[VPAAEtal] Graduate Council Minutes

[Academic Affairs]

GRADUATE COUNCIL MINUTES

November 13, 2007

 

The Graduate Council met Tuesday, November 13, 2007, in the MSC Boardroom at
3:00 p.m. with Dean Allan D. Headley presiding.  Members present were:  Dr.
Ken Alford, Dr. Harry Fullwood, Dr. John Hanners, Dr. Ben Jang, Dr. Jeff
Kopachena, Ms. Elaine Lin, Mr. Gideon Mazambani, Dr. Linda Openshaw, Dr.
Derek Royal, Dr. Mary Beth Sampson, and Dr. Dayle Yeager.  Members absent
were:  Dr. Hasan Coskun, Dr. Chris Myers, Dr. Chester Robinson, Dr. Steven
Shwiff, and Dr. Janet Walker.   Dr. Jon Travis, Assistant Dean of Graduate
Studies and Research was also in attendance.

 

The minutes from the last Graduate Council, October 9, 2007, were approved
with changes.  

 

Dr. Headley informed the Council that the graduate certificate for
Biological & Environmental Sciences was approved by e-vote this summer.

 

Committee on Curriculum

Dr. John Hanners presented the committee report on a procedure regarding
requirements for a second master's degree.  The Council unanimously approved
the report with changes.  The following requirements will be forwarded to
Deans Council and President's Advisory Council for approval.

1.   Students holding a master's degree from a regionally-accredited
graduate institution in the United States may apply certain courses that
were part of a previously earned graduate degree towards a second master's
degree.

 

2.   Such courses must be approved by the department head, the dean of the
appropriate college, and the Graduate Dean.

 

3.   Courses from previous degrees cannot be more than six years old at the
time the second master's degree is conferred. 

 

4.   No more than 1/3 of the coursework for the second master's degree can
be from a previously earned degree.

 

5.   Previous Thesis or Research Literature and Techniques courses, or their
equivalent, cannot be applied. All remaining courses applied to satisfy the
requirements for the second master's degree must be Texas A&M
University-Commerce courses.

 

6.   The second master's degree will be subject to the general regulations
governing master's degrees as outlined in 11.04.99.RO.15 "Requirements for
the Master's Degree" except as stated above.

 

Committee on Administration

 

Dr. Mary Beth Sampson presented the committee report on the review of
admissions and preadmissions advising processes for the doctoral programs.
The Council voted unanimously that this should be included in the Graduate
Program review process.  Since the program review has already been carried
out for Counseling, English and Psychology degree programs, the Council will
review them.  Programs in Educational Administration, SCI-Elementary
Education, and SCI-Higher Education will be reviewed as part of their
graduate program review.

 

Graduate Enrollment Updates

Dr. Mary Hendrix addressed the Council concerning graduate enrollment and
recruitment.  She indicated that fall enrollment included 43% graduate
students.  She expects this trend to continue.  She felt that the Graduate
Council decision to offer graduate certificates and the Texas requirement
that public school teachers have 18 hours of graduate coursework in their
teaching field will help increase our graduate enrollment.  Council members
had questions/comments about on-line courses, tenure/promotion, and
personalizing the Metroplex Center.

 

Discussion Items

Dr. Travis informed the Council of a meeting with UNT and 26 university
presidents and vice presidents from the Rajabhat University System in
Thailand.  UNT has asked that we join them in providing doctoral programs
for faculty at these universities in order to respond to Thailand's mandate
to have 30 % of their faculty with doctoral degrees.  It is expected that
most of the interest will be in two programs at A&M-Commerce:  English and
SCI-Higher Education.

 

Dr. Travis led a discussion on the associate 3-year membership.  

 

Information Items

            Report on Pathways Student Research Symposium at Tarleton State
University

Evgeniya Agaeva, master's student, received 2nd place in Life Science 

Anna Vladimirova, undergraduate student, received 2nd place in Physical
Science. 

Pathways Student Research Symposium and System Junior Faculty Workshop on
the A&M-Commerce campus (November 7, 8, 2008)

Lafferty Doctoral Scholarships (application deadline November 26, 2007)

Pathways to the Doctorate Fellowship (application deadline April 15, 2008)

 

ADJOURNMENT

The Council adjourned at 4:20.   

 

Louise Skinner

Secretary to the Graduate Council

 

 

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