Graduate Council Minutes: February 17, 2026
Graduate Council Meeting Minutes
February 17, 2026
Location: Virtual (MS Teams)
Call to Order
Chair Dan Boden called the meeting to order. A quorum was confirmed.
Roll Call
Members Present:
Saad Andalib; Brian Ashburner; Grace Bochenek; Dan Boden; Scott Crawley; Mai Dao;
Brian Fink; Bashar Gammoh; Dawn Goldstein; Scott Hall; Daniel Hammel; Tyler Hancock;
Andrea Kalinoski; Kristen Keith; Barbara Kopp Miller; John Laux; Glenn Lipscomb; Nagalakshmi
Nadiminty; Megan Petra; Erin Prestwich; Jeanine Refsnider-Streby; Patricia Relue;
Srinivas Vinod Saladi; Zahoor Shah; Snejana Slantcheva-Durst; Hossein Sojoudi; Kuo-Hui
Su;; Varun Vaidya; Jerry Van Hoy; Eileen Walsh; Michael Weintraub; Kandace Williams;
Qiuying Zhao.
Guests Present:
Mitchell McKinney (Provost & EVP for Academic Affairs); Teri Green; Tara Hanna; Whitney
Valencia
Excused:
Jennifer DeVries; Ed Janak
Absent:
Qian Chen; David Giovannucci
Approval of Minutes
Approval of the February 3rd meeting minutes was deferred to the March 17, 2026 meeting to allow members sufficient time for review.
Presentations & Discussion Items
Provost Report – Dr. Mitchell McKinney
Provost McKinney addressed Graduate Council and provided updates in four primary areas:
- Lourdes University Teach-Out
The University of Toledo will serve as the official teach-out institution for Lourdes University following its announced closure.
Key points:
- Lourdes’ final commencement is anticipated in May (or possibly at the end of the summer term).
- UToledo will:
- Serve as the teach-out institution for transferring students.
- Assume custodianship of institutional records.
- Lourdes graduate enrollment is concentrated in:
- Nursing
- Business (MBA)
- Education master’s programs and certificates
UToledo leadership has initiated:
- Conversations with relevant colleges and accreditors.
- Outreach efforts, including a Zoom information session and planned campus visits.
- Coordinated admissions review processes.
At the time of the meeting, approximately 20+ Lourdes students had already submitted materials or expressed interest in transferring.
- Graduate Enrollment & Program Development
Spring 2026 graduate enrollment was essentially flat compared to Spring 2025 (approximately 3,300 graduate/professional students total).
While some programs experienced minor declines, growth in Neff COBI graduate programs—particularly online master’s programs—offset those decreases.
New or expanding online graduate programs include:
- M.S. in Data Science (NSM)
- M.S. in Forensic Toxicology (PH)
- M.S. in Health Outcomes and Value Analytics (PH)
- M.S. in Cosmetic Science (PH)
- M.S. in Applied Business Analytics (BU)
These programs align with:
- Workforce development priorities
- Adult learner demand
- Industry partnership opportunities
The Provost emphasized that online master’s growth does not replace the University’s research mission and that doctoral education remains central to UToledo’s identity.
- Graduate Student Funding & FY27 Budget Planning
The Provost outlined several funding initiatives:
- Research assistantship funding increased from $100,000 to $150,000 in annual direct costs.
- A new mechanism will allow units flexibility to reassign assistantship funding if international doctoral students are unable to arrive, ensuring funds are fully utilized.
- FY27 budget planning includes review of:
- Teaching assistantship allocations in doctoral programs.
- Programs with growing undergraduate enrollments and demonstrated instructional need.
Additional discussion included:
- Graduate stipends.
- Health insurance communication and concerns.
- Broader strategies for supporting graduate students beyond assistantships.
The Provost invited Council input on further ways to strengthen graduate student support.
- Marketing, Recruitment & Website Support
Council members raised concerns regarding:
- Promotion of existing online master’s programs (EN, HHS, BU).
- The need for a dedicated graduate marketing/communications staff function.
- Barriers in website content updates and limited departmental access.
- Staffing support for industry partnerships and professional program alignment.
In response, the Provost agreed to:
- Continue discussions with Graduate Studies leadership regarding the potential creation of a dedicated graduate marketing/communications role.
- Advocate for improved responsiveness in website updates.
- Review broader staffing needs across colleges as part of ongoing resource allocation discussions.
Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs Report – Dr. Scott Molitor
Dr. Molitor provided the following updates:
- Graduate Programs Day (Health Science Campus) hosted approximately 105 prospective students.
- The event will continue twice annually, with one program held on Main Campus and one on the Health Science Campus.
- A draft GPA recalculation policy is being prepared and will be presented at the March 17 meeting.
- The All-Graduate Faculty Meeting is scheduled for February 26, 4:00–5:00 p.m. (MS Teams).
Vice President for Research Report – Dr. Grace Bochenek & Dr. F. Scott Hall
Dr. Bochenek introduced herself and expressed enthusiasm for expanding research capacity and strengthening industry partnerships across colleges.
Dr. Hall reported:
- January research award totals were slightly down compared to the previous year.
- Year-to-date awards are also down, in part due to the prior federal government shutdown.
- The next research mixer is scheduled for February 19 and will focus on peer review.
He noted that the mixer is hosted by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP).
Nominations remain open for:
- Outstanding Faculty Research and Scholarship Award.
- Scholarly and Creative Activity Award.
Graduate Student Association Report – Saad Andalib
- Approximately 100 participants registered for the Midwest Graduate Research Symposium (MGRS).
- 24 judges have signed up to date.
- Additional faculty judges are needed.
Standing Committee Reports
Report of the Membership Committee
None.
Curriculum Committee Report
The Graduate Council Curriculum Committee (GCCC) submitted its report dated February 12, 2026
The Committee recommended approval of the following:
Program Actions
- BU-ACCT-MSA – Accounting, MSA
- MD-BIMS-PHD-NSND – Neuroscience and Neurological Disorders, PhD
- BU-INFS-MBA – Information Systems, MBA
- BU-OSCM-MBA – Operations and Supply Chain Management, MBA
- HH-PUBH-MPH-PGEN – Public Health – Generalist Concentration, MPH
- MD-BIMS-MS-CNBI – Biomedical Sciences: Cell and Cancer Biology, MSBS
- Pharmacy Informatics – Graduate Certificate
- Cosmetic Regulatory Affairs – Certificate
- Clinical Outcomes and Research Foundations – Certificate
- MD-BIMS-PHD-CNBI – Biomedical Sciences: Cell and Cancer Biology, PhD
Course Actions
Multiple new and modified graduate courses across colleges (BU, COMLS, HHS, NSM, PH), including dissertation research courses, finance courses, public health courses, speech-language pathology courses, radiation physics courses, recreation therapy courses, and counseling courses.
A motion was made to approve the Curriculum Committee report and recommendations.
Motion: Approve GCCC report.
Second: Multiple affirmations via chat.
Vote: Unanimous approval.
The motion carried.
Old Business
None.
New Business
None.
Announcements
- Next Graduate Council meeting: March 17, 2026
- All-Graduate Faculty Meeting: February 26, 2026
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned by Chair Boden.