COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES

To:������ TAMUK Faculty

From:��� Dr. Hector Estrada, Graduate Council Secretary (x2269, Hector.Estrada@tamuk.edu)

Topic:�� Minutes from the regular Graduate Council Meeting of March 18, 2003

Faculty Present: Dr. Yousri Elkassabgi, Dr. Hector Estrada,� Dr. Dean Ferguson, Dr. Maribel Gonzalez-Garcia, Dr. David Hewett, Dr. Craig Hollingshead, Dr. Steven Lukefahr, Dr. Robert Marshall, Dr. Alberto Olivares, , Dr. Ali Pilehvari, Dr. Fred Ponder, Dr. David Sabrio, Dr. Chu-Sheng Tai.

Faculty Absent : Dr. Charles Alworth, Dr. Nestor Sherman, Dr. Randy Stanko.

Graduate Student Representatives Present: Jennifer Elston, Lorie Ann Gonzalez, Katie Turner.

Graduate Student Representatives Absent: Balagopal Dharanidharan, Judy Vandervest, Mustafa Shaik.

I.��������� The meeting was held in room 251 of Nierman Hall and was called to order at 2:45 p.m. The minutes from the meeting of February 18, 2003 were approved.

II.�������� Standing committee reports

A.� Executive Committee

����� Dr. Marshall noted that his report on the ongoing work of the Executive Committee will be reported at the April meeting.

B.�� Membership Committee

����������������� None.

�����������������

C.�� Curriculum Committee

Dr. Elkassabgi reported that the Curriculum Committee received several proposals from History and Communication and Theatre Arts. He noted that these proposals will be reviewed by the next meeting. At that time, proposal reports from these programs along with several proposals from the College of Pharmacy and Environmental Engineering will be made.

D. Program Review Committee

Dr. Lukefahr reported the following two items:  (1) Outcome assessment reports have been received for the master's and doctoral programs that were reviewed in 2001-2002.  (2) The Provost and the Graduate Dean met individually with the deans to discuss the program reviews conducted during 2002-2003 by the Graduate Council.

III. Dean's Report

Dean Olivares reported on the following items:

1) Dean Olivares distributed a handout that included tables listing graduate/undergraduate admissions for the past three years (normally only 40% of applicants accepted enroll at our university) and a comparison of the headcount between TAMUK and Palo Alto.

2) Dr. Olivares discussed Texas Senate H.R. No. 1212 bill, which proposes, amongst other things, to limit the number of international students enrolled in a given program to no more than 10% of the total number of students. The Graduate Council strongly opposes this bill, considering that our graduate enrollment includes about 400 international students.

3) Dean Olivares discussed some of the scholarships for graduate students offered through his office (for masters� and doctoral levels). However, because of the budgetary crisis facing the university, this funding will no longer be available. The discussion then turned to the idea of increasing tuition for graduate courses to generate the funding necessary to continue these masters� and doctoral scholarships. A survey of graduate over undergraduate resident tuition rates at other institutions in the A&M System indicates that, on the average, rates are $14 per SCH. To further support a graduate tuition increase, Dean Olivares presented summaries of surveys conducted by each college representative to the Graduate Council. These summaries indicate that a majority of graduate students support the increase provided the funds are used to improve graduate education through scholarships at TAMUK. This also appears to be the view of the majority of the Graduate Council.

4) Mrs. Maggie Williams, Director of Admissions and Registrar, updated the Graduate Council on accessing our graduate students� test scores using the SIS system. For a given student, screen 221 lists all test scores; for a specific score, such as the GRE, go to screen 210 then type GRE. All faculty templates should have access to these two screens.

IV. Student Representatives

None.

V. Old Business

Dr. Gonzalez-Garcia and the Membership Committee reminded the Graduate Council about their motion tabled in February. Dean Olivares and Dr. Gonzalez-Garcia remind the Council to be prepared to vote on this motion at the April meeting.

VI. New Business

Standing committee elections for next year�s Graduate Council will be conducted during the April 15, 2003 Graduate Council meeting.

VII. A motion was made to adjourn the meeting at 3:45 p.m.� The motion was seconded and passed. The next meeting of the Graduate Council is scheduled for April 15, 2003.

Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Hector Estrada, Secretary