Meeting Minutes, November
22, 2005
Members
Present:
Kathryn
Obenchain, Chair and
Mark
Brenner, Vice President for Research and Dean of the
Victor
Vasquez, Engineering
Donica
Mensing, Journalism
James
Sundali, Business
Ron
Phaneuf, Faculty Senate
Tracy
Veach, Medicine
Michael
Peters, Recorder
Members
Absent
Michael
Branch, CLA-Humanities
Duane
Karna, CLA – Fine Arts
Matt
Leone, HCS
Glenn
Miller, Agriculture
John
Nelson, COS
Ed
Johnson, GSA President
Susan
Henthorne, GSA Advisor
Stacy
Gordon,
Guests
Jennifer
O’Neil
1. The Chair called the meeting to order at 2:30
and, as there was not a quorum, proceeded with the
standing reports.
Standing
Reports
2. Report from sub-committee on Graduate Specializations: Peters reported that the sub-committee had exchanged a few emails with the general view that specializations were probably not needed for doctoral programs for which the published dissertation would adequately reflect the graduate’s focus of expertise. For master’s programs, the specialization would likely be defined by a specific, prescribed set of courses totaling somewhere between nine and fifteen credits. In-put will continue to be welcome by the sub-committee.
3. Revised GRE/TOEFL Tests: Read reported (see handout) on the new scoring changes for the GRE and TOEFL tests. The literature reiterates that scores are most helpful for predicting performance in the first year of graduate study. She noted the revised TOEFL test includes a speaking portion evaluation and noted the council would need to decide new cut-off scores for admission and the holding of an assistantship in light of the new grading scale.
4. Associate Dean’s Report: Read reported that the Regents will raise tuition fees to bring UNR in line with the WICHE median tuition scale. This will mean a 22% increase for graduate students by 2009 and will have a major impact on the writing of grants. Additionally, she reported that a survey of doctoral programs will begin in the spring semester.
5. Faculty Senate Report: Phaneuf reported the senate is looking to establish an advisory committee to assist the presidential search committee. Also, that the “one card” system (for charging food items, library check-out, Lombardi Wellness Center, etc) will go into effect with the beginning of the spring semester. Last, there’s been some discussion about resurrecting the Speaker’s Bureau to provide the community with a list of speakers and topics.
6. Courses and Curriculum: There being no quorum, the consent agenda will be circulated on-line and a vote solicited from the members.
7. The Council adjourned at 3:15. The next meeting will be January 24, 2006 at 2:30 in the JTSU Ingersoll Senate Chamber.