graduate council minutes: March 31, 2026
Graduate Council Meeting Minutes
March 31, 2026
Location: Virtual (Teams)
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Chair Dr. Dan Boden, who welcomed members and confirmed
that a quorum was present.
Roll Call
Members Present: Saad Andalib, Brian Ashburner, Dan Boden, Qian Chen, Scott Crawley, Mai Dao, Jennifer
Devries, Brian Fink, Bashar Gammoh, David Giovannucci, F. Scott Hall, Daniel Hammel,
Tyler Hancock, Kristen Keith, Tammy Kinsey, Barbara Kopp Miller, Minxuan Lan (for
Beth Schlemper), John Laux, Glenn Lipscomb, Scott Molitor, Nagalakshmi Nadiminty,
Megan Petra, Erin Prestwich, Jeanine Refsnider-Streby, Patricia Relue, Zahoor Shah,
Snejana Slantcheva-Durst, Kuo-hui Su, Jerry Van Hoy, Michael Weintraub, Kandace Williams,
Qiuying Zhao
Guests Present: Teri Green, Tara Hanna, Whitney Valencia
Excused: Grace Bochenek, Dawn Goldstein, Edward Janak, Srinivas Saladi, Hossein Sojoudi
Absent: Andrea Kalinoski, Varun Vaidya, Eileen Walsh
Approval of Minutes
The minutes from the March 17, 2026 meeting were presented for approval.
- Motion to approve: Michael Weintraub
- Second: Scott Crawley
- Vote: Approved by majority vote via Teams chat
Presentations & Discussion Items
Executive Committee Report – Dr. Dan Boden
Dr. Boden announced that nominations are open for the 2026 Outstanding Graduate Student
Award. He reminded members that:
- The submission deadline is April 6, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
- A reminder email would be sent to graduate faculty
- Award recipients will be recognized at the April 14, 2026 Graduate Council meeting
Report of the Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs – Dr. Scott Molitor
Dr. Molitor provided several updates:
- Program Directors Meeting & Slate Enhancements:
- Acknowledged participation in the recent program directors meeting
- Recognized Tara Hanna and Henriette for their work on Slate training and system improvements
- Student Achievement:
- Congratulated Regina Shrestha for winning the Three Minute Thesis competition and placing in the top 10 at the Chicago competition
- Policy Updates:
- Recently approved Graduate Council policies are now posted for a 30-day public comment period
- Colleges should prepare for implementation in the Fall 2026 catalog, particularly regarding GPA recalculation requirements
Report of the Vice President for Research – Dr. Scott Hall (on behalf of Office of
Research)
Dr. Hall reported that there were no new updates since the previous Graduate Council
meeting and invited questions from the Council.
Report of the Graduate Student Association – Saad Andalib
Mr. Andalib announced the upcoming Midwest Graduate Research Symposium (MGRS):
- Date: April 11, 2026
- Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- The symposium is expected to be larger than in prior years
- Student volunteers are still needed; judge positions are filled
Council members were encouraged to attend and support the event.
Announcements
- Outstanding Graduate Student Award Reminder: Deadline April 6, 2026
- NSM Undergraduate Research Expo:
- Date: April 2, 2026
- Location: Memorial Field House
- Time: Approximately 11:00 a.m. – 2:00/3:00 p.m.
- Noted that many undergraduate projects are mentored by graduate students
Reports
Standing Committee Memberships – Dr. Michael Weintraub
Dr. Weintraub reported that all standing committees are fully staffed and functioning.
Committee Reports
Graduate Council Curriculum Committee Report
Dr. Molitor presented the report on behalf of the committee.
Key highlights included:
- Program Modifications:
- Consolidation of multiple MSN and DNP nursing programs into a single APRN degree with multiple concentrations
- Updates to the Oral Biology (Dentistry) program (COMLS):
- Clarification of the General Dentistry program structure, including pediatric dentistry components
- Submission of an assessment plan and curriculum map
- Updates to the Physician Assistant (MSBS) program, including learning outcomes and potential credit hour adjustments
- New Courses Requiring Approval:
- DENT 6210–6260 (General Dentistry sequence)
- EECS 4830 (Artificial Neural Networks and Deep Learning)
- PHYS 4660–4670 (Glass Science and Technologies)
- Course Modifications (Editorial and Content Updates):
- Updates to course descriptions, learning outcomes, delivery formats, and credit hours across multiple programs
- Vote: Curriculum proposals were approved by vote in Teams chat (no formal motion required)
- Additional Discussion Item:
- Dr. Molitor provided advance notice regarding the proposed transition of the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) program from Lourdes to UToledo
- The proposal is under development in coordination with the Graduate Council Curriculum Committee, state agencies, Board of Trustees, and accreditors
- Timeline is expedited due to anticipated summer cohort enrollment
Curriculum & Membership Votes
- Curriculum Committee Report: Approved by vote in Teams chat
Old Business
None.
New Business
No new business was formally introduced.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned by Chair Dr. Dan Boden. The next meeting is scheduled for
April 14, 2026.