Graduate Academic Council
2005 – 2006
Minutes of the Council meeting of April 3, 2006
Approved by the Council on April 28, 2006
In attendance:
D. Byrd, E. Redkey, F. Bolton (staff), J. Bartow (staff), L. Kranich, L.-A. McNutt, M.
Pryse, O. Ongiti, S. Chinnam, S. Friedman, S. Levine & S. Maloney
GAC members unable to attend: G.Burke & M. Rodriguez
1.
Minutes of the GAC meeting of 3/24/06 were considered and approved without amendment
(8-0-0).
2.
Dean’s Report – M. Pryse
Dean Pryse reported that stipends for funded Fall 2006 incoming doctoral students will be
uniformly increased by $1000 each, due to access to a small pool of SUNY funds.
Graduate student support funding modeling discussions are underway with graduate program
directors.
3.
Standards of Academic Integrity
Dean Pryse introduced the proposal to amend campus policy entitled “ Standards of Academic
Integrity.” She provided a background summary for the project, one that was initiated following
review of the 2004-05 Student Opinion Survey results. A task force was formed, which she co-chaired
with Undergraduate Dean Sue Faerman, to (1) assess the campus environment pertaining to the topic,
(2) investigate strategies for addressing the topic, (3) review current policies & recommend changes
and (4) consider the establishment of an Honor Code or alternate mechanism for attending to the issues
of academic integrity.
The work of the Task Force involved extensive research and has resulted in a proposal to move away
from a strictly punitive model, more toward one that attends to education about matters of academic
integrity. The summary of Task Force recommendations to the Provost, not an item for governance
action, was shared with Council members for informational purposes.
A Task Force proposed revision to “Standards of Academic Integrity” (campus policy) is a matter that
has been forwarded to governance (UAC & GAC) for consideration and action. She summarized the
proposed changes:
New introductory text has been inserted, stressing the University as a community of scholars and
replacing existing administrative jargon. This new section is intended to convey a sense that
Academic Integrity strengthens our community of learning.
There are no proposed substantive changes to the “Examples of Academic Dishonesty.”
There are proposed changes to “Penalties & Procedures,” including the elimination of faculty
warnings and the opportunity to re-write submitted work. It is viewed that these are inherent
faculty prerogatives and need not be defined within the policy. Faculty member do play a key role
in determinations about breaches of academic integrity and should continue to impose course
based sanctions, file reports of such and consider further judicial referral action.
The opportunity for making academic integrity judicial referrals is proposed for broadening to
include deans, in recognition that breaches of academic integrity are not necessarily limited to be
within specific courses, i.e., program exams.
The Council discussed various matters related to the proposal, including what constitutes an “honor
code,” limited role for ombudspersons in AI matters, the importance of AI education & orientation,
especially for foreign students as a cultural matter, and the reporting of faculty imposed sanctions.
Prof. McNutt suggested that the “Examples” language defining multiple submissions should be
amended and clarified to address “second or subsequent” submittals to instructors of the latter courses,
not the original instructors. On behalf of the authors, Dean Pryse accepted such a friendly amendment.
The proposal, as amended, was approved by a Council vote of 9-0-1.
