College of Graduate Studies

Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

December 10, 2024

Present:        Marcelo Alvarado-Vargas, Saad Andalib (GSA), Brian Ashburner, Tomer Avidor-Reiss, Dan Boden Qian Chen, Mai Dao,
                       Jennifer DeVries, Jim Ferris, Bashar Gammoh, Rafael Garcia-Mata, David Giovannucci, Dan Hammel Noela Haughton,
                       Ed Janak, Ahmad Javaid, Andrea Kalinoski, John Laux, Patrick Lawrence, Kristen Keith, Nagalakshmi Nadiminty,
                       Megan Petra, Barbara Saltzman, Youssef Sari, Angela Scardina, Beth Schlemper, Connie Schall, Snejana Slantcheva-Durst,
                       Hossein Sojoudi, Kuo-hui Su, Varun Vaiyda, Jerry Van Hoy, Eileen Walsh, Kandace Williams, Qiuying Zhao, Jianglong Zhu.  

Absent:         Ling Na.  

Excused:       Patricia Relue, Zahoor Shah. 

Guests:         COGS -Teri Green, Yasmeen Hamdah. 

 

Call to Order, Roll Call, and Approval of Minutes 
The meeting was called to order and roll called. The Minutes of October 29, 2024, and November 12, 2024, meetings were approved. 

Executive Reports  
Report of the Executive Committee of the Graduate Council 
On behalf of Graduate Council, Chair, Dr. Barbara Saltzman reported: 

• Meeting with Provost Molitor - December 9, 2024
  Provost Molitor has requested a committee comprised of faculty to advisehim on the next stages of program prioritization to advise, provide feedbackand investment recommendations. He would like to havein place by the new year and will speak to Graduate Council on January 21, 2025, regarding the role of this committee. Some faculty concerned about faculty judging peers after deans have put forth recommendations, however, Dr. Molitor sees committee as useful. Recommendations may be to me or directly to Dr. Molitor. There was concern that facultyserving on this committee whether they have programs listed for review for potential deactivation or perhaps seeking prioritization for their programs over other programs. Dr. Molitor indicated they could certainly serve on the committee but might be asked to recuse from any votes about their own program.
  
  
• Graduate Recruitment and Retention Committee
  Continues to meet regularly and is most recently looking at surveying incoming spring semester 2025 graduate students. This group of over 100 students would receive a short survey after the first week of the semester regarding their entry experience to UToledo.
  
  
• Graduate Council Meeting Activities Spring Semester 2025
  
  • Interim Provost, Dr. Scott Molitor and 3MT Thesis Competition winners’ presentation - January 21, 2025 
  • Other speakers/presentations will include: 
  • GC Outstanding Graduate Students Recognition 
  • GSA Research Award Recipients 
  • Dr. Dan Hammel will lead the Annual Meeting of the Graduate Faculty on Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 3:00 pm, online via Webex. 
  • We will invite Anne Fulkerson, Assistant Vice Provost for Institutional Research, to speak on statistics doctoral student loss and off-ramping to master’s programs. 
    
    
• Graduate Grading Policy
  For discussion under New Business.

Report of the Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs 
Dr. Dan Hammel, Interim Vice Provost for Academic Affairs provided the following updates: 

• GRAD-uation Party! 
  Wednesday, December 11, 2024 l 11 am – 1 pm l Student Union Ingman Room 2024 
  Graduate students and their advisors are invited to attend COGS first Graduation Party. Pizza will be provided along with an opportunity to practice the doctoral hooding process. Additionally, videos on proper hooding will be projected in the Fetterman Center, where students are gathered prior to the commencement ceremony. Graduate Faculty and graduating students are encouraged to attend. 
  
  
• Grading Policy 
  The existing incomplete grade policy has been that after an incomplete grade is assigned and not changed after a semester, it lapsed to the default grade of ‘F’. Historically, the grade could not be changed. The undergraduate policy has been changed and we will do the same at the graduate level.  The changes provide the opportunity for a lapsed grade to be changed by the faculty member to another grade, although not back to ‘Incomplete’.  Undergraduates can extend the Incomplete grade two times which means they could carry an ‘Incomplete’ for a total of three semesters. Graduate students will be allowed one extension, permitting a total of two semesters of carrying a grade of ‘Incomplete’. Hopefully, these grades are not too common. For example, the former grade ‘PR’ was used 219 times over a four-year period.  
  
  
• Pipeline Programs
  We continue to work to provide seamless experience for various aspects of pipeline programs, including financial aid and graduation audit.  A student in a pipeline program with 9 hours at the undergraduate level and 3 hours at the graduate level (full-time), will be viewed as an undergraduate student for financial aid purposes. The ideal will be that the degree program audit for pipeline programs is as seamless as all undergraduate programs as well as speaking with two advisors. 
  
  
• Spring 2025 Enrollment
  Dr. Hammel discussed the enrollment patterns which indicate that graduate enrollment may be stabilizing. 
  
  
• Suspension of Graduate Programs – CCGS 
  Across the state almost all, universities are suspending graduate programs. Most are in highly specialized programs as well as some in education.  
  
