October 25 - Minutes


Graduate Studies Senate Committee Minutes

October 25, 2013
130 Hullihen Hall
12 noon

Members present: Charles Swanik, Harsh Bair, Antony Beris, Daniel Sullivan, Owen White, Michelle Parent, Bill Ullman, Susan Brynteson, Matija Radovic, Mary Martin, and James Richards. Ruth Fleury-Steiner (excused), Melinda Duncan (excused), Jesus Botello (Excused), and Justin Rill (Excused, Graduate Student).

Old Business

  1. 1) 3+2 Program with Millersville University of Pennsylvania and the University of Delaware in the MS in Materials Science & Engineering Program: The proposal was brought back to the Committee to reconsider as it was not approved in April 2013. Dr. Zide and Martin visited the Committee to reiterate the academic requirements Millersville program and the UD master’s program. The BA students must satisfy all of the usual general education requirements (an additional 39 credits) and program requirements adding to a total of 95 credits at Millersville. Students who would participate in the 3+2 program with UD would transfer back to Millersville 26 credits. Students at Millersville must officially complete the BA before being eligible to file for the MS degree at UD. The Committee unanimously approved the proposal.
  2. Changes to the requirements in the MMSE and PHD programs in Materials Science and Engineering:  The proposal added a non-thesis MS option for part-time students and maintained the required thesis option for full-time students.  Full-time students must petition the student’s research advisor, Department Chairperson and the Chair of the Graduate Committee to switch from the thesis option to the non-thesis option.   Changed the GPA requirement in courses needed for the MS and PHD from 3.25 to 3.00.  Changes to the Ph.D. program clarified the requirements for students entering the Ph.D. with an earned M.S. degree.  The proposal stated that these students might substitute advanced courses for the required elements of the curriculum that can be demonstrated as having already been taken in the MS degree.  The substitutions must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor and the department Chairperson.  The Committee unanimously approved the proposals.
  3. Dual Ph.D. with Electrical Engineering at UD and Universidad Industrial De Santander.  Professor Gonzalo was tabled to the next meeting due to time constraints of the meeting.

New Business

  1.  MENG in Particle Technology:  The discussion of this new degree and program was led by Eric Furst.  The Committee tabled the vote on the proposal asking for the following additional information:  1) a statement is to be included referencing the means of support from the College;  2) specific policy criteria as to how the internship will be mentored and graded, the way the oral report of the internship was to be done and to what audience, and clarification on specific agreements with industry or on-campus sites for the internship.
  2. PHD in Climatology:  The proposal for the establishment of the PHD in Climatology, formally disestablished in 2008, was unanimously approved.  The Geography department is now located in the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment that allows for strengthened opportunities to offer the program as it relates to the national and interdisciplinary environmental  issues of climate.
  3. PHD in Geography:  At the time that the PHD in Climatalogy was disestablished in 2008, the decision was to change the PHD in Geography to include two concentrations:  Landscape Surfaces and Climatology.  This structure has proven to not provide the  best approach to the field of Geography.  The Committee unanimously approved the proposal to disestablish the concentrations in Geography.
  4. Proposal/Resolution to establish the Graduate Student Government to hold elections for the graduate student appointments to the Faculty Senate Committees that require graduate student representation.    James Richards, Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education, submitted the resolution.  The Committee unanimously approved the proposal.

 

Respectfully submitted:
Mary Martin, Assistant Provost for Graduate and Professional Education