Office of the Provost


GRADUATE COUNCIL

GRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
for the
JANUARY, 2006
Meeting

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), Linda Schwartzstein (Provost Office), JP Auffret (SOM), Peter Becker (SCS), Jamie Cooper (CAS), Joan Isenberg (CEHD), Terrence Lyons (ICAR), Daniel Menasce (IT&E), Teresa Panniers (CNHS), Hugh Sockett (CAS), Steve White (CEHD), Daniel Menasce, Jeff Offutt (IT&E), Teresa Panniers (CNHS), Catherine Rudder (SPP), Steve White (CEHD)

Special attendees: Robert Dudley, Chair, Public and International Affairs, CAS, Andrew Flagel, Dean, Admissions, Menas Kafatos, Dean, School of Computational Sciences, Susan Allen Nan, Associate Professor, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Wendy Payton, Director, Special Projects for the Office of the Provost.

I. Call to Order

    Provost Stearns called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.

II. Approval of December Minutes

    The minutes of the December 14, 2005 meeting were approved as written.

III. Announcements

    1. Tish Moreno, Council secretary had the following items:
      a. handout on guidelines for submitting Grad Council material electronically
      b. a voice vote for approval of two items incorrectly posted on the December agenda: New Concentration: Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Approved) New Course: BIOS 743 Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics (Approved)
      c. reminder that the deadline for the February 15 meeting is 12 noon, January 24

    2. Linda Schwartzstein advised Council members that additional funds for graduate support may become available through the State’s budget. She asked Council members to consider whether those funds should be used to expand the Presidential Scholars Program, or to provide out-of-state waivers or health insurance. Provost Stearns suggested possibly increasing GRA & GTA levels and the number of slots available. Council members were asked to forward comments of Linda Schwartzstein by email.

IV. Discussion Items

    A. The Agreement on Dual-degree Ph.D Programs between Seoul Nation University and George Mason University (Peter Stearns)

    Provost Stearns provided Council members with a draft of “The Agreement On Dual-degree Ph.D. Programs between Seoul National University and George Mason University.” He and Dean Kafatos asked Council members to consider the proposed agreement, saying that although there might be a very small number of students who would be interested in a program of this type, it is a way of furthering research collaboration between Mason and institutions of substantial rank. The Provost asked Peter Becker to chair a subcommittee to consider the agreement and report back to Council at the February meeting. Peter Becker expressed concern that one dissertation would result in two Ph.D. degrees. He suggested that a joint Ph.D. might be possible with one dissertation. Provost Stearns stated that that could be more difficult primarily because of SACS. Wendy Payton said it is not clear any longer. The biggest hurdle is to convince SACS that the relationship with an international institution is academically sound, that there is an academic rationale for it and that we monitor the relationship in important ways. She also stated that there is no accepted definition by SACS or any other organization of what joint is versus dual; they are used almost interchangeably. In addition to Peter Becker, Teresa Panniers, Joan Isenberg and Andrew Flagel offered to serve on the committee.

    B. Improving Graduate Student Writing (Cathy Rudder) postponed

    C. Graduate Teaching Appointments (Wendy Payton)

    Wendy Payton provided Council members with another revision of the draft of the Graduate Support Guidelines which incorporated changes recommended by Council at the December meeting. After further discussion it was agreed that Council members would forward comments to Wendy Payton and the Council would review the issue again at the February meeting

    Teaching Appointments Available to Graduate Students

    Students enrolled in graduate degree programs may not be given adjunct appointments in order to teach. Graduate students may be awarded one of three types of appointments.

    1) Graduate Teaching Assistants are George Mason University graduate students who participate directly in instructional activities under faculty supervision for not more than 20 hours per week. GTAs may not teach more than two lower-division lecture courses, six semester hours of recitation sections, or nine semester hours of laboratory.

    GTA assignments may also be given to activities that are not enrollment related, but which relate to teaching in some way. These activities typically include tutoring, advising, and curriculum development (for example, TAC students), and the specific activity should be described in the offer letter.

    2) Graduate Lecturer [NEW CATEGORY]. Graduate students who are the instructor of record for a credit-bearing course. Graduate lecturers will be paid from the adjunct matrix.

    3) Summer Graduate Teaching Assistant [NEW CATEGORY]. Graduate students hired to provide instructional support for summer course offerings.

    The following table summarizes the eligibility of specific teaching appointments to receive tuition waivers or grants.

    Teaching AssignmentEligible for Employee Tuition WaiverEligible for Graduate Tuition Waiver Eligible for Tuition Grant
    GTANoYes Yes
    Graduate LecturerNoNo Yes
    Summer GTANoYes Yes

V. Old Business

    none

VI. New Business

VII. Adjournment

    The meeting was adjourned at 2:40 pm

Comments and Suggestions | Privacy Statement | Disclaimer

MSN-3A2 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Phone: 703-993-8770 | FAX: 703-993-8871

Copyright © 2008 George Mason University