Office of the Provost

Graduate Council meetings are held monthly, August through May, in Mason Hall Room D5, from 1:30-3:00. See schedule for exact dates. All meetings are open to the general George Mason University community.

Members attending: Peter Stearns (Chair), Farrokh Alemi (CNHS), Phillip Buchanan (SOM), Dee Holisky (CAS), Joan Isenberg, Steve White (CEHD).

Special attendee: Andrew Flagel, Dean of Admissions, PJ Maddox, CNHS, Shirley Travis, Dean, CNHS, Wendy Payton, Director of Special Projects, Office of the Provost,

I. Call to Order

Peter Stearns called the meeting to order at 1:05 pm.
The Provost asked the Council secretary to outline the responses from Grad Council members concerning the following procedure:

II. Old Business

Ph.D. in Health Services Research and Policy

(1) Go ahead with the special meeting on Thursday, June 9, 10:00 - 11:00 am, Mason Hall D5, to discuss and vote on the proposed Ph.D. in Health Services Research and Policy

(2) Circulate minutes of the special meeting to Council members unable to attend, with an instruction to review and indicate their vote by return e-mail

The secretary reported that 10 Council members responded and approved the procedure as outlined above. Two Council members did not respond.

The Provost opened the topic for discussion. It was moved for approval and seconded.

Dr. Alemi stated that the College of Nursing and Health Science has been working on the Ph.D. proposal for approximately two and a half years, with extensive interactions with various people including an outside consultant. CNHS has included a number of interactions with the epidemiology and biostatistics degree as well as the security certificate to provide the elements for a health services research degree. The proposal culminates efforts to have a strong health policy and health services program in the Nation’s capital.

Phillip Buchanan asked if CNHS has other Ph.D. programs. Dr. Alemi responded that CNHS has a Ph.D. in Nursing that requires a nursingbackground; there is no Ph.D. path right now for people in health science. Across the nation, many health services research programs have a Ph.D. in Health Services Research.

Joan Isenberg asked if the courses in the proposal are new. Dr. Alemi responded that there are no new courses. In planning for the Ph.D., CNHS introduced new courses and made them part of elements that would later be used in the proposed Ph.D. program. The majority of the courses were introduced with the MS in Epidemiology and Biostatistics that was approved by Grad Council in February 2005. Other components were approved with the Certificate in Health Care Security.

Joan Isenberg asked if the proposed Ph.D. had been reviewed by other units. Dr. Alemi stated that there had been a great deal of interaction with many of the other units.


The discussion ended and a vote was taken of those present. The proposed Ph.D. in Health Services Research and Policy was approved unanimously. The minutes will be circulated by email to those Council members who were unable to attend the meeting. Council members will be asked to respond by return email as soon as possible.

VII. Adjournment at 10:25