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Governance Minutes ArchiveFebruary 2, 1994
MINUTES VPI&SU COMMISSION ON GRADUATE STUDIES AND POLICIES 2 FEBRUARY, 1994 3:30 P.M. 206 SANDY HALL Present: Drs. Boyle, Burger, Eaton, Eustis, Eyre, Merola, Mitchiner O'Brien, Olin, Orcutt, Peters, Smith, Stauffer, Zhiming Zhang (for J. Boles), Ms. Bohr, Ms. Bezold, Mr. Kahn, Mr. Schell Absent with notification: Boles, Brooker-Gross, Rainer-Jeanes Absent: Haney, Waddill, Wokutch Visitors: Marvin Foushee - Registrar's Office Representative Susan Trulove - Spectrum Representative John Aughenbaugh - Student Affairs Coordinator from the Vice President for Student Affairs Office 1. ANNOUNCEMENTS- Dr. Mitchiner announced that there would be a Degree Re- quirements, Standards, Criteria and Academic Policies committee meeting will be on Friday, February 4 at 8:00 a.m. in 206 Sandy Hall. 2. INFORMATIONAL HANDOUTS - Two resolutions were circulated from the Course and Program Criteria Committee; Policy Memorandum #126 3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - Approved as published. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF 19 JANUARY 1994 - The minutes were approved as amended. 5. COMMITTEE REPORTS COURSE AND PROGRAM CRITERIA COMMITTEE - Michael O'Brien presented the report of the committee. At the meeting on January 26, 1994, fourteen courses were considered. CE 4514 - Methods in Geotechnical Engineering was approved; ISE 4244 - Fundamentals of Computer Integrated Manufacturing was approved with modification of senior standing; ISE 4254 - Computer-aided Process Planning was approved; ISE 4264 - Industrial Automation was approved; MSE 4034 - Thermodynamics of Materials Systems was approved; MSE 4564 - Polymer Engineering Laboratory was approved contingent on CUS approval; MSE 5214 - Optoelectronic and Magnetic Applications was approved with modifications; VMSC 8494 - Aquatic Medicine and Fish Health was tabled; VMSC 8514 - Advanced Equine Reproduction was approved with changes; VMSC 8624 - Surgical Principles and Practices I was approved with ver- ification; VMSC 8724 - Surgical Principles and Practices II was ap- proved with verification; VMSC 8504 - Advanced Ophthalmology was tabled; VMSC 8474 - Reproductive Pathology was approved; VMSC 8484 - Comparative Anesthesia was approved with modifications. A proposal for a Ph.D. program in Hospitality and Tourism Management was approved. This was a renaming of an existing Ph.D. option. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS, STANDARDS, CRITERIA AND ACADEMIC POLICIES - Steve Boyle stated that his committee would appreciate input from the commis- sion membership and other faculty regarding the committee's attempt to evaluate current procedures for the administration of preliminary and final examaintions in our doctoral programs. Dr. Boyle referred to the previous set of minutes to point out questions that were asked of our peer institutions as well as survey questions that were asked of our department heads and program chairs. There was discussion regarding the need and expected outcome of the proposed changes to the examination procedures, however, no general conclusions were reached. RESTRUCTURING - Dr. Dave Orcutt stated that two issues were discussed in their meeting. (1) Combining the Commission on Research with the Commission on Gradu- ate Studies and Policies: it was decided that the two commissions are so significantly different that the combination of the two would not be a possibility. (2) Standing Committees: in the reorganization process, it has been suggested that the commissions make recommendations for university standing committees. For this commission, the recommendation was for two standing committees be developed; the University Library Committee (which has already been developed) and a Graduate Curriculum Committee. Dr. Orcutt stated that the committee needs the commission members' in- put on the following factors: (a) does the commission need more fac- ulty, staff and students members on the commission and (b) how we would want to structure the commission with these changes. 6. REPORT OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY COMMITTEE- Dr. Joanne Eustis referred to the minutes of the December 8, 1993 which had been distributed in the agenda package. Dr. Eustis stated that the Library has purchased server software and the goal is to be distributing data through the network to people's offices. The committee is also involved in what parts of collections will be stored in the storage facilities and what will be moved off site. 7. GRADUATE STUDENT ASSEMBLY REPORT - Mr. Tim Schell stated that the Grad- uate Research Symposium will be April 22, 1994. Eleanor Gibson, a noted psychologist and winner of the Presidential Science Award, will be the key-note speaker for the symposium. Calls for abstracts should go out later this month. A copy of a bill was distributed that was introduced into the state legistrature by Jim Schuler and Madison Mayre. This bill charges the state with investigating the possibility of creating a state-wide health insurance pool for graduate students and their dependents and other means of providing adequate and affordable health insurance cov- erage. The bill also calls for an investigation of the feasibility of relaxing the state personnel regulations to allow teaching and research assistants, who are part of the institutional staff, to participate in the state health insurance plan. There was a resolution passed supporting the stipend increase resol- ution that was discussed at the last CGS&P meeting. In the discussion of that resolution, there was concern that some students might be low- ered in their pay during their time as a graduate student; the students were interested in getting a committment, from the department, of what they would be receiving on assistantship as a graduate student; there was also concern about the scales that departments use for assistantship levels; there was concern about the separation of stu- dents within a department on the pay scale. A new treasurer of the GSA was elected at the last meeting. 8. DISCUSSION AND COMMITTEE REFERENCE a) 4000/5000 Level Courses Admission Resolution from the Course and Program Criteria Committee - Professor O'Brien stated that this resolution was brought forward because so many courses were being lowered from 5000 to 4000 level courses. This proposal will allow qualified undergraduate students (within the same department) to enroll in a 5000 level course with approval of the department head and the instructor of the course. The resolution was passed and will be forwarded to the apprpriate commission/council for consideration. b. Course Revision Resolution from the Course and Program Criteria Committee - Professor O'Brien explained that, earlier in the year, Susan Brooker-Gross came to the committee meeting and encouraged the committee to review the current process for reviewing course and program proposals. This resolution to relax the rules for syllabus revision is being presented as a result of that review. The proposal provided that CGS&P will review those course modifications that change the catalog description of a course. All minor modifications (syllabus, text, etc.) would be taken up as a college matter. The resolution was passed and will be forwarded to the appropriate commission/council for consideration. 9. ADJOURNMENT - 4:31 p.m. Respectfully submitted, John L. Eaton Secretary
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