Council of Graduate School Programs
Regular Meeting
September 28, 2001
Lewis Towers, 13th Floor,
Water Tower Campus
MINUTES
[Approved, 11/2/01]
Members Present: Gad Bensinger, Barney Berlin, Pamela Caughie (chair), Susana Cavallo, Andrew Cutrofello, Fran Daly, Joseph Durlak, Jawed Fareed, Frank Fennell (for David Chinitz), Mark Frasier, Anthony Giaquinto, Thackery Gray, Maureen Hellwig, Susan Hirsch, Claudio Katz, James Keenan, Fred Kniss, Randolph Lucente, Michael Maher, Mary Manteuffel, Marcia Maurer, Joan McLane, Duarte Mota de Freitas, David Mitchell, E.J. Neafsey, Jon Nilson, Marie Opatrny, Diane Suter, Yolande Wersching.
Members Excused: Steven Brown, David Chinitz, David Ozar, Pauline Viviano, Alan Wolfe.
Graduate School Deans: Trevor Bechtel, Max Caproni, Marianne Gramza, William Yost.
Call to Order
Pamela Caughie, chair of the Council, called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. Dr. Caughie requested a change in the order of agenda items #8 and #9; there were no objections.
Approval of Minutes
Diane Suter moved to approve the minutes of the Council's April 27, 2001 regular meeting. The motion was seconded. The Council approved the minutes by a unanimous vote.
Dean's Report
William Yost referred to his written report and noted the importance of the president's recent State of the University address [the text of the September 20 address is available at http://www.luc.edu/resources/president/].
Chair's Report
Dr. Caughie discussed her correspondence with Dean Yost regarding the graduate programs in Classical Studies.
Dr. Caughie summarized the Executive Committee's participation in the search for the position of associate vice president for research and dean of The Graduate School.
Dr. Caughie announced that she has appointed an ad hoc committee to examine the allocation of graduate assistantships to programs. The committee consists of Diane Suter (chair), David Chinitz, Joseph Durlak, and Ronald Morgan.
Dr. Caughie announced that she has appointed of an ad hoc committee to examine the issue of compensation for graduate program directors. The committee consists of Susan Hirsch (chair), Steven Brown, Claudio Katz, and Jennifer Parks.
Dr. Caughie announced that Mary Elsbernd, O.S.F., resigned from the Executive Committee and the Program Review Committee for health-related reasons. Dr. Caughie announced that she has appointed James Keenan to replace Dr. Elsbernd as chair of the Program Review Committee, and that Fred Kniss and Patricia Mooney-Melvin will also serve on the Program Review Committee.
Dr. Caughie discussed interdisciplinary programs. In particular, she noted that the Council may wish to address the administrative challenges such programs face and the possibility of establishing new interdisciplinary programs. She said she will be contacting current directors of interdisciplinary programs to gather information.
Dr. Caughie reported on the university's faculty leadership retreat that took place in August 2001 and identified several issues that the Council may wish to consider:
1. What are "niche" graduate programs?
2. Improving communication between faculty bodies and administration:
· Communication entails the immediate response to actions taken by the Council (e.g., the Dean should inform the chair of the Council of actions taken that go against the vote of the Council and his reasons for such actions within one week of the action; the chair should be informed of the appointment of key people immediately).
· Representatives to various councils are urged to report back to their faculty on each meeting within a week. The minutes on the website are an important part of this initiative.
3. Teacher training as part of graduate education.
4. Intercampus relations and "turfism" among disciplines and programs.
5. Is SSOM is revising their constitution?; The Graduate School dean's role in SSOM one of the issues.
6. The possible reestablishment of the Graduate Studies Coordinating Board.
Committee Membership
In addition to the announcements noted above, Dr. Caughie announced the composition of the Curriculum Committee: Marcia Maurer (chair), Kevin Henson, Patricia Huntington, Randolph Lucente, and Duarte Mota de Freitas.
Susan Hirsch moved to nominate Pauline Viviano for membership on the Executive Committee (to replace Dr. Elsbernd). The motion was seconded. The Council elected Dr. Viviano by a unanimous vote.
