Meeting #1

Present:

Absent:
Mr. Al Cage
Dr. Janice Pattillo

The Graduate Council met at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 23, 2004 in room 307, Austin Building. Dr. Oswald made a motion to approve the minutes of the April 22, 2004 meeting. Dr. Clack seconded the motion. The motion passed.

I. Announcements

A. New Graduate Council Members

Dr. Brian Oswald is representing the Faculty Senate. Dr. Dale Hearell was appointed to the Council from the College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Dillard Tinsley was elected to the Council from the College of Business. Dr. Suzy Weems was elected to the Council from the College of Education. Ms. Tamberly Kerr was appointed from the College of Forestry to be the Graduate Student Representative.

B. Graduate Enrollment

Graduate Student enrollment for Fall 2004 reached a new Fall semester high of 1,719. This is an increase of over 15% over Fall 2003. Credit hours by course level have also increased to 10,754. Total SFA enrollment for Fall 2004 is 11,287.

C. Graduate Tuition Increase

Graduate tuition was increased to $20 an hour. Approximately half of the amount went to increasing graduate assistant stipends from a minimum of $7,066 to a minimum of $8,100 for nine months. The increase of tuition also added five new graduate assistant positions.

D. Master of Science

The Coordinating Board will now allow the College of Forestry to offer a Master of Science instead of a Master of Science in Forestry. There is still no official word on the Master of Science in Resource Interpretation.

E. Ph.D. in Environmental Science

The Dean’s Council voted unanimously to move forward to receive approval to offer a Ph.D. in Environmental Science. This should appear on the Board of Regent’s October agenda.

F. College of Education Grant

The College of Education will receive a $2.1 million dollar grant to provide teacher certification programs to several rural school districts which will include both elementary and secondary schools.

G. Graduate Student Association Meeting

Graduate students and graduating seniors from all disciplines are invited to attend a preliminary meeting of the Graduate Students Association. The purpose of this meeting will be to determine the needs of graduate students at SFA and to assess the level of interest in formally submitting the G.S.A. as an official campus organization. Dr. David Jeffrey is the Faculty Sponsor and the student responsible for the initiation of the organization is Justin Pontius. The meeting will be held Tuesday, October 5, 2004 in the Liberal Arts Building North, Room 421.

II. New Business

A. Committee Assignments

1. Academic Affairs Committee

Dr. Michele Harris will chair the Academic Affairs Committee. Included on the committee are Dr. Brian Oswald, Dr. Janice Pattillo, Mr. All Cage and Ms. Sherry Wells. The Academic Affairs Committee will be working on curriculum and program review along with reviewing selected Graduate School policies.

2. Faculty Affairs Committee

Dr. Bea Clack has agreed to chair the Faculty Affairs Committee with Dr. Ray Eastman, Dr. Dale Hearell and Dr. Dilliard Tinsley. The committee will be doing graduate faculty review and reviewing graduate faculty regulations on membership renewal.

3. Student Affairs Committee

Mr. Peter Andrew will be serving on the Student Affairs Committee along with Ms. Tamberly Kerr, Dr. Joe Oliver and Dr. Suzy Weems. The Student Affairs Committee will be revising the exhibition guide, reviewing the graduate student handbook and the graduate school website.

B. Graduate Faculty Applications

Dr. Jeffrey has reviewed and given administrative approval to the following Graduate Faculty membership applications:

Name Department/Program Membership Type

David Caldwell Agriculture Adjunct
Chunmei Li Chemistry Associate
Lu Yu Chemistry Associate
Lori Harkness Elementary Education Limited
Wei-Li Jasmine Chen Forestry Adjunct
George Ice Forestry Adjunct
David Ownby EnvironSci/Forestry Associate
Robert Ramsey Forestry Adjunct
Pat Stephen Williams Forestry Associate
Lesa Beverly Mathematics/Statistics Associate
Theodore Joseph Psychology Limited

Dr. Clack made a motion to accept the membership applications as presented. Dr. Hearell seconded the motion. The motion passed.

C. Graduate Faculty Renewals

Name Department/Program Membership Type

Billy Higginbotham Forestry Adjunct
Daniel Unger Forestry Full
Elizabeth Malpass History Renew as Full
Archie McDonald History Renew as Full
Roy Joe Harris Mathematics/Statistics Associate to Full

Dr. Clack made a motion to approve the renewals as presented. Dr. Hearell seconded the motion. The motion passed.

Dr. Oswald made a motion to adjourn. Dr. Clack seconded the motion. The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.

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Dr. David L. Jeffrey

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Lagena B. Carver

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