Members Present:                 P. Baumann, G. Claffey, R. Cohen, M. D’Onofiro, K. Farrington, G. Fitzgerald, B. Kjell, J. Kovel, C. Marshall, G. Mejia, D. Mitchell, J. Nicoll-Senft, M. Nunn, V. Rajaravivarma, S. Seider

Guests/ex. officio:      P. Lemma, C. Pudlinski

G. Mejia called the Graduate Studies Committee to order at 2:38 pm. 

I.                   Approval of Minutes

A.  Members present approved the October 23, 2003 minutes with no edits.  M. Nunn moved to accept the minutes of November 20, 2003.  The motion was seconded; approved with editorial changes. M. Nunn asked for clarification of Unfinished Business, section A as to where Attachment A was.   K. Farrington explained that “Attachment A” was from a previous edit of the minutes but actually was included in the body of the minutes.

II.                Announcements from Dean Lemma

A.  P. Lemma announced that the Graduate Office has a new clerk typist, Gwen Gregory.  (gregoryw@ccsu.edu, extension 21938) Her main responsibilities will be inputing changes of major, planned programs and handling diplomas as well as other miscellaneous functions. 

B.     Strategic Plan: P. Lemma reported that all strategic plans are currently under review.  A website ( http://www.ccsu.edu/AcadAffairs/strategicplan/ )has been set up to facilitate faculty input.    P. Lemma asked that the committee members pay particular attention to the section on the Graduate School.    The Dean is seeking any suggestions or feedback to be provided to the Provost.

C.     P. Lemma asks that departments think about how they can restructure courses to help the graduate students.  The time the classes meet appears to be one way that “one size doesn’t fit all”.  If departments come up with different structures, please contact P. Lemma for assistance.  She reminded everyone that the courses must still meet certain criteria, such as 45 contact hours –and be two weeks or longer.

R. Cohen asked what types of changes.  P. Lemma suggested as examples more online classes, Friday or Saturday classes. The Dean would be willing to look at any ideas.  G. Fitzgerald mentioned that their students were questioned about better starting times and they decided that a 5:15 start time would be better.  P. Lemma asked that the departments should think about what the students wanted. Another example is the 4pm classes that may be difficult for students to get here for this early starting time.

D.    Reminder:  The Graduate Student Association social honoring the recipients of the Outstanding Scholars and Academic Awards will be held on February 4, 2004, at 5:30pm in the Connecticut Room. Please come and if you are holding class during this time, bring the class.

E.     The Graduate Research and Creative Presentation day will be held on May 4^th at 4pm.  Poster boards will be provided by the Graduate office.  Any student involved in any research should be encouraged to participate.  This is an excellent opportunity to showcase the Graduate School and graduate students.

III.               G. Mejia distributed the Graduate Studies Committee Semester End Report for the fall semester.   This report is usually an annual report distributed at the end of the school year.  He felt that it was advantageous to do the report by the semester.  Then new policies can be passed and take effect in a timelier manner.  Policy resolutions were passed with minor changes by the Faculty Senate.  G. Mejia is attempting to get the official statements from the Faculty Senate secretary.  

IV.              Graduate Student Association Report

P. Lemma reported for M. Shelton who was absent.  The “Timeline for the Graduate Student Association Scholarship” was handed out at this time.  As in previous years, the students nominate themselves.  Unfortunately, this scholarship is not widely known and participation has been low in past years, with approximately only 4 or 5 applicants.  The student will need to meet the criteria of having completed a minimum of 15 semester hours with an earned grad point average of 3.50 or higher.  They will also need to write a 1,000 word essay.  P. Lemma asks that the faculty encourage their students to apply.  The applications are available at the Graduate Office and through the Graduate Student Association.  M. Nunn asked if information about the scholarship was available on the Web.  P. Lemma thought that information about the scholarship was on the Web, but not the application. 

V.                 Unfinished Business: None

VI.              Reports from the Committees

A. Curriculum 

J. Kovel presented three recommendations for approval from the curriculum committee. 

Item #1: Department of Business – Course Revision of Business 401 to drop graduate credit. 

Item #2: Department of Accounting – Course revision of Accounting 510 to drop the prerequisites that were stopping the Accounting students from taking the course.

Item #3: Department of Counseling & Family Therapy –

a. Course revision of CNSL 509- Independent Study.  Request to drop   prerequisite CNSL 503.

b. Course deletion of CNSL 595- Research class

c. Program revision of Professional Counseling, School Counseling and    Student Development in Higher Education to two choices for graduation, either Thesis or Comprehensive Exam.  The Special Project will be dropped as an option.

Members present approved all items recommended for approval by the Graduate Studies Curriculum Committee with no additional comments.

C. Pudlinski reminded the committee that the deadline for curriculum changes that need to appear in the new Graduate catalog is noon on March 5, 2004.  Departments cannot just make changes on the catalog galleys; all changes must go through the U.C.C. to be put into the catalog.  Signatures are required from one's Department Chair, and appropriate Deans (including Paulette Lemma) on a hard copy of the submission (which is also due on March 5, 2004).  A hard copy must be submitted to C. Pudlinski and J. Kovel by that date. P. Lemma will be checking the galleys of catalog to make sure that everything from your department is reflected correctly.

B.     Policy

Susan Seider reported that the committee has not met.  They will be meeting February 5, 2004 at 2:30pm.

C.     Scholarship and Awards:  None

D.    Appeals

G. Claffey reported that there was one appeal upheld.  Programs are closing off due to enrollment caps.  He asks that the departments make sure that when there is an enrollment cap, that it is reflected in the literature given to the students.  P. Lemma felt that there are three or more programs with a cap.  She suggested that the department state in the rejection letter as an example:

“Student qualified but rejected due to enrollment cap.”

A statement of this sort would stop the Dean’s office from sending the Appeal on to the appeals committee.  P. Lemma reiterated that it would be helpful to the Dean’s office if departments would give them a reason for the rejection.  It would help the Dean’s office make a better judgment about whether to send the case to the Appeals Committee or not

IV.   New Business

                  None

V.                 Adjournment –3:10 pm

Minutes approved with edits – 2/26/04