graduate council minutes: February 03, 2026
Graduate Council Meeting Minutes
February 3, 2026
Location: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
Call to Order
The Graduate Council meeting was called to order by Chair Dan Boden. A quorum was confirmed. Scott Molitor welcomed Dr. Grace Bochenek, Vice President for Research & Sponsored Programs, to her first Graduate Council meeting.
Roll Call
Members Present:
Saad Andalib; Brian Ashburner; Grace Bochenek; Dan Boden; Qian Chen; Scott Crawley;
Mai Dao; Jennifer DeVries; Brian Fink; Bashar Gammoh; David Giovannucci; Dawn Goldstein;
F. Scott Hall; Daniel Hammel; Tyler Hancock; Andrea Kalinoski; Kristen Keith; Barbara
Kopp Miller; Scott Molitor; John Laux; Glenn Lipscomb; Nagalakshmi Nadaminti; Megan
Petra; Erin Prestwich; Jeanine Refsnider-Streby; Patricia Relue; Srinivas Vinod Saladi;
Zahoor Shah; Snejana Slantcheva-Durst; Omid Amili (for Hossein Sojoudi); Kuo-hui Su;
Varun Vaidya; Jerry Van Hoy; Eileen Walsh; Kandace Williams; Qiuying Zhao.
Guests Present:
Maura Conner; Tara Hanna; Bill Kalies; Whitney Valencia.
Excused:
Edward Janak; Michael Weintraub.
Absent:
None.
Approval of Minutes
Minutes from the following meetings were presented for approval:
- September 2, 2025
- September 16, 2025
- September 30, 2025
- October 28, 2025
- January 20, 2026
A motion to approve all five sets of minutes was made by Dawn Goldstein and seconded
by Scott Molitor.
Vote: Approved unanimously.
Presentations & Discussion Items
Financial Aid Changes Presentation
Maura Conner, Assistant Director of the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) & Graduate/Professional Programs, presented an overview of significant federal financial-aid changes resulting from the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3) on July 4, 2025. The presentation emphasized the disproportionate impact these changes will have on graduate and professional students and included extensive discussion with Council members.
Ms. Conner outlined the following key changes and implications:
- Elimination of the Graduate PLUS Loan Program
- Beginning July 1, 2026, Graduate PLUS loans will no longer be available to new students.
- Under the current model, graduate students typically receive $20,500 per year in federal unsubsidized loans, with Graduate PLUS loans historically used to cover the remaining gap between that amount and the student’s full cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, housing, transportation, and other living expenses.
- The elimination of Graduate PLUS loans removes the primary federal mechanism that has enabled many students to afford full-time graduate enrollment.
- New Annual and Lifetime Loan Limits
- General graduate students will remain capped at $20,500 per year in unsubsidized loans.
- A new $100,000 lifetime aggregate limit will apply to graduate borrowing only, exclusive of undergraduate loans.
- This replaces the current $138,500 lifetime limit, which includes both undergraduate and graduate borrowing.
- Professional Student Loan Limits
- Students in MD, JD, and PharmD programs will be eligible for $50,000 per year with a $200,000 lifetime graduate loan limit.
- Ms. Conner emphasized that these professional designations are narrowly defined at the federal level and do not extend to other graduate or clinical programs.
- Grandfathering Provision and Degree Changes
- Students who are already enrolled in their program and have received a loan disbursement prior to July 1, 2026 may retain access to Graduate PLUS loans for up to three additional years, through July 1, 2029.
- Ms. Conner cautioned that students who change degree programs during this period risk losing their grandfathered status and becoming immediately subject to the new loan limits, underscoring the importance of consulting Rocket Solution Central before making program changes.
- Enrollment-Based Loan Proration
- Graduate students enrolled below full-time status (fewer than nine credit hours) will receive prorated loan eligibility.
- While the federal proration formula has not yet been finalized, loan eligibility is expected to be reduced proportionally based on enrollment intensity, further constraining funding for part-time students.
