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Governance Minutes ArchiveMarch 10, 1991
MINUTES VPI&SU COMMISSION ON GRADUATE STUDIES 10 MARCH 1991, 3:30 P.M. 206 SANDY HALL Present: Drs. Brown, Burger, Eaton, Hooper, M. Johnson, R. Johnson, La Berge, Lutze, McCoy, Moore, O'Brien, Snoke, Sporakowski, Mr. Jay Comeaux Visitors: Susan Truelove - Spectrum, Marvin Foushee - Registrars Office 1. ANNOUNCEMENTS - Dr. Hooper stated that there will be a seminar pre- sented by Dr. Jules Lapidus, President of the Council of Graduate Schools, on March 21, 1991 at 4:00 p.m. in 1870 Litton Reaves. A re- ception will precede the seminar at 3:30. An announcement has not been made as yet regarding the stipend levels or the tuition for next year. April 17 will be the last meeting of the CGS for this academic year. We will try to bring forth a "report card" of issues that have been in- itiated this year, what actions have been taken and how these issues stand at the end of this year. Discussion will also be held concerning how to proceed during the summer sessions on some issues that may not have been completed processed during our session. Dr. Snoke suggested that after the April 17 meeting, the committee chairs submit a report/summary of the committee's actions during the past months to Dr. Hooper. Dr. Hooper stated that as part of the "re- port card" process, the committee chairs would be polled on their ac- tivities and he thought that it would be an good idea for these reports to be on record. Dr. Snoke suggested that E-mail be used by the membership for sending announcements or suggestions. The E-mail addresses of the CGS members were collected for future use. 2. Approval of the Agenda - Dr. Hooper announced that items 6.4 Graduate Honor System Constitution Revision and 6.6 "I" Grade Resolution are not ready for CGS action and will be carried over to a future meeting. The agenda was approved as amended. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 6 MARCH 1991 - the minutes were approved as amended. 4. COMMITTEE REPORTS Course and Program Criteria - Mike O'Brien announced that on March 27 a meeting will be held to review not only courses but also the Summer Cunningham applicants. Graduate Student Relations - John Eaton stated that, during Dr. Mike Moore's sabbatical fall semester, he had continued with the business brought to this committee. Dr. Eaton reviewed various recommendations that the committee suggested regarding the content of assistantship offer letters. Dr. Eaton explained that the committee formulated a check list for offer letters, model letters and a form letter that the students would return either accepting the offer or refusing the offer. He stated that these model letters will be suggested to the departments as a guideline for their use. After discussion, the committee report was accepted. Graduate Research Policies and Programs - Dr. Ron Johnson stated that the committee reviewed the Professional Practices Institute documentation and recommended the following: 1. That the CGS go on record in support of the general concept of a Professional Practices Institute affiliated with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. 2. That a Charter, By Laws, Affiliation Agreement and specific procedures to safeguard the interests of faculty and the University be drafted for final approval of a representative committee prior to establishment of the Professional Practices Institute. 3. That such committee be composed of representatives of the Commissions on Research, Extension and Graduate Studies, of the Faculty Senate, and the offices of Vice Provost for Research and Graduate Studies, Vice President for Public Service and Vice President for Finance. The report was accepted. Commencement - Dr. Martha Johnson stated that the commencement program is almost complete and Dr. Francis Borokowski, President of the University of South Florida, has accepted our invitation to speak at the ceremony. The committee is recommending that student leaders and fellowship students be invited to give the invocation and the benediction and at least one of those be a woman. Dr. Johnson distributed drawings on how the faculty should do the hooding and how the students should carry the hoods. There are plans to have poster displays in the back of the line up area so students and faculty can review the proper ways to proceed with the hooding. 