Minutes
- Appendix
A: Curriculum Committee Report
- Appendix
B: Academic Policy Committee Report
Members Present
Augé, Clement, K. Davis, W. Davis, Feigerle, Frymier, Gaylord,
George, Hamilton, Hammer, Hood, Kelley, Long, Mayhew, Morton, Moussa, Ohnesorg,
Phillips, Rogge, Schroedl, Staudt, Tompkins, Townsend, Upadhyaya, Warden
The Graduate Council was called to order at 3:05 p.m. in the Board Room, 8th Floor Andy Holt Tower, by Dean Anne Mayhew. The meeting began with introductions.
1. Minutes of the Preceding Meeting
The minutes of the June 21, 2001 Graduate Council
meeting were approved as reported.
Dr. Mayhew distributed the following:
– Calendar for Graduate Council, 2001-02 (copy attached)
– Members of the Graduate Council, August 1, 2001 (copy attached)
– Graduate Council Committees, August 1, 2001 (copy attached)
2. Committee Reports
· Academic Policy
Dr. Wayne Davis (Chair) reported
that the Academic Policy Committee discussed
the following at the August 23
meeting:
– Proposal to include electronic theses/dissertations
as an option for submission.
A draft copy of the proposed Approval
Sheet was distributed (copy attached).
Council voted unanimously to approve
the recommendations as reported (Appendix B).
· Appeals
Dr. Mayhew reported that there
were currently no appeals pending and distributed copies
of the revised Graduate Council
Appeal Procedure (copy attached).
· Credentials
Dr. Kathleen Davis (Chair) indicated
that the Committee Bylaws would be discussed
further at the October 4 meeting
and be presented to the Council on October 18.
The report was presented during Closed
Session.
· Curriculum
Dr. Mary Rogge gave the report
of the August 23 meeting indicating that the Committee
had not yet elected a Chair or
discussed the Bylaws since all Committee members had not
yet been named. With the
full Committee now in place, both items will be addressed at
the October 4 meeting. Dr.
Rogge reviewed the curricular items as presented in the
Agenda. Council voted unanimously
to approve the recommendations as reported
(Appendix A).
· Graduate Deans Group
Dean Fred Tompkins (Chair) gave
the report of the August 23 Graduate Deans Group.
The following items were discussed
at the August 23 meeting:
– Enrollment–the total graduate and professional
headcount is down very slightly, but
Doctoral I enrollment is up which
is good news.
– SPEAK Test–a record number took the Test
in August 2001 and many students did not
pass. The Group was asked
to make their departments/units aware that students who
pass the Test of Spoken English
(TSE) before coming to the U.S. do not have to take the
SPEAK Test.
– Stipends–Dean Mayhew announced that increasing
graduate student stipends and offsets
for fees were top priorities with
the administration.
– Bylaws–the Group will review at the October
4 meeting and present to the Council on
October 18.
– Deadline Dates–are posted on the web.
– Graduate School News–will no longer be printed.
· Graduate Student Association
Mr. Nathan Hammer (President) indicated
that there were 40-50 members present at the
last meeting and that several
new committees had been created to deal with a number of
graduate student issues.
Mr. Hammer distributed a list of GSA members (copy attached)
and asked the Council members
representing those departments that had not yet named a
representative to give him the
name of a contact within their department. The following
additional items were discussed:
– GTA stipends.
– Graduate Student Orientation.
– Computer Lab to open in Hodges Library for
use by graduate students only.
– GSA website.
· Professional Development
Dr. Mayhew said that the Professional
Development Award will be distributed via the
same process used last year.
Every effort will be made to cooperate with the Office of
Research Administration in distribution
of SARIF funds so that limited funds can be put to
their best possible use.
She asked the Council to encourage faculty members in their
departments/units (especially
those in the Humanities and Social Sciences) to apply. In
response to questions, Dr. Mayhew
reminded Council that the Professional Development
Committee of the Faculty Senate
had approved a Sabbatical Program last year and has
forwarded that to the Provost’s
office for consideration. That issue is currently being
considered by Dr. Loren Crabtree,
Provost. The Professional Development Committee is
scheduled to meet on October 1.
3. Other Business
Ms. Heather Doncaster indicated that she has
posted a pdf version of the Guide to the
Preparation of Theses and Dissertations on
the web and asked Council to review and forward
any comments or concerns to her at: thesis@utk.edu.
Ms. Doncaster indicated that students
would be allowed to follow either edition
through this fall with all students using the new edition
effective Spring 2002.
