p.m., Horrabin Hall 60/QC 2127

Members Present: C. Blackinton, S. Ghimire, J. Hammersley, H. Hemphill (Chair), B. Locke (Vice Chair), S. Szyjka

Members Absent: C. Anderson, K. Kapale

Guests Present: T. Feld, P. Jorgensen, R. Polubinsky, L. Oden, S. Saddler

Ex-officio Present: Mark Mossman

Others Present: A. Schulz

 

I.  STUDENT APPEALS

A. Request for a late withdrawal

1. Business Administration

Student was not in attendance but Dr. Feld represented him and the program. The student is a fully online student that has a medical condition that flares up periodically. Student provided supporting documentation indicating that he had experienced a flare up during the time in question.

Motion: To approve the request. (Locke/Hammersley)
MOTION CARRIED 6 YES – 0 NO – 0 AB

B. Request to waive the 6-hour C rule

1. Communication

Student present with Dr. Jorgensen as the program representative. Student explained that a course he was in did not receive grades in a timely manner and he did not know that he was receiving a low grade until the semester was over. A course with another low grade had been retaken and earned a higher grade. Dr. Locke asked if all requirements for completion were met. Student responded that yes, everything was complete. Discussion was held regarding courses taken.

Motion: To approve the request. (Locke/Blackinton)
MOTION CARRIED 5 YES – 0 NO – 0 AB

2. Sport Management – Student A

Student present with Dr. Polubinsky as the program representative. Also. Drs. Oden and Saddler were in attendance. Student explained that one low grade was due to travel and miscommunication about deadlines. Has taken a similar course and received a passing grade since then. Student only needs a couple of courses to complete the degree. Dr. Hemphill asked about choices of courses taken. Student received information from other students in the program and not the advisor but the course was presented in a way that was suited to his learning style. Dr. Polubinsky stated that the department does not support the course that was taken in place of the required course and that there are several steps the need to be taken to get the student on track to complete the degree. Discussion was held about remaining courses and the timeline of the petition.

Motion: To approve the request. (Locke/Ghimire)
MOTION CARRIED 4 YES – 0 NO – 1 AB

3. Sport Management – Student B

Student present with Dr. Polubinsky as the program representative. Student stated that he was aware of the C rule policy when he entered the program. He stretched himself to thin in the last semester and took the two toughest courses while trying to uphold family responsibilities and a job. Student reached out to advisor and through miscommunication, did not realize the next steps that he would need to take to complete the degree. Dr. Locke asked about remaining coursework. Student responded that he still needs to complete an internship to finish the degree. Dr. Polubinsky stated her support and commended the student for doing as well as he did with the heavy course load in his last semester. She noted that they have a plan in place for him to finish up if he is approved. Discussion was held regarding the documents provided with the petition.

Motion: To approve the request. (Locke/Szyjka)
MOTION CARRIED 5 YES – 0 NO – 0 AB

II.  GRADUATE FACULTY – FULL MEMBERSHIP

A. Julie Cox, Assistant Professor, Speech Pathology & Audiology

Motion: To approve the request. (Locke/Szyjka)
MOTION CARRIED 5 YES – 0 NO – 0 AB


III.  ANNOUNCEMENTS

A. Academic integrity incident reports filed in the School of Graduate Studies, May – August 2019 (1)

1. Resolved at the instructor level – 1

B. Requests to serve as a reader on exit option committee, May – August 2019 (2)

1. Biology (2) – approved

C. Graduate Committee Chair fall semester meeting – October 2, 2019

Ms. Schulz announced the date for the fall Graduate Committee Chair meeting and added that Council members would receive an emailed reminder notice about the meeting. Dr. Mossman provided a brief overview of some of the topics to be covered including enrollment, immigration, and assistantships.

D. Temporary Graduate Faculty approvals for 2019-2020

Ms. Schulz provided Council members with the current list of those approved to receive temporary graduate faculty status for the 2019-2020 academic year.

E. Graduate Student Research and Professional Development Fund

Ms. Schulz requested a sub-committee of one member from each college be formed to review the fall applications for the Graduate Student Research and Professional Development award recipients. Graduate Council members will serve on the committees as follows:

Fall 2019 semester: Ms. Blackinton, Dr. Ghimire, Dr. Kapale, and Dr. Szyjka
Spring 2020 semester: Dr. Anderson, Dr. Hammersley, Dr. Hemphill, and Dr. Locke

A date in mid-October will be established for the fall selection meeting. Ms. Schulz will provide copies of the applications and evaluation forms. She will also schedule a location for the meeting and notify all involved.

IV.  OTHER BUSINESS

Dr. Hemphill suggested to Council members that some sections of the Operating Paper of the School of Graduate Studies may need to be reviewed. He specifically noted sections on the composition of the Graduate Council as well as the length of time that full graduate faculty is applicable. Currently anyone with full graduate faculty membership can serve on Graduate Council including administrators but that may not be the original intent. Also members of the full graduate faculty are able to maintain that status forever once approved which also may not have been the intent. Dr. Mossman noted that any proposed changes to the Operating Paper have a process that includes several steps ending with a vote by all full graduate faculty members. Council members would like to have this added to the next meeting agenda as a beginning discussion point.

 

Meeting adjourned: 4:38 p.m.