11-16-2015 GAC Minutes
Minutes of the Council meeting of November 16, 2015
Approved by the Council on February 8, 2016
In attendance:
P. Atrey, J. Bartow (staff), G. Burke, T. Charles, A. Dariano (staff), C. Davis (staff), J. Fossett, J.
Giboney, C. Herrera, M. Larsen, C. Malloch, D. McDowall, C. Pastore, R. Prince, R. Toseland
(Chair), K. Williams (Dean)
Guests:
Melissa Powers (Registrar’s Office);
Christy Smith & Istvan Kecskes, (Education Department)
1. Chair Toseland welcomed everyone.
2. Draft Minutes from the October 16, 2015 meeting were approved by the Council without changes by a vote of 9-0-0.
3.
Dean’s Report – Graduate Dean Kevin Williams – Reference: Graduate Stipend Committee Report http://
www.albany.edu/academics/files/Report_of_the_Graduate_Stipend_Committee_final_draft_07
0615.pdf
Key points: Report was released to Campus 2 weeks ago, able to raise minimum stipend to 15K from 13K, finding ways to
stay more competitive, working on external fellowships and faculty research grants
4. Chair’s Report – Ron Toseland – No Report
5. Committee on Curriculum & Instruction Report – Christopher Pastore
Reported on the updated Political Science PhD curriculum proposal with the following changes:
Reduction of field seminar from 3 courses to 2
2 Additional core courses (POS695 and POS696)
Additional qualitative course requirement for student fulfilling the Research Tool Requirement via
coursework instead of Foreign Language (prior requirement was one Quantitative course or Foreign
Language and now it will Quantitative and Qualitative courses or Foreign Language)
Clarification of fulltime course load area of the requirements (only listed 10 credits previously but
department changed to 10 – 12 credits [9 credits for students with Assistantships])
None of these changes adjust the overall 60 graduate credit requirement.
ALSO reported was the Online Learning and Teaching Certificate curriculum proposed changes:
Adding ETAP639 as an option to the first set of core courses. Originally the core was to take all three of
ETAP529, 624 and 640. With this change it will add ETAP639 as a 4th option, but remain as 3 courses
overall in the core.
Adding ETAP526 as an option to the Instructional Theory and Technology set of courses. Currently
students can choose one course from ETAP524 or ETAP623. This change would allow students to choose
one course from ETAP524, 526 or 623.
None of these changes adjust the overall graduate credit requirement of 5 courses, 15 credits.
Proposed changes were voted on and approved by the GAC with a vote of 11-0-0
6. Prof. Kecskes and Dr. Christy Smith presented a proposal to establish a Graduate Certificate Program in TESOL Online,
which was reviewed and voted on and approved by the GAC with a vote of 11-0-0.
7. Next meeting scheduled will be held on December 7, 2015 at 1:00 pm in Conference Room MSC 102. (Please note
Management Services Center is the building across the roadway from UAB)
8. The meeting was adjourned.
END OF GAC 11-16-2015 MINUTES
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