- Impact on SNAP Eligibility
- Ms. Conner explained that, effective July 4, 2025, graduate students must now actively participate in Federal Work Study (FWS) to qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
- Previously, students only needed to be eligible for FWS, not actively participating.
- She noted that this change has already resulted in many graduate students losing SNAP renewals and that future access remains uncertain due to limited and variable FWS appropriations.
Ms. Conner noted that OSFA anticipates an increased reliance on private education loans, which generally carry higher interest rates, fewer consumer protections, and lack income-driven repayment options. OSFA’s response plan includes reviewing negotiated rulemaking once finalized, expanding education around private-loan comparison tools such as FastChoice, improving written and online resources, and providing individualized counseling to support informed student decision-making.
Taken together, Ms. Conner noted that the elimination of Graduate PLUS loans, combined with lower aggregate borrowing limits, enrollment-based proration, and reduced SNAP access, represents a significant risk to graduate student access, persistence, and completion—particularly for students with financial need.
Reports
Executive Committee Report
Chair Boden reported no items.
College of Graduate Studies Report
Scott Molitor reported that spring-to-spring graduate enrollment remained essentially flat, noting that the outcome was influenced by a higher-than-usual number of December graduates. He thanked faculty and staff for their efforts supporting graduate enrollment and student completion.
Dr. Molitor announced an upcoming Graduate Programs Fair scheduled for February 11 at the Health Science Campus and noted that planning efforts were underway to review the GPA substitution policy, with a proposal expected to return to Graduate Council in March.
Tara Hanna provided an update on changes to the TOEFL iBT exam, including the adoption of a new 1–6 scoring scale and the University’s decision to accept a minimum score of 4, aligning with undergraduate standards to streamline admissions processing and reduce delays.
Report of Research & Sponsored Programs
- Scott Hall welcomed Dr. Grace Bochenek to the University and provided updates regarding a short-term federal government shutdown. He noted that minimal impact to grant submissions or review processes was expected and encouraged faculty to continue submitting proposals as usual.
Dr. Hall reminded Council of upcoming nomination deadlines for the Outstanding Faculty Research and Scholarship Awards and highlighted recent and upcoming research development workshops, including a February 19 session focused on peer review.
Graduate Student Association Report
Saad Andalib reported on the Midwest Graduate Research Symposium (MGRS) 2026. As of February 3, the symposium had received 101 proposals, including seminar, lightning talk, and poster presentations, with participation from multiple institutions. Additional proposals would be accepted in select categories through February 15.
Mr. Andalib noted that additional judges are still needed and encouraged Council members to share the call for judges with faculty, staff, postdoctoral researchers, industry professionals, and doctoral candidates.
Curriculum & Membership Votes
Curriculum Committee Report
Scott Molitor presented curriculum actions on behalf of the Curriculum Committee, including:
- Formal approval of existing combined bachelor’s-to-master’s (pipeline) programs to ensure accurate catalog representation and CIM alignment without requiring individual program modification proposals.
- Approval of a new fully online Master of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, featuring an integrated curriculum spanning data science foundations, machine learning, cloud computing, and ethics.
- Program modifications across multiple colleges, including consolidation of public health degrees into a single degree with concentrations and substantial revision and renaming of the Pharmacy Health Outcomes program.
- Approval of new and modified courses associated with the approved programs.
The curriculum items were approved by unanimous vote.
Constitution & Bylaws Committee Report
Scott Molitor presented proposed revisions to Graduate Council bylaws related to graduate faculty membership categories. The revisions remove tenure or tenure-track status as a qualification requirement for full or associate graduate faculty membership, allowing all full-time University of Toledo faculty—including lecturers and research faculty—to be evaluated based on credentials and involvement in graduate education.
Discussion clarified that:
- Adjunct membership applies to part-time, visiting, or external academic faculty.
- Special membership is reserved for external professionals and emeritus faculty.
- Membership evaluations will consider the faculty member’s role in teaching, research, and graduate supervision.
The proposed bylaw revisions were approved unanimously.
Old Business
None.
New Business
None.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned by the Chair.