10/17/2019 GAC Minutes
Minutes of the Graduate Academic Council meeting of October 17, 2019, 9:00 AM MSC 102A.
Approved by the Council by vote of 9-0-0 on 11/15/2019.
In attendance: G. Berg (Chair), D. Card, S. Faught, D. Li, O. Lunin, R. Morse, C. Wolff, W. Zakrzewski Jr.,
J. Bartow (staff), S. Kent (staff), S. Pease (staff), C. Davis (staff), J. Deden (staff)
Guests:
Daniel Mahar – Registrar’s Office
1.
Chair asked the members if there was any other business to be added to today’s agenda.
There was none.
2.
Review of the minutes of the GAC meeting of 9/20/19 – No amendments offered. Minutes were
approved by a vote of 7-0-0.
3.
Dean’s Report – There was no Dean’s Report.
4.
Chair’s Report – GAC Chair Berg asked for introductions from all members while welcoming new
member R. Morse. The Chair briefly related one of the current issues before the University
Senate regarding faculty-authored books and the use of them as textbooks in their own
classroom. This was an agenda item for the Senate meeting. However the item was tabled owing
to the expectation that the University would be developing its own policy.
5.
Report of the GAC Committee on Curriculum & Instruction (appended below) – Sydney Faught,
Chair – Ms. Faught summarized the main points of the 5 proposals the Committee reviewed. The
Graduate Academic Council accepted the CC & I’s report without further discussion by a vote of
8-0-0, thereby approving the five items as recommended.
Motion to adjourn the GAC meeting was approved by a vote of 8-0-0.
Meeting adjourned at 9:20 AM
Future GAC meetings Fall 2019:
Friday, 11/15/19, 9:00AM, MSC102A
Monday, 12/9/19, 1:00PM, MSC102A
**End of 10/17/2019 GAC Minutes**
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GAC 10-17-19 Minutes Page 1 of 5
Curriculum and Instruction Committee
October 2, 2019
Committee Members: Sydney Faught (chair), Billy Zakrzewski (electronic review), Alec Dawson, Susan
Appe, Dylan Card, Keith Chan (electronic review), Stephen Weinberg, Christopher Wolff
Staff: Colleen Davis
Proposals reviewed: Public Health MPH Program, Public Health MPH Online Program, Forensic Biology
MS Program, Biodiversity, Conservation, and Policy MS Program, Computing Education CGS Program
Public Health Masters of Public Health Program Proposal
The School of Public Health is proposing the following changes to the Public Health MPH program (all
concentrations):
Eliminate HEPI500 as an option in the core course requirements.
The current requirement is HEPI500 or HEPI501; the school is requesting the requirement be
HEPI501 only.
HEPI501 has been revised to incorporate foundational competencies required by updated
Council on Education for Public Health accreditation guidelines, therefore it should be taken by
all MPH students.
Based on the department’s justification above, the committee voted to approve the proposed program
changes (8 approve, 0 disapprove, 0 abstain).
Public Health Masters of Public Health Online Program Proposal
In addition to the above mentioned change, the School of Public Health is proposing the following
changes to its online Public Health Practice concentration for the MPH:
Expand the concentration requirement from 3 to 9 credits.
Adjust the concentration courses required from HEPI503 to HHPM571, HHPM627, and
HHPM647.
Reduce the electives from 18 to 12 credits to accommodate the increase in concentration
courses.
The concentration was originally developed with a great deal of flexibility in coursework, but
over time more courses were developed for online delivery and students have been consistently
advised to take specific courses deemed essential to the concentration.
HEPI503 was revised to meet new accreditation requirements and because of its new content, it
is more appropriate as an elective than as a concentration requirement.
The school is also seeking to eliminate the admission requirement restricting the program to
individuals with three years of field experience. They want the program available to all
individuals, regardless of field experience.
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Based on the department’s justification above, the committee voted to approve the proposed program
changes (8 approve, 0 disapprove, 0 abstain).
Forensic Biology Master of Science Program Proposal
The Department of Biological Sciences is proposing the following changes to the Forensic Biology MS
program:
Program name change to Forensic Science Investigation and Management MS
Adjust the core course requirements from 18 to 28 credits, as follows:
o
Eliminate BIO517A, BIO519, BIO514, BIO650
o
Add BIO552, BIO554, BIO578, BIO579, BIO580, BIO631
o
Move CRJ626 from supporting courses to core courses
Eliminate the biology electives of 6 credits to account for the additional core courses
Eliminate HSTA552/MAT565 from the Supporting Courses requirement
o
The department is adding statistics as an admission requirement along with the existing
genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry courses
Change the Supporting Courses to 6 credits from 8 – 12 credits with the following courses:
o
MGT513, MGT514, PAF610, PAD618, ITM510, ITM520
Add language to the existing internship requirement indicating it is a research based internship
in a Forensic Science laboratory, and it must be presented to their peers.
