College of Graduate Studies

Graduate Council Report to Board of Trustees Academic and Student Affairs Committee

September 23, 2022

This report includes the activities of Graduate Council (GC) since our last report on April 13, 2022.

The GC Executive Committee (GCEC) met monthly over the summer with Drs. Molitor, Acting Dean of the College of Graduate Studies (COGS), Calzonetti, Vice President of Research, and Patrick Naranjo, President of the Graduate Student Association who provided updates, discussed initiatives and concerns, and helped set GC 2022-2023 schedule, dates and meeting modes for the fall and spring semesters.

We continue to hold meetings of the Council and Executive Committee in Webex format but will return to in-person meeting for our meeting with President Postel and our last Council meeting and elections on May 2, 2022.

GCEC and GC held several meetings and discussions with graduate students and involved parties following graduate students’ concerns about Graduate Students Health Insurance plans. GCEC members, COGS dean, and GSA president communicated clarifications and updates regarding graduate student health insurance options and requirements. GC invited to its first meeting representatives from Human Resources and University Health Plans to further address this issue, which also was the main subject of discussion with President Postel during his recent visit with GC.

GCEC was most appreciative of a visit by President Postel at our September 13th meeting as part of our regular meeting each semester. He addressed an array of topics including graduate student health insurance, University of Toledo’s improved ranking in U.S. News and World Report, plans to transition to R1 status, and graduate student representation at BOT.

GC Chair and Vice Chair Lawrence met with Provost, Dr. Risa Dickson, and Acting Dean of COGS, Dr. Scott Molitor to discuss matters relevant to graduate education.

GCEC was not empowered by GC to review curriculum proposals over the summer. However, the GC Curriculum Committee has been populated and is working on the course modifications, new course proposals and program modifications that are in queue and should have a report for our next Council meeting on September 27th. The GC Membership Committee chaired by Dr. Svetlana Beltyukova provided summary report of graduate faculty membership appointments approved over the summer.

The GC has met once this Fall: September 13. The topics for GC meetings included introduction of Acting Dean Molitor to GC and his updates on progress to implement recommendations from the Reimagining COGS Taskforce, COGS goals including processes improvement such as admissions, offer letters, graduate faculty membership applications, online courses, international student health insurance, and others.

GC council members continued to address graduate student and faculty concerns and led discussions and invited presentation by Human Resources guests, Don Poulson and Mark Bercheni, and Boyce Morin from University Health Plans, on student health insurance.

Respectfully submitted,
Wissam AbouAlaiwi, Ph.D.,
University of Toledo Graduate Council Chair, 2022-2023