UMGSB GRADUATE COUNCIL
MINUTES
Thursday, December, 2015
Led by: UMBC
Teleconference
In Attendance: Ronghu Ma, Robert Deluty, Nancy Miller, Lisa Morgan, Ana Oskoz, Krista Peters, Man Kyo Chung, Renty Franklin, Brandy Garzel, Erin Golembewski, Donna Harrington, Katia Kontrogianni, Sarah Tom, Matthew Trudeau, Bruce Yu
Welcome
Approval of Minutes from Council Meeting held on November 5, 2015
· A motion was made to accept the minutes as submitted. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
Announcements/plans/issues UMB
· The Graduate School is undergoing reorganization with Flavius Lilly taking on the title of Senior Associate Dean and overseeing entrepreneurial graduate programs. Announcements/plans/issues UMBC
· None
GSA Reports
· UMB – The GSA has hosted various social events including: cookie swap, ugly sweater holiday social, and card marking for the graduate student lounge. The Candidacy Ceremony date has been set for April 14, 2016 for students who entered candidacy prior to December 31, 2015. They are speaking with programs to share cost in order to make the event larger. Student fees will be increasing by 10% because the current budget is limited. This will increase the research awards from 1 to 2 and allow 1 more travel aware and 1 more social event. Travel award applications are due January 10, 2016.
· UMBC – UMBC had five students attend the NAGPS conference and won the member of the year award. They are brainstorming event ideas and are discussing increasing their fees.
Committee Reports
Graduate Faculty - the following was approved:
UMBCJennifer Jenkins-Levy / Regular
Songon An / Regular
Ivan Erill / Regular
New Courses
Courses Recommended for Approval :
UMBC New Courses
· AGNG 640 Design, Think, Technology, Environmental Design
UMBC Change in Existing Course
· AGNG 645 Mental Health & Wellness
· AGNG 638 Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Design I
UMB New Courses
· MHS 609 Research Seminar
Courses Denied Approval
UMB
· MHS 700 MHS Capstone
A motion was made to accept the committee’s recommendations as submitted. There was unanimity at UMB and UMBC.
Program Review –
· Department of Economics – External reviewers had suggestions in two fundamental areas:
o A major redesign of the introductory curricula
§ Redesign micro and macroeconomics courses from small to large format courses taught by senior faculty member
§ Recommended implementing flipped, hybrid and online delivery of courses
§ Defining learning objectives and assessments
o Hiring and staffing within the department
§ Advising be centralized and overseen by a single full-time lecturer
§ Hiring new tenured faculty and at least 1 full time lecturer
The Dean’s office and APR action plan directly addressed the suggestions of the External reviewers. The department will undertake planning for a pilot program for large introductory courses and will meet to discuss using the recommended hybrid and online delivery methods. The Department Chari will meet with Advising and Enrollment Management staff to discuss objectives for advising and advising duties and will also meet with the Dean to draft and obtain approval of a new hiring plan for 2016.
A motion was made to accept the committee’s recommendations as submitted. There was unanimity at UMB and UMBC.
Long Range Planning & New Programs –
· Changes in Chemistry Graduate Program Requirements – The committee approved changes for the degrees of PhD, thesis MS and non-thesis MS.
o Three new courses recently approved by Graduate Council will replace three undergraduate courses that currently serve as core courses
o Changes reflect improved quality of the material and more flexible choice for student
o The total number of required core courses remains unchanged.
o The current two semester CHEM 713 will be replace with a a two semester CHEM 714 – The new courses combines CHEM 713 with a one hour/week ethics training
A motion was made to accept the committee’s recommendation as submitted. There was unanimity at UMB and UMBC.
New Business
None
Old Business
None
Next Meeting:
Thursday, February 4, 2015
Teleconference
Led by: UMB