  
• National Interest Waiver Visa 
  Suggested that GCEC invite and Maryam Sediqe, Assistant Director, Employment Based Immigration Services in the Office of International Student and Scholar Services, to speak about National Interest Waivers Visa, which is growing in popularity.  

 Report of the Vice President for Research 
Dr. Connie Schall, Interim Vice President for Research, reported the following: 

• URFO Deadlines 
  Thursday, January 16, 2025 
  Research Awards & Fellowships Program 
  deArce-Koce Memorial Endowment Fund
  PIs are encouraged to submit by 5pm. No assistance will be available for InfoEd submission after ORSP closes at 5pm.
• Research Mixer (UToledo Foundation)
  Monday, January 27, 2025 l 11:00am – 12:30pm
  Health Science Campus, Center for Creative Education, Theater 1200
  
  
• Scholar Institute Program (SIP)
  March 3-7, 2025 - spring break week. Led by Eva English, Director of Grants Development 

     - Preparing Grant Submissions
     - Identifying Funding
     - Proposal Writing
     - Budget
     - Submission Process 

• Facilities and Administrative (Indirect Cost Rates)
  Facilities and Administrative Costs on grants must be charged at the same rate to the federal government as industry sponsors. These must be consistent at the same rate. Reference policy: https://www.utoledo.edu/policies/academic/research/pdfs/3364_70_23.pdf 

Discussion: 
Dr. David Giovannucci sought clarification on F&A rate variance for activity types.  

Dr. Connie Schall responded that F&A varies depending on the type of activity (instructional, organized research, clinical research) with approximate ranges from 30 to 54% as negotiated with the federal government. There are federal agencies that deviate from the fully federally negotiated rates. Some smaller entities may not have a published rate. That is why it is important to work with the Office of Research on the details.  

Report of the Graduate Student Association 
Saad Andalib, Vice President of the Graduate Student Association (GSA), recapped GSA activities for Fall Semester 2024” 

• Full Executive Board Officer Positions and Names
  
• College Representatives
  Each academic college is represented
• General Assembly Meetings
  Four meetings in Fall 2024
• Spring Meetings
  Monthly on a Wednesday, two hours, dates tbd
• Midwest Graduate Research Symposium
  April 12, 2025 in SU and Field House
  Theme: Community Engagement, 3 categories: seminar, poster and Lightning Talk
  Will be sending call for proposals and seeking keynote speaker
• Committees - are populated
• Fall Events 2024
  Participated in Homecoming Parade
  Co-sponsored GRAD-uation Party with COGS, December 11th, 11 am – 1 pm 

Information and Discussion Items  
Standing Committee Membership 
GC Vice Chair, Dr. Dan Boden, provided an update on committees requiring members from specified colleges.

Several vacancies were filled that were announced previously. However, there are a few vacancies that remain with representatives need from these colleges: 

Membership Committee – Nursing and Pharmacy 
Academic Programs and Regulations Committee – Nursing 

Dr. Eileen Walsh indicated that Nursing is trying to attain representatives. 

Standing Committee Reports 
Report of the Curriculum Committee 
On behalf of the Curriculum Committee, Dr. Timothy Mueser, committee chair, presented the committee’s report. There are four new program proposals (concentrations) in the College of Health and Human Services that are being updated from majors to concentrations for proper entry in CIM system. These are not new programs. One includes a title change from Generalist, MPH to Public Health - Generalist Concentration, MPH. 

As a faculty member who teaches in the MPH program, Chair Saltzman agreed that majors are being called concentrations and that there are no actual changes. 

Dr. Dan Hammel added that this was part of program prioritization from last year. There are four concentrations in one degree. From a student's perspective, there is not much change to the curriculum. These changes were less than 50% change, thus State approval is not required. Thanks to Dr. Dake and the College of Health and Human Services for their work.  

Chair Saltzman added that with an MPH degree, regardless of your concentration, you are skilled in all of the facets because you have core courses and public health that allow you to work in any of these sub-areas.  

The proposals listed below were reviewed by the members of the GCCC with recommendations to approve. [Council approved unanimously] 