Policy Regarding Reinstatement of Inactive Ph.D. Students
On behalf of The Graduate School, Max Caproni introduced a proposed new policy regarding inactive Ph.D. students applying for reinstatement:
If a Ph.D. student who has been inactive (i.e., not registered) for more than two years applies for reinstatement in a program, the student will be required to re-take and successfully complete the program's doctoral comprehensive examination requirement if more than five years have elapsed since the student initially completed the requirement.
E.J. Neafsey moved that the Council recommend adoption of the proposed new policy. The motion was seconded, and discussion followed. There was general support for the goal of the policy, but several issues were raised. Barney Berlin asked for flexibility on a program by program basis, and Randolph Lucente noted that comprehensive exams were not uniform across programs. Andrew Cutrofello asked if departments could decide differently for special cases, and Marcia Maurer wondered how this would help with students who were inactive but had not yet taken comprehensive exams. Jon Nilson reminded the Council that students could be active without being registered.
Dr. Neafsey moved that the proposed policy be amended to add a second sentence:
The program may recommend to The Graduate School an alternative to the comprehensive examination as a means of satisfying the requirement that the student demonstrate currency in the field.
The motion was seconded, and discussion followed. The Council recommended adoption of the proposed new policy, as amended, by a vote of 21 in favor, 2 against, with 2 abstentions.
Graduate Programs in Classical Studies
Dr. Caughie, read the following passage from Article I of the Council's by-laws:
If the Dean rejects a motion passed by the Council, the Dean shall return it to the Council stating in writing his reasons for disagreeing. If the Council reaffirms a motion rejected by the Dean and does so by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, the motion is then sent to the Dean for reconsideration.
Dean Yost included in his written report to the Council his reasons for rejecting the Council's recommendation regarding the continuation of the graduate programs in Classical Studies. Dr. Caughie noted that the Council may consider for reaffirmation the recommendation rejected by the dean. James Keenan made the following motion:
Whereas in his written response to Council, Dean Yost has failed to address the report and recommendation of the Committee on Program Review and the arguments made on behalf of the graduate programs in Classical Studies by Council members at the meeting of March 16, 2001;
Whereas Dean Yost, by having made his recommendation on March 14, 2001, before Council's meeting of March 16, 2001, preempted Council's legitimate role in the making of academic policy and failed to respect the mandate of its Committee on Program Review,
Be it here resolved that Council reaffirms the motions made and unanimously approved at its March 16 and April 27, 2001, meetings to continue the graduate programs in Classical Studies.
The motion was seconded, and discussion followed. Andrew Cutrofello moved that the motion be amended to strike its first two paragraphs. The secondary motion was seconded, and discussion followed. The Council approved the main motion, as amended, by a vote of 15 in favor, 1 opposed, with 10 abstentions.
Report on Carnegie classifications and U.S. News rankings
Citing statistics on the number of doctoral degrees conferred and the number of doctoral programs, Dr. Caughie noted that Loyola University Chicago is defined as a "research-extensive" university in the Carnegie classification of higher-education institutions. To maintain its status as currently defined, Loyola needs to confer 50 Ph.D. degrees per year in 15 disciplines. The university currently confers approximately 100 Ph.D. degrees per year in 26 disciplines. Eight of those disciplines are in education; seven are in the biomedical life sciences at LUMC.
Dr. Caughie also noted that Loyola University Chicago is in tier 2 of the U.S. News & World Report rankings of national doctoral universities. Discussion followed.
Discussion of Fr. Garanzini's Remarks on Graduate Education
The Council discussed Fr. Garanzini's remarks on graduate education at Loyola in his recent State of the University Address. At the request of the Council, Dr. Caughie said she would invite Fr. Garanzini to a future meeting. Dean Yost said he will provide to the Council data regarding the cost and benefits of graduate education. Dr. Caughie said she would request from Council members questions for Fr. Garanzini and The Graduate School administration.
New Business/Members' Concerns
No new business or members' concerns were raised.
Adjournment
Dr. Caughie adjourned the meeting at 3:00 p.m.