Draft Minutes of the Graduate Academic Council meeting of October 7, 2020, 8:30 AM via Zoom meeting.
Approved by the Council by vote of 10-0-0 on November 4, 2020.
In attendance: G. Berg (Chair), S. Appe, D. Card, A. Dawson, A. Gill, S. Faught, O. Lunin, R. Morse, E. Pacer,
K.N. Stanwicks, C. Wolff, K. Williams (ex officio member), C. Davis (staff), S. Kent (staff), J.
Deden (staff)
Guests: Christy Smith – Assistant Dean for Academics and Assessment, School of Education
Zina Lawrence – Assistant Dean, Director, Full-time MBA program, School of Business
Rachel French – Assistant Registrar, Registrar’s Office
Sean Pease – Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions Services, Graduate School
Jane Champagne – Director of Graduate Admissions, Graduate School
1.
Approval and/or update of this GAC Agenda – GAC will move the Program Proposals from the School
of Education to the first item of business.
2.
School of Education Program Proposals Review – Christy Smith, Assistant Dean, School of Education:
Dr. Smith and Colleen Davis reviewed the proposals that normally would go to the Committee on
Curriculum and Instruction but are being covered directly with GAC in the interest of moving them
along in the approval process.
a.
Physics BS/Secondary Education Master of Science (MSSE) degree Combined
Undergraduate/Graduate program proposal – this is part of last year’s group of new
combined undergraduate majors with the graduate MSSE program.
b.
Secondary Education Master of Science – Distance Learning Proposal – the purpose is to add
distance learning format permanently to the Secondary Education MS programs, for
possible future use and compliance with NYS Education requirements.
With minor spelling edits, the GAC approved the two proposals (a and b) above, by a vote of
11-0-0.
c.
Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology Master of Science Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with SUNY Cobleskill – creating a combined program for
undergraduate students in the Early Childhood Education BS program at Cobleskill and the
Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology MS program at UAlbany. GAC
requests that School of Education continue to keep the Graduate School informed of any
changes to the MoU as it goes through the approval process with other offices. The
Registrar’s Office proposed amended language with regard to transcripts needing student’s
authorization to be sent.
The GAC approved this proposal as amended, by a vote of 11-0-0
3.
Introductions – Chair Berg led the introductions of the council and guest staff. He welcomed the new
members and encouraged all to participate in all facets of Senate business for the benefit of the
University.
GAC meeting minutes 10-7-2020 Page 1 of 4
4.
Review of the minutes of the GAC meeting of 5/8/2020 – The Council approved the minutes with the
spelling change, by a vote of 11-0-0.
5.
Dean’s Report – Graduate Dean Kevin Williams extended his welcome to all. He commented on how
the long hours and hard work of the Academic Continuity Group (ACG) has produced a better-than-
expected Fall semester for students and faculty. The Spring 2021 semester will look similar to the
Fall 2020 semester’s framework. 75% of University at Albany courses are fully online this semester.
ACG is requesting and gathering feedback from faculty and students for suggested improvements to
be applied for Spring 2021’s rollout. Present procedures have been successful in containing COVID-
19 so that University at Albany has not had to ‘pause’.
Dean Williams also thanked the ad hoc committee’s work on and Council’s review of the Graduate
Record Examination (GRE) Report. The report the committee submitted has been well received by
the Senate and he will share it with the graduate directors and possibly with off-campus parties who
could benefit from it. Dean Williams fielded questions from the members of the Council regarding
the proposal.
6.
Chair’s Report – George Berg discussed and recommended reading the GRE report. He stressed the
high value of the GAC on campus in addressing the University’s goals of being student-focused and
addressing Graduate and research concerns. GAC is not just for service or as a reactive body, but is
addressing real needs. He encouraged all to bring to the council any issues that they feel need
addressing. NYSED has extended distance education flexibility which will increase the Council’s
business of this semester.
Though the Senate outlines a Student Association (SA)(undergraduate) representative on the GAC,
that position has not been filled in the recent past.
7.
GAC Standing Committees and Chairs for 2020-21
a.
Committee on Curriculum and Instruction (CC&I) needs more members. Council members
were encouraged to speak to teaching faculty colleagues for possible recruitment. Chair
Berg offered his assistance in recruitment. Emails will go out to previous members and
department heads.
b.
Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing (CA&AS) sufficiently staffed. Members
encouraged to consider move to CC&I.
c.
A vote for Sydney Faught as chair of CC&I and Kabel Stanwicks as chair of CA&AS was passed
10-0-1.
8.
School of Business - Digital Forensic and Cyber Security MS program’s wording of culminating
program requirement– (This is an FYI – not an actionable item) Colleen Davis and Zina Lawrence
reviewed the Graduate Bulletin change of the wording to the culminating requirement for DFCS-MS
program, from ‘Thesis/Internship’ to ‘Research/Internship’. No true thesis course has ever existed in
the program.
Meeting adjourned without opposition at 9:50 am
GAC meeting minutes 10-7-2020 Page 2 of 4
Future GAC meetings for Fall 2020:
Wednesday 11/4/, 8:30AM, via Zoom
Wednesday, 12/2/20, 8:30AM, via Zoom
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University at Albany, SUNY
Graduate Academic Council 2020-21 - Membership Roster (as of 10/1/20)
Gill, Andrew – GSA – Philosophy, CAS
Card, Dylan – GSA – Atmospheric Science, CAS
Pacer, Emily – GSA – Environmental Health Science, Public Health
Dawson, Alec – TF – History, CAS
Lunin, Oleg – TF – Physics, CAS
Stanwicks, Kabel – TF – University Libraries
Morse, Randy – TF – Public Health
Wolff, Christopher – TF – Anthropology, CAS
Appe, Susan – TF - Rockefeller
Berg, George (GAC Chair) – TF - CEHC
Faught, Sydney – PF – Registrar’s Office
Williams, Kevin (ex officio) – Dean, Graduate School
Davis, Colleen – staff – Graduate School
Kent, Shanise – staff – Graduate School
Deden, Julie – staff – Graduate School
____________________________________________________________________________
Graduate Academic Council
2020 – 2021
As of 10-1-2020. Chairs approved 10-7-2020
Committee Memberships
Draft for GAC consideration
GAC Committee on Curriculum & Instruction (CC&I)
Assistant Graduate School Dean Colleen Davis, staff.
Susan Appe
Teaching Faculty
Public Administration & Policy
GAC Member
Sydney Faught **
Professional Staff
Registrar’s Office
GAC Member
Dylan Card
PhD Student
Earth & Atmospheric Science
GAC Member
Andrew Gill
PhD Student
Philosophy
GAC Member
GAC Committee on Admissions & Academic Standing (CA&AS)
Assistant Graduate School Dean Shanise Kent, staff
Oleg Lunin
Teaching Faculty
Physics
GAC Member
GAC meeting minutes 10-7-2020 Page 3 of 4
Kabel Stanwicks
Teaching Faculty
University Libraries
GAC Member **
Emily Pacer
PhD Student
Environmental Health Sciences GAC Member
Chris Wolff
Teaching Faculty
Anthropology
GAC Member
Alec Dawson
Teaching Faculty
History
GAC Member
Sylvia Roch
Teaching Faculty
Psychology
Returning Volunteer
** willing to chair
Potentially addition to one of the committees:
Randall Morse
Teaching Faculty
Biomedical Sciences
GAC Member
__________________________________________________________
Extra Notes on Proposals:
Physics BS/Secondary Education MS: The Educational Theory and Practice Department is proposing a
combined undergraduate/graduate program for the Physics BS and Secondary Education MS program.
Similar combined programs were approved for the Secondary Education MS program in Spring 2020. This
proposal adds the Physics BS as an option.
Secondary Education MS Distance Education Format: The Educational Theory and Practice Department is
requesting that Distance Education be added to the current program. Each content area is registered as its
own program with NYSED, which is why there are so many proposals to consider.
Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology MS Program MOU: The Educational Theory and
Practice Department is proposing a combined undergraduate/graduate MOU with SUNY Cobleskill. Admitted
undergraduate students in the appropriate major will be able to pursue the CDIT MS program as a combined
undergraduate/graduate program. The standard policies apply to the students. This MOU is similar to the
existing MOUs established in Rockefeller College and various institutions.
GAC meeting minutes 10-7-2020 Page 4 of 4