5. GRADUATE STUDENT ASSEMBLY - Jay Comeaux announced that the Honor System Constitution was introduced to the GSA during their last meeting. The GSA drafted concerns in a letter and forwarded the information to Mr. Greg Benge. The Graduate Research Symposium was held on March 19 in the Johnson Student Center. Dr. Eaton stated that there were approximately 40 posters on display and two posters were selected as outstanding. The top awardee received $250.00 and the next received $150.00. Alan Berg was the speaker for the evening session of the Symposium. OLD BUSINESS 6. 6.1 - RESPONSE TO COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION ON THE TOEFL - Dr Hooper presented the TOEFL recommendations that the Degree Requirements, Standards, Criteria and Academic Policies committee submitted at our last meeting for review. The recommendation was accepted. The recom- mendation is attached - see (a). 7. 6.2 - STATEMENT OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF GRADUATE STUDENTS - Jay Comeaux asked that the membership refer all comments and sug- gestions to Tony Townsend regarding this document. Mr. Comeaux stated that the GSA should have a report at the next CGS meeting regarding completion of revisions on the document. 8. 6.3 - SELF EXAMINATION OF GRADUATE COMMISSION/APPOINTMEMT OF STUDY COM- MITTEES - Dr. Hooper asked for volunteers for an AD HOC committee to review the CGS and the committee structures. Volunteers: Arthur Snoke, Mike Moore, and Ron Johnson will be joined by Dr. Hooper and one or two administrators from the Graduate School to form this committee. 9. 6.4 - GRADUATE HONOR SYSTEM (CARRY OVER ITEM FOR A FUTURE MEETING) 10. 6.5 - STATUS OF THE GTA TRAINING PROGRAM - Dr. Eaton stated that he had prepared a White Paper describing the rationale for a GTA training pro- gram. Activities at other Universities as well as thoughts from the graduate school administrators and faculty formed the basis for the re- port submitted to Dr. Hooper last June. Dr. Hooper then requested that I proceed with planning an expanded training program. A committee con- sisting of Dr. Bill Snizek, Dr. George Simmons, Dr. Virginia Fowler Dr. Harlan Miller, Dr. Norm Dodl and John Lewis (the Outstanding GTA award winner from last year) and Dr. Eaton has conducted the planning. A survey is being conducted in the Colleges of Agriculture and the Col- lege of Arts and Sciences to ascertain the amount of GTA training which is currently being conducted. From the survey, it has been found that few departments have extensive GTA training programs. There are se- veral departments that have informal departmental one day sessions. The instructors are primarily relied upon to train the GTAs assigned to their courses. The draft document for Training the Future Professoriate, which was passed out previously, is basically what the we plan to do on August 20-23, 1991. Dr. Eaton explained some of the plans for the sessions. A new GTA Manual is also being produced and should be available by July 1 and will be distributed to all depart- ments and GTAs. 11. 6.6 - "I" GRADE RESOLUTION (CARRY OVER ITEM FOR A FUTURE MEETING.) NEW BUSINESS 12. 7.2 - TRENDS IN GRADUATE DEGREE COMPLETION TIMES - Dr. Hooper submit- ted the document for the membership's review for discussion at a future meeting. Allan Bloom and Gerald McLaughlin prepared this report and Dr. Hooper stated that any updates or suggestions that the Commission would like to have incorporated could be handled through these individ- uals. 13. 7.3 - SCHEV RECOMMENDATION ON NEW PROGRAM PROPOSALS - Dr. Hooper stated that staff recommendations had been made on the following new program proposals: M.S. - Hotel, Restaurant and Inst. Management - approve Ph.D. - Hotel, Restaurant and Inst. Management - deny M.A. - Spanish Studies - defer approval Ph.D. - Exercise Physiology - deny M.A. - Philosophy - defer approval M.M. - Music - defer approval Ph.D. - Political Science for 1994 - encourage SCHEV will actually vote on these recommendations at their next meeting on April 3, 1991. Dr. Hooper stated that the programs were reviewed by outside reviewers. Information is not yet available concerning the criticisms of the denied programs however, we are going to pursue the issue to find what changes can be made so that these programs can be submitted and passed. 14. ADJOURNMENT - 4:54 p.m. Respectfully submitted, John L. Eaton Secretary
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