MINUTES: Graduate Council – October 28, 2002, 1:15 p.m., East Tennessee Room – DP Culp

ATTENDEES: Antkiewicz, Barrett, Bitter, Brown, Caton, Champney, Herrin, Greer, Hoover, Pike, Scheuerman, Smith, Taylor, Whitson, Ziegler

 

ABSENT: Dixon, Ellis, Norris-Thompson, Osborn, Woodruff

 

GUEST:  Elhindi

I.  Approval of Minutes – September 30, 2002

 

Action taken by Council:  Approved with the addition of Dr. Pointer to the list of attendees.

 

II. Curriculum Process System – Wes Brown, Dean

 

            Dr. Brown briefly described the new electronic curriculum process for preparation and submission of course and non-substantive curriculum proposals.  Format A-F will still need to go to TBR for approval after December 2002.  Only new degree programs will be routed through TBR.  One of the most important aspects of the process is that the electronic document can be completed in one step and submitted through the process or the creator has the option to save it and finish at a later date and time.  Dr. Brown stated that links to the site and security ID(s) will be provided at a later date.  He further stated that approvals throughout the process are password based and he doesn’t perceive any problems at the front-end of the process.  There was some concern expressed from the Council regarding identification of revisions and how individuals would be able to recognize or verify that revisions and/or changes had been authorized.  Dr. Brown said that this would be addressed with the committee before the process is finalized and ready for implementation.

 

III.  Graduate Faculty Sub-Committee – Pat Smith, Chair

     

      A.  New Appointments:

 

1.    Ms. Gigi Alandt – Technology

Recommend – Interim Membership

2.    Dr. Wallace E. Dixon, Jr.  – Psychology

            Recommend – Associate Membership

3.    Dr. Masoud Ghaffari – Adult Nursing

            Recommend – Associate Membership

4.    Mr. Peter Hriso - Technology

Recommend – Associate Membership

5.    Mr. Jeffrey Roach – Computer and Information Sciences

Recommend – Interim Membership

6.    Mr. James A. Wronecki – Technology

            Recommend – Interim Membership (lack of terminal degree)

 

Action taken by Council:  Approved.

 

 

 

B. Reappointments:

 

1.    Dr. M. Lou Ernst-Fonberg – Biochemistry

            Full Membership Expired -  Fall 02

            Recommend – Full Membership

2.    Dr. Donald B. Hoover – Pharmacology

            Full Membership Expired - Fall 02

            Recommend – Full Membership

3.    Dr. Hamid S. Kasmai - Chemistry

            Full Membership Expired – Fall 02

            Recommend – Full Membership

4.    Dr. Richard A. Wissell – Public Health

Associate Membership Expired – Fall 02

Recommend – Associate Membership

 

 

 

Action taken by Council:  Approved.



V.       Old Business

 

1.  Dr. Brown displayed the new CD developed at the Graduate School which has the first 232 electronic Dissertations and Theses explaining that this format will be used to create an additional archive of documents as it is easier to maintain and takes up less space than the old paper archival method.

 

 

2.  Dr. Brown informed Council members of the Administrative Retreat planned for November 14-15, 2002 emphasizing that there would be discussion regarding QEP at the graduate level. 

 

 

VI.   New Business

 

1. Editorial Changes – Jeff Greer distributed editorial changes

   for the 2003-3004 catalogs as an information item.

 

2. International Students – IELTS Issues – Dr. Joseph Elhindi

 

Dr. Herrin provided background information on IELTS (International English Language Testing System) explaining that the IELTS would not replace TOEFL for international students but be used as an alternative to the TOEFL. She also stated that this could be used as an optional test for international students who would otherwise have to go to another country to take the TOEFL test or receive special admission status prior to taking the TOEFL.

 

Dr. Elhindi explained the pros for accepting IELTS as follows:

 

1.    It is recognized by more than 200 U.S. higher educational institutions as a valid predictor of English proficiency for undergraduate and graduate level students.

2.    There is one fee ($110 in the U.S.) and tests all four language skills, i.e. listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

3.    The IELTS has flexible test dates and special test sessions available worldwide.

4.    There are test centers in 107 countries.

5.    A secure, two week turnaround time by test centers to receiving institutions.

6.    The test is jointly managed by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), the British Council, and IDP Education Australia.

7.    The IELTS validity, reliability, and security are assured by UCLES.

 

Dr. Elhindi is now administering the OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview) to all international students hold graduate assistantships or tuition scholarships.  This process currently takes 20-25 minutes.  The new IELTS test will give the university this information rather than having to do the separate OPI test for international students.

 

After discussion from the Council regarding issues such as minimum scores and comparison scores on the TOEFL and IELTS, the following motion was made:

 

      IELTS would be used as an alternative to TOEFL. 

      The minimum score for admission to Graduate School

      programs would be decided by the School of Graduate

      Studies. The Graduate School would need to look at

      TOEFL scores for score cap and minimum score.  They 

would also look at raising computer based TOEFL score

from 213 to 230.

 

      Action taken by Council:      Motion was tabled requesting additional information be obtained by the Graduate School on

      TOEFL score data and diversity implications.

 

3. Graduate School Policies – Dr. Roberta Herrin

 

A. Graduate Academic Review Board - Dr. Herrin distributed a handout detailing the report of the sub-committee to establish a Graduate Academic Review Board.  She further requested approval from the Graduate Council for a change in the membership of the proposed Graduate Academic Review Board from five (5) to six (6) members. 

The six voting members would be recommended by the Graduate Dean and approved by the Graduate Council. 

 

The Graduate Council endorsed establishment of a Graduate Review Board based on the proposal submitted by Dr. Herrin suggesting that she continue to refine and develop a final policy to bring back to the Council for review and approval.

 

B.  Revision to Second Master’s Degree Catalog Text – Dr. Roberta Herrin

 

Dr. Herrin requested approval to add “from a regionally accredited U.S. institution” to the text in the Graduate catalog for graduate students wishing to seek a second master’s degree at ETSU.

     

            Action Taken by Council:      Approved.

 

C. The next meeting of the Graduate Council will be Monday, November 25, 2002 in the East Tennessee Room, D.P. Culp Center.

 

VII.   Adjournment

 

The meeting was adjourned at 2:35 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott Champney, Chair