4. Announcements
Dr. Mayhew made the following announcements:
– Stipends & Fees–indicating
the following:
a. all GAs received
the 2.5% increase,
b. the minimum stipend
level will be raised significantly across the board for those on E or G
accounts,
c. funds will be allocated
to some programs to restore competitiveness,
d. funds will be allocated
to offset fees for those on the lower end of the pay scale.
e. In excess of $1
Million will be invested in accomplishing the above objectives with the
intent that all raises will be
retroactive to August 1, 2001 except the 2.5% state-supported increase
which was effective July 1,
f. information will
be distributed as soon as possible.
– Enrollment–total enrollment for
the University is up; however, the total graduate and professional headcount
is down
though only
slightly.
– Distributed a handout (copy
attached) and discussed the GTA Mentoring Program Brown Bag Lunch Program.
– Status of Graduate Admissions
& Records Reorganization (copy attached) and indicated that a resolution
to
the current
housing situation of the Office of Graduate Student Services is expected
by January 2002.
– Redesign of the Admissions
website.
– Every department is required
to have a current Graduate Student Handbook. There will be a survey
this year to assure
compliance.
– A major goal for the coming
year will be review of a number of policies and procedures. The Academic
Policy and
Curriculum Committees
will hold joint meetings to discuss these issues:
a. The new Imaging
System and speed and ease of admission,
b. Procedures and
rules related to full-time registration,
c. Registration for
use of facilities,
d. Overloads,
e. Guidelines for
GTA employment,
f. Deadlines
& procedures,
g. Continuous registration
for Theses/Dissertations,
Development and continuation of effective recruitment procedures will remain
an important goal.
Dr. Kay Reed discussed the following:
– National
Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowships (copy of flyer attached)
asking that Council
encourage interested students to attend the Workshop (12:00 PM, September
13, Room #226-227 University
Center) and to apply for the Fellowship.
– “Getting into
Graduate School” Workshop to be presented by Donald Asher at 5:00 PM, September
19, in the
Library Auditorium (copy of flyer attached).
CLOSED SESSION
Dr. Kathleen Davis (Chair) presented the report from the Credentials
Committee. The following faculty members were
recommended for initial or extended approval to direct doctoral dissertation
research:
Dr. Christine Boake, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Dr. A.C. Echternacht, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Dr. Neil Greenberg, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Dr. Stephen Kania, Department of Comparative Medicine
Dr. Julia Malia, Department of Child and Family Studies
Dr. Gary McCracken, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Dr. Terry Miller, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dr. Jake Rose, Department of Accounting and Business Law
Graduate Council approved the report, unanimously.
Dr. Mayhew announced that today would be the last Council meeting
for Kay Ailor, Graduate Council Secretary,
and asked Council to join her in thanking Ms. Ailor for her service
and to wish her well in her new position.
The next meeting of the Graduate Council will be held on Thursday,
October 18, 2001, at 3:00 p.m. in the Board
Room, 8th Floor, Andy Holt Tower. Agenda items are due
by noon on September 26, 2001.
The Graduate Council was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.
Reported by
Kay Ailor
Graduate Council Secretary
Attending: Paul Frymier (Acting Chair), Stephen Blackwell, Nathan Hammer, Mary Rogge, Richard Townsend, and Diana Lopez. Representing the academic units were: John Sobieski, College of Law.
1. Paul Frymier had been asked to chair the meeting and shared a list of agenda items. As no one understood what was meant by replacing committee members and a majority of members to elect a chair were not present until late, no action was taken on these items.
2. The request for a course change from the College of Human Ecology was approved.
3. The request from the College of Law for a course change was presented by Sobieski. The request was approved.
4. The previous Chair, Barbara Moore, had written a draft of operating
guidelines, which were distributed to the committee. Each member would
read them, and submit comments to Frymier. A new draft would be circulated
before the next meeting.
Revise description:
550 Theory and Research in Family Studies (3) Research in various major topics in family studies and application of theoretical models to understanding research.
Effective Spring 2002
College of Law: Law
Revise title and description:
985 Workers' Compensation (3) Workers' Compensation system for compensating
victims of work-related accidents and diseases: requirements for covered
employer-employee relationship; accidental injuries or occupational diseases
arising out of and in course of employment; causation; nature of medical,
disability, and death benefits; exclusiveness of compensation remedy against
employer and co-employees; and rights and liabilities of non-employers;
administrative and procedural aspects of Workers' Compensation practice;
and various law reform measures.
