Graduate School

 

University of Nevada, Reno Graduate Council
Meeting Minutes, September 29, 2009

Members Present:

Don Hardy,  Chair and CLA-Humanities
Marsha Read,  Interim Graduate Dean (with proxy for Barbara Walker, CLA-Social Science
Tamzen Stringham, CABNR
Jillian Murdock, GSA
Swatee Naik, Faculty Senate
Peter Epstein, CLA-Fine Arts
Julie Pennington, Education
Andrzej Trzynadlowski, Engineering
Elizabeth Amos, Division of Health Sciences
Todd Felts, Journalism
Grant Mastick, COS
Slaven Jabuka, COS
Rahul Bhargava, Business
Michael Peters, Recorder

Guest
Patsy Ruchala, Director, Orvis School of Nursing

1.  The Chair called the meeting to order and called for a motion to modify the meeting’s agenda to move consideration of the proposal for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program to the top of the agenda MOTION: (Read/Amos) To move consideration of the proposal for the Doctor of Nursing Practice to the top of the agenda.  Motion passed unanimously.

2. Doctor of Nursing Practice:  Ruchala briefed the council on the proposed doctor of nursing practice degree, a 39 credit professional degree program to be offered in collaboration with UNLV.  The degree is not a research degree which would require a dissertation.  Rather, it is a practice degree, completed on-line, focusing on nursing practice and complying with Nevada State Board of Nursing requirements.  Admission would require a completed master of science in nursing with the initial class projected for fall, 2010.  Ruchala responded to questions from the council regarding teaching resources, on-line classes and UNLV involvement.  MOTION: (Walker/Pennington) To approve the proposal for a doctor of nursing practice.  Motion passed unanimously.

Old Business

3.  Approval of August meeting minutes.  MOTION: (Read/Amos)  To approve the August, 2009 council meeting minutes.  Motion passed unanimously.

4.  Vote on catalog language regarding the length of time an advisory committee member may serve on a graduate committee after leaving the university or retiring.  The council considered a revision to the catalog requiring committee members who leave or retire from the university to be replaced after one year.  The proposed new language is “For committee members, if the student does not complete the degree during the one-year grace period, a new, active committee member should be appointed as a replacement.”  The council approved the revision: 14 approved, 1 disapproved.

New Business

5.  Introduction of New Members:  The Chair invited the council to introduce themselves and welcomed the new council members, Peter Epstein representing the Fine Arts area of the College of Liberal Arts; Rahul Bhargava from the College of Business, and the two new representatives from the College of Science, Slaven Jabuka and Grant Mastick.

6.  Discussion of Graduate Recruitment Issues/Strategies:  Read distributed a handout regarding graduate student recruiting particularly in the use of websites to promote prospective student interest.  She pointed out that letters from either the department chair or a specific faculty member are particularly valued by prospective students in that there is an actual connection made as opposed to a form letter response.  Felts commented on the importance of tailoring one’s website to Google’s algorithms especially the use of meta-tags to draw prospective students.  Additionally, follow-up telephone calls and emails are effective in prompting students to decide to commit to a particular graduate program.  The council discussed the topic at length.

7.  Discussion of terms of employment of Graduate Assistants:  Murdoch introduced the issue of the statement on the graduate assistantship terms of employment form which states that “This appointment may be terminated at will, without notice; employee has no appeal rights” pointing out that the GSA thought that this was a denial of fair treatment.  Read indicated that the language was included after review by the university’s legal counsel and that it should not be construed by faculty that graduate students should be summarily dismissed on personal whim or without honest efforts to correct inappropriate behavior.  The council agree that while the language was a legal requirement, graduate assistants should be treated fairly and equitably.

Standing Reports

8.  GSA:  Murdoch reported that the GSA would be holding its next social in October at the Pub & Sub.

9.  Faculty Senate:  Naik reported the Senate had discussed faculty workload issues.

10.  Graduate Dean:  Read distributed a handout from the Council of Graduate Schools regarding graduate enrollment and degrees from 1998 to 2008.

11.  .  There being no further business, the council adjourned at 4:20.  The next meeting will be held October 27, 2009 in room 402 (the Bible Room) of the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center