Graduate Studies Senate Committee Minutes
Members present: Charles Mason, Chair; Abena Aidoo (Graduate Student), Robert Opila, Andrew Teplyakov, (Pablo Huq Excused), Susan Brynteson, Peter Kolchin, (Matthew Kinservik Excused), Richard Fang, Darwin Davis, (John Vacca excused), Mary Martin, and (Dewey Caron Excused).
Old Business
A) Andras Szeri met with the Committee to clarify the changes to the degree requirements in the Master's and Ph.D. programs in Mechanical Engineering.
The purpose of the changes to the master's program is to allow for more flexibility in the core requirements. Specific changes were made to the doctoral program so as to allow students entering the program with differing backgrounds to meet the qualifier examination requirements. The Committee recommended that a statement be made in the program policy statement that clearly noted that some students would be admitted with the condition that certain prerequisite courses be taken in addition to the PhD requirements. The Committee tabled the vote on the changes until a revised version of the program requirements was received.
New Business
A) The Committee discussed the proposal to change the name of the Early American Culture major to Winterthur Program in American Material Culture. Included in the proposal was a new course, EAMC 667 as well as decrease the number of interdisciplinary courses from 3 to 2 and that students not be required to enroll either in a theory or issues course. The Committee voted to table the discussion until the next meeting when Ritchie Garrison will visit the Committee at the next meeting.
B) Marsha Dickson joined the Committee to present the proposal for a Certificate program in Socially Responsible and Sustainable Apparel Business. Eleven new one-credit courses have been developed for the program that will be delivered through Distance Learning. The development of the web-based courses and learning materials, including multi-media case studies, is funded by a $300,000 grant from the U.S.D.A. Higher Education Challenge Program under the directorship of Marsha Dickson.
The Committee requested that a representative from Professional Continuing Studies meet with the Committee.
The vote was tabled on the Certificate Program. The Committee requested a memo from the Dean of the Lerner College of Business in support of the name of the program.
C) The Committee voted unanimously in support of the disestablishment of the M.A. program in Art.
Next meeting; January 24 at 9 am.