(Formerly: Social Legislation)
Effective Spring 2002
All backup materials are available in 201 Student Services Building.
APPENDIX B:
ACADEMIC POLICY COMMITTEE REPORT
August 23, 2001
3:30 P.M., Thursday, Room
237 University Center
Present: Bob Auge, Charles Hamilton, Sam Morton, Stefanie Ohnesorg, Cheryn Picquet, Kay Reed, Patti Tithof. Heather Doncaster, Thesis/Dissertation Consultant also attended.
1. The committee discussed
changes to the policy on submission of electronic theses and dissertations
to address the
comments from the Graduate Council meeting on June 21, 2001. The
committee recommended the attached policy
change to the Graduate Council for approval.
The meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
PROPOSAL FOR INCLUSION OF ELECTRONIC THESIS/DISSERTATION
AS OPTION
FOR SUBMISSION TO THE OFFICE OF GRADUATE
STUDENT SERVICES
Theses and Dissertations (2001-2002 Graduate Catalog, page 20)
All theses and dissertations are submitted in paper or electronic format to the Thesis/Dissertation Consultant in the Office of Graduate Student Services for examination. (Refer to DISSEMINATION OF FINAL COPIES regarding different submission processes.) The Consultant will review the material and assure that it is appropriately attractively presented, free of technical errors in format, suitable for binding or for electronic submission, and reflects credit upon graduate education at the University of Tennessee and The Graduate School. If the thesis or dissertation is not accepted, the student must make corrections and resubmit the material.
The student, major professor and committee share responsibility for the accuracy and professionalism of the final product of the student’s research. The student should confer with the Thesis/Dissertation Consultant regarding problems and questions in advance of preparing the final copy. The UT Knoxville Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations (8th ed.) provides the correct format for theses or dissertations. Workshops are held periodically throughout the academic year. The date for each workshop is announced in the Graduate Student Services Calendar.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
The thesis/dissertation normally should be written in English. Under exceptional circumstances, another language may be used if prior approval is obtained from the Dean of Graduate Studies. A request to write in a language other than English should be submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies by the student’s thesis committee, with endorsement by the Department Head and Dean of the College, prior to Admission to Candidacy for the degree sought. The request should include a proposal and justification for the exception. In all cases, one thesis/dissertation abstract must be written in English.
CLASSIFIED RESEARCH
A basic principle in graduate education is that theses and dissertations produced by graduate students will be published and made available to other researchers in the field. When a graduate student is involved in classified or proprietary research, and such research is intended to lead toward a thesis or dissertation, prior approval should be secured from the Department Head and Dean, and from the Dean of Graduate Studies. Should the research become classified in the course of a project, these same persons should be notified immediately so that proper procedures can be assured. Failure to comply with these requirements may lead to rejection of a thesis or dissertation manuscript.
DISSEMINATION OF FINAL COPIES
Paper copies approved for final submission will be sent to the University Libraries bindery one month after conferral of the graduate degree. One of the bound copies will be placed on the shelf in Hodges Library for circulation, the second bound copy will be placed in Library Archives. The circulation copy will appear in the library catalog and on the shelf approximately one year after conferral of the graduate degree. Electronic copies approved for final submission will be cataloged and placed on the ETD website (http://etd.utk.edu) approximately four weeks after the conferral of the graduate degree. At this time, the electronic copies will be in the public domain via the library catalog and the ETD website.
Master’s Degrees (page 20)
THESIS (page 21)
The thesis represents the culmination of an original research project completed by the student. It must be prepared according to the most recent Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations, available at http://web.utk.edu/~thesis. Paper or electronic submission will be approved by the student’s committee prior to final preparation of the thesis. Two paper copies or an electronic copy of the thesis must include be accompanied by two approval sheets, signed by the members of the master's committee. The approval sheets will reflect the final format for submission. The approval sheets certify that they the committee members have examined the final copy of the thesis and have judged it to be found that its form and content are satisfactory.
Doctoral Degrees (page 22)
DISSERTATION (page 23)
Paper or electronic submission will be approved by the student’s committee prior to final preparation of the dissertation. Two paper copies or an electronic copy of the dissertation (prepared according to the regulations in the most recent Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations, available at http://web.utk.edu/~thesis, must be submitted to and accepted by the Office of Graduate Student Services. Each dissertation must include be accompanied by two approval sheets, signed by all members of the doctoral committee. The approval sheets will reflect the final format for submission. The approval sheets certify to the Office of Graduate Student Services that they the committee members have examined the final copy and found that its form and content demonstrate scholarly excellence.