Graduate Council Minutes
April 15, 2025
Webex
CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL, AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The meeting was called to order, roll was taken, and quorum was confirmed. Minutes from February 18, 2025, were approved via chat vote.
PRESENT
Buyan Alam, Marcelo Alvarado-Vargas, Brian Ashburner, Tomer Avidor-Reiss, Dan Bodin, Qian Chen, Mai Dao, Bashar Gammoh, Rafael Garcia-Mata, David Giovannucci, Dan Hammel, Noella Haughton, Ed Janak, Ahmad Javaid, Kristen Keith, John Laux, Patrick Lawrence, Megan Petra, Patricia Relue, Barbara Saltzman, Youssef Sari, Beth Schlemper, Joseph Schmidt, Zahoor Shah, Snejana Slantcheva-Durst, Hossein Sojoudi, Varun Veja, Eileen Walsh, Kandace Williams, Xing Xiao, Qiuying Zhao.
Guests included: Scott Hall, Anne Fulkerson, Md Ayubur Khan.
PRESENTATION — ESTIMATING REQUIRED DOCTORAL RESEARCH ENROLLMENT TO MAINTAIN R1 STATUS
Dr. Anne Fulkerson and Md Ayubur Khan presented an analysis of enrollment and graduation patterns tied to UT’s R1 classification. They explained that UT is officially classified as an R1 institution and reviewed the Carnegie criteria, which now require (1) at least 70 doctoral research degrees annually and (2) at least $50M in research expenditures. Their longitudinal analysis showed that doctoral completion patterns remain stable, with most students finishing between years 4 and 6, and that approximately 68% of UT’s PhD graduates began in research doctoral programs rather than transitioning from master’s programs.
They emphasized that to maintain adequate degree production, UT must continue enrolling approximately 70 new doctoral research students per year, supplemented by roughly 33 MS-to-PhD transitions. The presenters noted that program closures, especially in fields such as exercise science, and fluctuations in graduate assistantship funding may impact UT’s ability to sustain doctoral output at required levels.
Council members discussed implications for long-term planning, including the need to stabilize recruitment pipelines, the potential impact of discontinued programs on future cohorts, and the importance of supporting doctoral student retention and completion. Clarifying questions were raised about the categories of doctoral degrees that count toward R1 metrics and how institutional changes may influence longitudinal modeling.
OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT RECOGNITION
Slides were presented for each honoree. Students and advisors shared remarks. Recognized students included:
Sachin Aryal, Olutayo “Nate” Farinde, Sanjana Kumariya, Ishan Manandhar, Magani Niyomdi Nzoluba, Olawale “Femi” Oluwafemi, Emily Spotts, Saeedeh Vanaei, and Derek Grant.
Council members heard brief summaries of the students’ scholarly achievements, including peer-reviewed publications, significant research contributions, teaching excellence, external fellowships, national conference presentations, and leadership within academic programs. Advisors highlighted the academic growth of each student and the value their work brings to UT’s graduate community and research enterprise. Many students expressed appreciation for faculty mentorship and departmental support. The Council collectively congratulated the honorees, noting their importance to UT’s graduate and research mission.
REPORTS
Chair’s Report — Dr. Barbara Saltzman
Updates were deferred to later in the meeting so that sufficient time could be devoted to the R1 presentation and student recognition. Dr. Saltzman noted that several ongoing initiatives and communications with GCEC would carry forward into upcoming meetings.
Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs — Dr. Dan Hammel
Dr. Hammel reported successful completion of the Responsible Conduct of Research Training, noting that the event included multiple breakout sessions supported by faculty volunteers and was well received based on student evaluations. He highlighted the strong turnout and engagement at the Midwest Graduate Research Symposium, which continues to rebuild momentum following the pandemic and included participation from UT graduate students and multiple regional institutions.
Dr. Hammel also addressed national cases of F-1 visa removals from the SEVIS system. He explained that although the issue is not unique to UT, three UT students were affected. Two have since been reinstated, and OISS is actively monitoring developments and assisting students and departments with guidance on maintaining academic continuity.
Vice President for Research — Dr. Scott Hall (for Dr. Connie Schall)
Dr. Hall emphasized the importance of adhering to the university’s nepotism policy, particularly in situations where faculty may supervise graduate students or personnel with whom they have personal relationships. He encouraged members to consult the Ohio Ethics Commission when needed to ensure compliance. Dr. Hall also announced the availability of internal review support for the NSF CAREER program, which provides coaching and structured feedback to early-career faculty preparing competitive proposals.
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE REPORT
A slate of curriculum proposals across Engineering (EN), Education (JHCASE), Health and Human Services (HHS), College of Medicine and Life Sciences (COMLS), Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM), and the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (PH) was presented. These proposals reflected routine updates to graduate programs, including course prerequisite revisions, alignment of program requirements with national accreditation standards, modernization of course descriptions to reflect current disciplinary practices, adjustments to credit hour distributions, and refinements to program structures aimed at improving student progression and curriculum clarity.
The proposed updates included:
- EN (Engineering):
– Revisions to graduate course sequencing to strengthen research preparation.
– Updates to prerequisites and course descriptions to reflect current industry expectations and evolving technological competencies.
- JHCASE (Education):
– Modifications in response to changes in state teacher licensure exams and Praxis requirements.
– Curriculum updates designed to improve student progression through the degree and better align assessment points with program outcomes.
- HHS (Health and Human Services):
– Program refinements tied to updated accreditation standards and clinical practice guidelines.
– Adjustments to fieldwork and practicum requirements to ensure compliance with national professional standards.
- COMLS (College of Medicine and Life Sciences):
– Updates to course content and competencies to reflect current research methodologies and best practices in the biomedical and health sciences.
– Revisions supporting clearer progression for research-based graduate pathways.
- NSM (Natural Sciences and Mathematics):
– Adjustments to course sequencing to strengthen foundational and research skill development.
– Updates aimed at improving curriculum coherence and alignment with disciplinary expectations.
- PH (Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences):
– Refinements to course offerings to reflect advances in pharmaceutical sciences.
– Updates intended to streamline student pathways and ensure appropriate distribution of credit hours.
Following presentation and discussion, Graduate Council voted to APPROVE all curriculum proposals presented. No graduate faculty membership items were brought forward for vote at this meeting.
REPORT OF THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
None.
OLD BUSINESS
None.
NEW BUSINESS
None.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion to adjourn carried. The meeting concluded.