University of Nevada, Reno Graduate Council

Meeting Minutes, December 11, 2003

 

Members Present:

Stacy Burton,  Chair and A&S, Humanities

Marsha Read, Associate Dean of the Graduate School

Kathryn Obenchain, Education

Jeri Bigbee, HCS

Donica Mensing, Journalism

James Winn, A&S, Fine Arts

John Nelson, A&S Science

Tracy Veach, Medicine

Banmali Rawat, Engineering

James Sundali, Business

Scott Tyler, Mines

 

Members Absent:

Linda Brinkley, VP for Research and Dean of the Graduate School

Richard Davies, A&S, Social Sciences

Dana Edberg, Faculty Senate Representative

Susan Henthorn for Jessica Muehlberg, President, GSA

Rangesan Narayanan, Agriculture

 

Michael Peters, recorder

 

Guests:

Chris Cheney, Chair, Educational Specialties

Provost John Frederick

 

Old Business

1.  The Chair called the meeting to order at 2:35 and invited a motion to approve the November meeting’s minutes.  MOTION: (Veach/Obenchain) To approve the minutes of the November, 2003 meeting.  Motion passed.

 

Standing Reports

2.  Graduate Dean’s Report:  Read informed the Council that the Educational Testing Service will be revising the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to add a speaking component.  This revision will be implemented for the Fall, 2005 semester and will replace the currently used SPEAK test.  Read also reported that the first successful submission of electronic theses and dissertations took place at the end of the fall, 2003 semester.

 

3.  Courses & Curriculum Committee Report:  Read reported that she had reviewed a number of proposals that would be forwarded to C&C to include a number of course deletions from both C&I and History; two new  400/600-level History courses that had been developed to utilize the expertise of a new hire faculty member; and a modification to a 700-level Math course.

 

New Business

4.  Master’s Degree Proposals (Literacy Studies, Special Education, Secondary Education, Elementary Education, Teaching English as a Second Language) : Dr. Chris Cheney introduced the proposal for a new degree in Literacy Studies.  This is currently a track in the Elementary Education degree program.  The program would offer a master of arts degree (thesis  option) or a master of science degree (non-thesis option) in literacy studies and is aimed at providing a credential for teachers seeking licensure in literacy from the state of Nevada.  The program currently has over 200 students.  The courses offered would change their prefix from CI to EDS (educational specialties) to align with the newly created department of Educational Specialties.  MOTION: (Nelson/Winn)  To approve the new degree program in literacy studies.  Motion passed.

 

The council also considered the proposal to rename two existing programs (Elementary Education and Secondary Education) as master of arts/master of education/ and master of science in Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning.  The Council decided to table discussion of the new degree pending receipt of catalog copy and description of curriculum and clarification of first time licensure requirements and of the effect of changing the two degree programs into one program.

 

5.  Certificate Program Report:  Burton reported on the subcommittee’s inquiry into certificate programs stating that such programs provide specialized professional training utilizing applied expertise as opposed to research and that they work best when complementing existing academic graduate programs instead of competing with such programs.  New certificate programs should go through a similar review process as that required for degree programs and should specify minimum credit requirements.  Admission requirements would most likely differ from those of degree programs.  Questions regarding the creation of certificate programs which need to be answered include:

  • Should all post-baccalaureate programs fall under the Graduate School?
  • Who should monitor the administration of those programs that do not fall within a specific academic department?
  • Should a distinction be drawn between those certificate programs that require graduate courses and those that include undergraduate and non-credit courses?
  • Should the College of Continuing Studies be involved in the evaluation of certificate programs?

Discussion of these issues will continue.

 

6.  Foreign Languages and Literatures (FLL) Program Review.  Donica Mensing reported on her evaluation of the FLL program review stating that the program self-study was done well and that the external review complemented the graduate program of the department.  She noted that the external review recommendations included revising the merit system to place increased emphasis on teaching and service; reassessing the faculty’s teaching load; increasing the teaching load of teaching assistants; and considering offering a master of arts degree in teaching Spanish.  The Council discussed the various issues raised by Mensing’s report and commended her on the thoroughness of her evaluation.  MOTION: (Nelson/Read) To adopt Dr. Mensing’s assessment of the FLL program review and forward it to the Provost.  Motion approved.

 

7.  The Council decided to discuss Graduate Faculty issues at the next meeting in February.  The Council adjourned at 4:15.