The regular meeting of the Graduate
Council was held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 in the
Forum Room of the Ferguson Center.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Dr. Natalie Adams, Dr. John Baker,
Prof. Robin K. Behn, Dr. Martyn R. Dixon,
Dr. Kari Frederickson, Dr. Janice Goldston,
Dr. Marsha L. Houston, Dr. Richard Houston,
Dr. Janis O’Donnell, Dr. Nancy J. Rubin,
Dr. Edward J. Schnee, Dr. Roy Ann Sherrod,
Dr. Silas C. Blackstock,
Dr. Ken Wright, Dr. Vivian H. Wright
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Dr. Elizabeth S. Aversa,
Dr. Todd DeZoort, Dr. Matthew Green,
Dr. Bruce Kim, Dr. Mark R. Klinger,
Dr. Elaine A. Martin, Dr. Michael Murphy,
Dr. David Roskos-Ewoldsen, Dr. Charles R. Sox,
Dr. Robert P. Taylor, Dr. John M. Wiest
MEMBERS ON SABBATICAL: Dr.
Elizabeth Wilson
ALTERNATE PRESENT: Dr. Cindy Roff (for Dr. Allan V. Kaufman)
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT: Dean David Francko, Dr. Viola Acoff
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT: Del Smith
GRADUATE SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT:
Dr. John Schmitt, Associate Dean
Beth Yarbrough, Registrar – Graduate School
Dean David Francko opened the meeting
by asking all committee members to introduce themselves to the
colleagues on the Graduate Council. He then asked if there were
corrections to the April 25, 2006 minutes. The minutes were approved
with one minor correction.
I. Dean’s Welcome to the Graduate
Council
Dean Francko welcomed everyone and began the meeting by addressing
the upcoming goals for this year. Most of the growth for The University
of Alabama has been from undergraduate students, not graduate students.
The current enrollment of the Graduate School is a little less than 3800
for the 2006 Fall semester. In order for The University of Alabama’s
Graduate School to increase enrollment along with the undergraduates,
5000-5500 graduate students are needed. The Graduate School will need to
continue to support a diversified student body, increase the quality of
programs, and offer students more opportunity.
There are several ways to achieve this goal: 1) Partner with the
departments to increase recruitment through funding and other methods,
2) Continue to increase the stipends of the Graduate Assistants, 3)
Continue to increase the health insurance coverage, and 4) Increase the
total number of Graduate Assistants. The overall goal is to have a
Graduate School reflective of a first-tier, doctoral research
university.
Increasing the research/travel funds available to graduate students is
very important for increasing enrollment. The Graduate School spent
almost two times as much on travel & research grants for graduate
students in Fall 2006, and Dean Francko is willing to ask the Provost
for more money.
A proposal to increase the application fee has been submitted to the
Provost. The national average is $45.00, and the Graduate School has
been charging $25.00 for years. If approved, this increase would not
only increase the amount of money for the Graduate School, but also
increase the amount of money for the departments to recruit. Dean
Francko would like each department to submit a 1-page plan for
recruitment, and he will continue to meet with departments regarding
strategy, growth, and funding.
Dr. Harrison’s position has been submitted to Human Resources, and that
position should be on the job line soon.
Dean Francko mentioned that we are currently working on the information
to be submitted to the National Research Council for doctorates. Each
department has been charged to identify areas of improvement and to
submit suggestions for improvement and implementation of these ideas.
II. Reports from Graduate Council Committees
There were no reports from the Council’s committees.
III. Reports from the Dean’s Office
Dr. Schmitt reported on the new award
for Outstanding Service by a Graduate Student. The committee took the
proposal for the award to the Council last year, and it passed. A
complete description of the award is on the website. This first year,
the masters and doctoral students will be combined, and the winner will
be selected by the Graduate Council’s Committee on Teaching, Research,
and Service Awards. The deadline for nomination for Teaching, Research,
and Service awards is January 8th.
Academic program review is underway, and in the past, the Graduate
Council has always played an important role. Bob Taylor has agreed to
serve on the Chemistry review committee as a current member of the
Council, and J.W. Harrell will serve as a former member. Vivian Wright
has agreed to serve on the Women Studies review committee, along with
former Council member Bill Dressler.
The Twentieth Annual Workshop for New GTAs was successful, with over 200
new GTAs in attendance.
Work in Progress – GRADS – Graduate Records & Degree Systems. All forms
that graduate students complete are currently on the website. Our next
step is to make them web submittable. We will be testing this in the
next few weeks and will need some help from departmental
representatives.
IV. Reports from Standing University
Committees
Dr. Dee Goldston, Faculty Senate Representative, announced that the
Faculty Senate has endorsed several changes to the employee health
insurance coverage.
V. Old Business
There was no old business.
VI. New Business
There was no new business.
Dean David A. Francko adjourned the meeting at 4:00 p.m. |