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Governance Minutes Archive

September 21, 1988

 

 

 

                                    MINUTES

                                    VPI&SU

                        COMMISSION ON GRADUATE STUDIES

                         21 SEPTEMBER 1988, 4:00 P.M.

                     PRESIDENT'S BOARD ROOM, BURRUSS HALL

 

 

  Present:  Drs. Bates, Bleier, Brown, Burger, Campbell, Cranford, Eaton

            Hooper, J. Johnson, M. Johnson, R. Johnson, Knocke (for Snoke),

            Laberge, Mahan, Sponenberg, Teates (for Weber), Teekell.

 

  Visitors: Dr. James McComas, President

            Mr. John Ashby, Spectrum Representative

 

 

 

  1.  ANNOUNCEMENTS -

 

      Dean R. Teekell announced the appointment of Dr. Thomas Goodale as Vice

      President for Student Affairs.

 

      A committee has been appointed to receive applications and nominations

      for the Senior Vice President and Provost position.  Herman Doswald

      will chair this committee.

 

  2.  PRESENTATION BY DR. MCCOMAS - New President James McComas informally

      addressed the Commission.  He pointed out that the University's na-

      tional and international reputation is established through its graduate

      education and research programs.  He felt, however, that the value sys-

      tem of the state did not fully recognize the importance of these pro-

      grams and that the citizens, the legislature and the corporations need

      to be convinced of the value of graduate studies and research.  He ex-

      pressed concern about the lagging of U.S. investment in research and

      about the short-sightedness of corporations in siphoning off the best

      undergraduates from graduate school.  He stressed the need for a strong

      undergraduate program as a prerequisite to increased support of gradu-

      ate programs by the public and the legislature.

 

      Dr. McComas discussed future initiatives regarding graduate education.

      He believes we must increase our off-campus instructional efforts espe-

      cially in Roanoke and in Northern Virginia.  This item is a high prior-

      ity one and decisions regarding direction to be taken must be made

      quickly.  He also raised questions about administration of graduate ed-

      ucation indicating a desire to know more about the quality of our dis-

      sertations.  He expressed the belief that our selectivity in admissions

      was good and that the placement of our graduates is good.

 

      He indicated that we will be entering a planning process very soon in

      which the university will establish a plan for at least the next five

      years.  He indicated that a faculty member will be selected to head up

      the planning effort and the Office of Institutional Research will pro-

      vide support.  The plan is to be completed in one year so that we can

      go the legislature for support.

 

      Dr. McComas then entertained questions from the CGS members.

 

  3.  ADJOURNMENT - 5:00 p.m.

 

 

                                     Respectfully submitted,

 

                                     John L. Eaton

                                     Secretary

 

 

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