Adjust the admissions requirement to indicate the undergrad degree must be a natural science
or Forensic Science (was previously just a Natural Science).
Justifications for these changes are as follows:
The department has hired 2 full-time lecturers and purchased essential equipment in order to
convert the existing MS program to a re-accredited interdisciplinary MS in Forensic Science
Investigation and Management program
These changes will allow the program to be accredited by the American Academy of Forensic
Sciences
Projected employment in this field is expected to grow by 27%
Inclusion of management and policy courses are to make sure that students can understand the
importance for having the right policies and procedures in place to ensure maximum
productivity without compromising high quality and efficiency. Graduates will have the training
and education to become future supervisors, directors, and administrators.
The program overall is moving from a biology focus to being interdisciplinary. This is to reflect
the needs of individuals employed in the field for a background in more than just the forensic
biology aspects, but also needing the experience/education in other forensic science specialties
(incl. forensic chemistry and toxicology, trace and pattern evidence, etc.).
The movement of the statistics requirement to a pre-admissions course allows the students to
be better prepared for registration in ABIO515A in their first semester. Also, under the new
requirements, a core course is ABIO579 is require and within this course statistics will be
included in relation to population and forensic genetics. In sum, the department is confident
that students entering the revised program with an undergraduate Statistics course is ample
GAC 10-17-19 Minutes Page 3 of 5
preparation for learning graduate-level statistics taught in the Biological Sciences Department
that is geared more towards the Life and Forensic Sciences.
The committee tabled the proposal in order to ask the department for clarification regarding the
statistics course removal/migration to undergraduate admission requirement. There were also some
typos in the documents that will need to be submitted to SUNY and NYSED. An additional comment
regarding the electives was also sent to the department.
Update 10-16-19: The department provided additional clarification regarding the statistics removal and
updated the documents to correct typos. The statistics justification is included in the above justification
area of the notes.
Based on the department’s justification above, the committee voted to approve the proposed program
changes (8 approve, 0 disapprove, 0 abstain).
Biodiversity, Conservation, and Policy Master of Science Program Proposal
The Geography and Planning Department is proposing the following changes to the Biodiversity,
Conservation, and Policy MS program:
Adjust the Geography and Planning core credits from 11 to 10 by eliminating ABIO515A/B (1
credit course)
Adjust the policy and planning skills requirement (6-8 credits) to include all eligible PAD/POS or
PLN courses (previously was limited to PAD522/PAD526, PAD666)
Pull the Tool based course out from the policy and planning skills requirement so it is its own 3
credit requirement. Add more courses to fulfill this requirement (GOG502, GOG518, GOG524,
GOG584, GOG596, POS618).
Replace Biology with Geography and Planning in the support courses and the thesis
requirements
The program has fully transitioned from the Department of Biological Sciences to Geography and
Planning. Based on this, the program is replacing language within the program requirements and
formalizing some of the courses that have been advised for students to take over the years. The overall
credits required are not changing.
The proposal was tabled in order to ask the department to clarify the tools requirement.
Update 10-3-19: the department clarified the tools requirement and included a list of courses that will
fulfill this requirement. The courses have been included in the above list of program changes.
Based on the department’s justification above, the committee voted to approve the proposed program
changes (8 approve, 0 disapprove, 0 abstain).
Computing Education Certificate of Graduate Study Program Proposal
The Department of Educational Theory and Practice is proposing the following changes to the Computer
Education CGS program:
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Eliminate the Instructional Technology concentration in the elective requirement.
o
This is needed in order to obtain approval for the “additional certificate pathway” that
leads to NYS certification in computer science. They are making the requirements in line
with the certification requirements.
o
This does not affect the overall number of credits. The program is 15 credits total, with 3
core courses and 6 credits of elective (in two concentration areas: Computing or
Computer Games)
Change the admission requirements to include “must hold a valid NYS teaching certificate”
o
This is needed in order to obtain approval for the “additional certificate pathway” that
leads to NYS certification in computer science
Currently there are no state-approved teacher preparation programs in computer science
developed yet. By making the above changes, the Computing Education CGS program will
become a valid computer science teaching certificate program serving NYS teachers who are
seeking the additional pathway to become computer science teachers.
Based on the department’s justification above, the committee voted to approve the proposed program
changes (8 approve, 0 disapprove, 0 abstain).
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