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Governance Minutes ArchiveOctober 17, 1990
MINUTES VPI&SU COMMISSION ON GRADUATE STUDIES 17 OCTOBER 1990, 3:30 P.M. 206 SANDY HALL Present: Drs. Boyle, Brown, Norm Dodl (for Michael Moore), Hooper, R. Johnson, Roy Kirkpartrick (for James Burger), Lutze, McCoy O'Brien, O'Neil, Snoke, Sporakowski, Stephenson, Stout, Mr. David Lush and Anthony Townsend Visitors: Ms. Susan Truelove - Spectrum, Marvin Foushee - Registrars Office 1. ANNOUNCEMENTS - Dr. Arthur Snoke stated that the "D" Grade Resolution was reviewed and approved by the Faculty Senate with only one dissent- ing vote. Dr. Snoke noted that Course History Summary Reports for undergraduates are routed through the Colleges to the departments. Departments may not be aware that these grade summaries can be obtained for graduate students by submitting a request to Bernard Jones or Jerry Robertson in Student Systems Computer Services. Dr. Hooper announced that the Nebraska Study - a national survey of Graduate Assistant Stipends, has been received by the Graduate School. We are analyzing this report and will bring the results to the CGS in two tables: (1) comparing VPI against that list of institutions that we use as our peer list for salary and other comparisons (2) the nation- wide average that covers many departments. We have not gained any ground since last time when we were well below the average. We will share these tables with you at our earliest opportunity. 2. Approval of the Agenda - Dr. Hooper added to the agenda the appoint- ments of two ad hoc committees (1) fellowships and (1) commencement ad- visory group for the CGS. This was added to the agenda after the Graduate Student Assembly report. Item 6 - Kathye Johnston is out of town today but will attend our meet- ing on November 7. Dr. Hooper will speak on one item relative to stipends in replacement of her discussion today. Dr. Hooper also added discussion regarding our calendar for the next two CGS meetings. The agenda was adopted with the above listed amendments. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 19 SEPTEMBER 1990 - the minutes were approved with minor corrections. 4. GRADUATE STUDENT ASSEMBLY - David Lush and Anthony Townsend addressed the following issues: Four resolutions were passed: (1) A resolution on the tuition sur- charge by the GSA was approved indicating that the GSA was not opposed to the surcharge however we would like some indication as to how much of the surcharge monies will be coming back to the graduate community in any form. (2) Racial Harassment Resolution- Supporting University efforts to increase civility on campus. This resolution supports for- mation of a task force on ethno-violence. (3) Graduate Student Parking Resolution - States that the parking committee be notified that the GSA supports the granting graduate students faculty/staff parking privi- leges. This action follows in response to letters from Dr. Hooper and Dr. Goodale in support of the graduate students have the option of faculty/staff parking. (4) Commission on Graduate Studies Resolution - A proposal before the University Task Force is a restructuring of Uni- versity Governance which establishes a Commission on Academic Affairs combining the Commission on Undergraduate Affairs and the Commission on Graduate Studies. The GSA Resolution proposed that the Commission on Graduate Studies be retained as it presently is in the governance structure. Two of the lecture/discussions (1) Grant Writing and Grant Research Proposal Writing and (2) Educational Methodology have been held. Both series will be conducted again in the Spring Semester. The next lecture/discussion to be scheduled for fall will be "Legal and Ethical Issues in the Classroom" with Dr. Kern Alexander. That date is yet to be scheduled. One issue that has come to the attention of the GSA is the proposal to reclassify student organizations at VPI. The concern that the GSA has for this item is that all organizations that are not either university student life program organizations or chartered student organizations, become registered student organizations which would include all gradu- ate organizations and professional societies involving graduate stu- dents. The Student Government Association (undergraduate counterpart to the GSA) would have financial control over these registered student organizations. We do not feel that the SGA has the ability or the right to provide for graduate organizations. Dr. Snoke suggested that a future agenda item for the CGS be the re- structuring of the University Council to include a Commission on Aca- demic Affairs. The report, making the restructuring