Minutes/Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Executive Committee Meeting
March 14, 2014
Members present: Anthony Shiu, Wai-Yim Ching, Rita Barger, Leonard Dobens, Joan Dean, Hari Bhat, Masud Chowdhury, Dean Denis Medeiros (chair), Jennifer Friend, Colleen Kelly, Alphia Curry (SGS admin support)
Members Not Present: Je Jung Lee, John Laity, James Sturgeon, Omiunota Ukpokodu, Joseph Parisi, Rafia Rasu, Jered Carr
I. Meeting called to order at 2:06 p.m., with minutes of the February 14, 2014 approved.
II. Announcements
· GRIP/GRASP/GRADE has been replaced due to a security problem. The system is being redone. The plan is to make it more user friendly by this summer. The English, Physics, and Chemistry departments will test it out.
· The UM System funded the Graduate Student Professional Development Program. The UMKC campus meeting concluded today. It went very well.
· There is a new SGS Facebook page. It will contain different info that should interest our graduate students. It will also include 2 -3 minute tutorials.
III. Plans of Study Revisions – Preliminary Research Plan
· Will now be called a plan, no longer a proposal.
· There was discussion if the PRP will be optional depending on the discipline. It was voted that everyone will have to do it.
· The decision of who is required or not required will be made by the individual discipline???.
· There was discussion on the wording of the preliminary research plan box. Approval of ??? was made.
IV. Research Proposal Approval
· Dean Medeiros suggested to keep it as is and possibly add it later.
· Approval to have five questions on the Plan of Study.
· Approval to have ??? on the Comprehensive Exam.
V. Supervisory Committee Chair vs. Dissertation Director
· This is now policy and was passed at the last meeting.
· Need to reflect more on this and discuss at the next meeting.
VI. Meeting was adjourned at 3:36pm