15	PCR	HH	Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences	Recreation and Leisure Studies, MA	HH-RLS-MA	New Course: RCRT 5330 Administration in Recreational Services  New Course: RCRT 5930 Internship Competency in Recreational Therapy  Modified Course: RCRT 5420 Research Applications in Recreation & Recreational Therapy  Reactivate Course: RCRT 5760 APIE in Recreation Therapy
16	PCR	BU	MBA	Public Health Management, MBA	BU-PBHM-MBA	MBA program from 4 courses (12 credit hours) to 3 courses (9 credit hours) and 2) expand the list of available PUBH courses that students can choose from.
17	PCR	BU	Executive MBA	Executive Management, MBA	BU-EMGT-MBA	3-credit hours courses (EMBA 6100 and EMBA 6200) and the 2-credit hours Global/E Business trip (EMBA 6470), 3) the inclusion of the 6000 level MBA elective courses in FINA, MKTG, HURM, MGMT, INFS and OSCM in the regular MBA as the elective courses in the EMBA program.
26	NPP	HH	Population Health	Master's in Public Health - Environmental and Occupational Health Concentration	HH-PUBH-MPH-XXXX	Internal change to convert "majors" to "concentrations" to better reflect how this program has been operating. No curricular changes were made.
27	NPP	HH	Population Health	Master's in Public Health - Public Health Epidemiology Concentration	HH-PUBH-MPH-XXXX	There are no actual changes to the existing programs that are being moved into this umbrella major that includes four distinct concentrations. operating. No curricular changes were made.
28	NPP	HH	Population Health	Master's in Public Health - Public Health Promotion and Education Concentration	HH-PUBH-MPH-XXXX	It should also be noted that each of these concentrations are accredited as distinct units with specific criteria and expectations for each.
29	PCR	HH	Population Health	Master's in Public Health - Generalist Concentration	HH-PUBH-MPH-GENL	Change Title From:  Generalist, MPH   To:  Public Health - Generalist Concentration, MPH   Credit Hours: 45
31	PCR	CE	Educational Studies	Higher Education Administration, Certificate	CE-HEDC-CRG	Fully Online Only offered:  This certificate will be offered only fully online now.

 The proposals listed below were approved by the members of the GCCC 

18	CCR	BU	Executive MBA	Analytical Foundation For Executives	EMBA 5500	Title Changed   This is a minor course title and description change as part of overall EMBA curriculum revisions.
19	CCR	BU	Executive MBA	Financial Foundations For Executives	EMBA 6140	1)   Title Changed From:  Accounting And Financial Foundations For Executives  Title Changed To:  Analytical Foundational for Executives.
20	CCR	BU	Executive MBA	Accounting For Operational And Strategic Management	EMBA 6220	1)   Title Changed From:  Accounting Systems For Operational And Strategic Management  Title Changed To:  Accounting  For Operational And Strategic Management.
21	CCR	BU	Executive MBA	Marketing Analysis And Strategy	EMBA 6230	1)   Title Changed From:  Market Driven Analysis and Strategy  Title Changed To:  Marketing Analysis and Strategy  2) Catalog Description Revised 3)  This is a minor course title and description change as part of overall EMBA curriculum revisions.
22	CCR	BU	Executive MBA	Leadership And Performance Management	EMBA 6250	1.  Change Course Description: This course is designed to provide a practical understanding of leadership in a variety of organizational settings.
23	CCR	BU	Executive MBA	Strategic Management	EMBA 6290	1.  Change Title From:  Strategic Management In A Global Environment to: Strategic Management curriculum revisions.
24	CCR	BU	Executive MBA	Information Technology Management	EMBA 6300	1.  Change Title From:  Strategic Management In A Global Environment to: Strategic Management
25	CCR	BU	Executive MBA	Global Supply Chain Management	EMBA 6310	1.  Change Title From:  Managing Global Supply Chain Management Chains  To:  Global Supply Chain Management.
30	CCR	CE	Teacher Education	Internship in Inclusive and Specialized Teaching	SPED 6230	Grading Changed:  Moving away from assigning a letter grade in the course to Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
32	PIP	CE	Educational Studies	Educational Research and Measurement, ME	CE-EDRM-ME	Program Inactivation Proposal  Suspending admissions (plan to bring program back within five years.
33	PIP	CE	Educational Studies	Foundations of Education - Research and Measurement Concentration, PhD	CE-FERM-PHD	Program Inactivation Proposal  Suspending admissions (plan to bring program back within five years.

Report of the Membership Committee 
On behalf of the Membership Committee, Dr. Beth Schlemper, committee member and GC member, presented a summary report for Graduate Faculty Membership for Fall II 2024 for applications received between October 9 -November 19, 2024: 25 applications were reviewed with 21 approved as requested, 2 in different categories, and 2 were pending additional materials, which have been submitted.  

Past GC Chair, Dr. Patrick Lawrence, suggested that the number of categories be reduced and pursue options and have Bylaws and Constitution Committee with a proposal to refine. Across the state, many other institutions have fewer categories. It can be challenging to determine appropriate categories among five.   

Old Business 
None. 

New Business 
Graduate Grading Policy 
Chair Saltzman shared the draft policy will distribute the proposed draft of policy: Grades, quality points, and grading. She indicated she would share with Council members for feedback. Graduate Council can provide its recommendations to the Provost.  

Dr. Dan Hammel further explained that this is a new proposed policy based in part of the undergraduate policy on grading and the College of Graduate Studies Handbook, which is largely being incorporated into the catalog. The biggest change is to remove the PR/U and PR/S. Over the last decade these grades have been largely reduced. Dissertation credit should incorporate a written agreement between the faculty member and the student about what is to be accomplished that semester, therefore the student can be given a positive as opposed to a PR (in progress) grade. Students must complete a satisfactory amount of work.   

Adjournment 
There being no further business, the Council adjourned at 1:41 p.m.