suggestions, will be made available to this commission for discussion. Tony Townsend stated that this issue is under negotiation. The last proposal that he made to the committee that would seem acceptable to the graduate commu- nity was that we have a Graduate Commission and an Undergraduate Com- mission. Under the Graduate Commission would be a committee of graduate studies, a commencement function and a committee on graduate affairs. Under the Undergraduate Commission would be similar group of committees that currently function for undergraduates. Dr. Stephenson questioned the GSA surcharge resolution. Dr. Hooper stated that Kathye Johnston would be the person to respond to such questions and would do so at the November 7 meeting. David Lush stated that the resolution had been forwarded on to Minnis Ridenour's office for a response. Dr. Snoke stated that he had talked with Kathye Johnston about this issue and she had concurred that the surcharge was simply the changing of the total of dollar amount of tuition that goes to the income of education process. (4a) Dr. Hooper spoke about the fellowship programs. The staff of the graduate school has taken a thorough review of all funds available and has discussed the accounts with representatives from the foundation. What he would like to do is to establish a committee within the CGS to advise us on a complete review of what we are now doing and what we might possibly do in the future. Dr. Hooper asked for volunteers for this committee. John Eaton, Mike O'Brien and Bill Stephenson were named to this committee. David Lush stated that the GSA would ask for a volunteer for this committee and will notify us. The charge of this committee will be to look very thoroughly at all funds that are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School and to recommend continuation, change, etc. (4b) Dr. Hooper asked that Dean Martha Johnson chair a sub-committee which will interact with Dr. Kennedy's committee (University Commence- ment Committee) to review our needs and thoughts early in the year. David Lush will ask for a volunteer for this committee and will notify us. Dr. Hooper will call members of the CGS asking for assistance with this committee. (4c) Dr. Hooper reviewed the meeting dates for the CGS for November and December. The November 14 meeting will have to be cancelled due to a conflict with the Commission on Research. Our next meeting will be November 7 and the next meeting after that will be December 5. Dr. Stephenson suggested an extension of our meeting to 5:30 for these two meetings so all issues can be addressed. This suggestion was approved. The November and December meetings will begin at 3:30 and end at 5:30. 5. MINUTES OF THE COURSE AND PROGRAM CRITERIA COMMITTEE - Mike O'Brien presented the minutes and they were accepted as submitted. (Please see attachment 2 for the complete committee report. Mike O'Brien will be available to discuss the specific nature of any revisions to course and program proposals at 231-5512.) Dr. Snoke stated in the minutes last year we had programs that were formally approved. In the report to the University Council all that was stated was that the CPCC minutes were approved and the program pro- posals were not listed. Dr. Snoke asked that the minutes of today's meeting amend the previous minutes and list these program proposal items. The program proposals are as follows: M.A. - Philosophy Ph.D. - Philosophy M.A. - Spanish Studies M.A. - French Studies M.M. - Music Performance Ph.D. - Political Science Ph.D. - Exercise Physiology 6. GRADUATE STUDENT SURCHARGE AND STIPENDS - Kathye Johnston could not be at the meeting today however Dr. Hooper circulated a letter that he had sent to Deans, Department Heads and Graduate Advisors for the members to review. Dr. Hooper discussed the memo that Dr. Carlisle had sent regarding salary actions that will occur in December of this year. Dr. Hooper discussed the 2% reduction in stipends and hourly wages for graduate students who are on those and were given their full 5% raise in July. This does not apply to students who are on fellowships and scholarships. The letter that Dr. Hooper has sent to the departments is to clarify the issues for the students and the faculty. (see at- tached letter) 7. POSTHUMOUS GRADUATE AWARD IN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION - Dr. Norm Dodl ad- dressed the issue of a posthumous degree for Ms. Jean Black de Cornejo. Ms. de Cornejo was a student in the Department of Curriculum and In- struction with Dr. Larry Weber serving as her advisor. Dr. Dodl re- viewed past circumstances involving the awarding of posthumous degrees by the CGS. After discussion, the membership voted that the degree be awarded contingent upon a letter from the department head in support of this award. There was one dissenting vote and one abstention regarding this item. Dr. Hooper asked that the Degree Requirements, Standards, Criteria and Academic Policies Committee take up this matter and define the stand- ards for posthumous degrees. Dr. James Burger chairs this committee. 8. INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY - Dr. Hooper circulated copies of the page from the Policies and Procedures Manual regarding to the incomplete grade policy. He noted that policy, as it is written, is not being carried out. An incomplete grade is to be removed by the end of the students first subsequent semester of enrollment and if this is not done the in- completes are changed to "F" grades. The practice is that the Registrar's office sends a listing of the incompletes to the instructor and asks what the instructor wishes to do about them. The professor has various options regarding the incompletes and therefore the "I" grades are not being converted to a "F" grade. Marvin Foushee dis- cussed the procedures followed by the registrar's office. Dr. Snoke addressed the issue of the course history summary reports which could be helpful in determining the "I" grades for students. Dr. Snoke asked why legitimate incomplete grades are automatically calculated into the QCA as a F grade. Mr. Foushee will investigate some of these issues. The incomplete issue was referred to the Degree Requirements, Stand- ards, Criteria and Academic Policies committees for review. Norm Dodl asked that the issue of having the advisors name added to the grade history reports be reviewed. Mike O'Brien asked that when the committee reviews this issue that they investigate whether summer enrollment is considered under "subsequent semester of enrollment". Mr. Foushee stated that summer session en- rollment is not a consideration for these reviews. Dr. Hooper agreed with his statement. Mr. Foushee stated that the only reason that he can provide for this policy not being enforced now is employee turnover in the registrar's office. 9. MANDATORY HEALTH INSURANCE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS - the University has taken action on this issue and it is being presented today for in- formation purposes. Dr. Snoke asked why this issue is restricted to international students. Dr. Hooper stated that the international stu- dent issue was the first one presented. The full discussion did in- clude whether all students should have mandatory insurance. One of the motions was that we have a requirement for all students and the issue will come back to us for action. 10. TRUTH AND PACKAGING POLICY - Vague statements in offer letters have new students concerned about the duration of their support. Dr. Hooper asked that this group discuss the issue and come up with some guide- lines and advice for our faculty regarding what we say and don't say in appointment letters for graduate students. Mike O'Brien noted that it would be helpful to have guidelines for what can and cannot be said in recruiting and appointment situations. Dr. Snoke asked whether the Commission would mainly be presenting ad- vice or whether a policy would be established. Dr. Hooper stated that possibly a recommendation could be presented to the Provost's office to make it a requirement and then put the Graduate School in the position of reviewing, monitoring and otherwise enforcing the policy. After a brief discussion, this issue was referred to the Graduate Stu- dent Relations Committee for review. Dr. Mike Moore, chair of the com- mittee, is unavailable to serve the Commission until January. Dr. John Eaton will head the committee. Other members will be David Lush and Tony Townsend. Steven Boyle volunteered for membership on this commit- tee to review this issue. The charge of this committee will be to take a look at this issue and suggest what things we can constructively do to prevent and to help people avoid abuses. 11. SECURING THESES AND DISSERTATIONS - this item is being presented to the Commission as an information item. We have developed a policy for se- curing theses and dissertations. This will be a future item to discuss and resolve at a future meeting. 12. OTHER BUSINESS - Dr. Snoke suggested that the consent items be deleted from the agenda page. He also suggested that we leave off "Other Busi- ness" on the agenda because that item will be taken care of during the "Approval of the Agenda" earlier in the meeting. 13. ADJOURNMENT - 5:04 p.m. Respectfully submitted, John L. Eaton Secretary
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