Graduate Academic Council
2004 – 2005
Minutes of the Council meeting of March 10, 2005
Approved by the Council on April 6, 2005
In attendance:
D. Byrd, F. Bolton (staff), J. Bartow (staff), L.-A. McNutt (Chair), M. Pryse, M.
Casserly, M. Jerison, M. Rodriguez, S. Friedman & S. Shahedipour
Guest:
Shadi Saleh, School of Public Health
Unable to attend: B. Joseph, H. Meyer, S. Maloney & O. Ongiti
1.
Minutes of the GAC meeting of 2/16/05 were presented and approved unanimously without
amendment.
2.
Dean’s Report – M. Pryse
President Hall appears to support the maintenance of graduate level enrollments at the current
levels while boosting undergraduate enrollments in the immediate years ahead.
The College Scholars “top-off” funding program for graduate student support awards is underway.
The Presidential Fellowship nomination and selection process is also underway.
The Empire Commons housing support awards program is also underway.
Dean Pryse is meeting with the GSO this Friday, 3/11/05. Some GSO members have mentioned
support for the Ombuds proposal.
Web design work for Graduate Studies is underway. A Graduate Studies Mission Statement has
been drafted and, upon completion, will appear on the Graduate Studies initial web page. Dean
Pryse distributed copies of the draft Mission Statement and welcomes comments from Council
members.
3.
Chair’s Report – L.-A. McNutt
Chair McNutt finds the potential GSO support for the Ombuds office encouraging. The Senate
Chair has recommended that the item be introduced as a bill rather than a resolution. Prof.
McNutt sought and received concurrence from Council members to proceed in that manner.
After attending a meeting with President Hall, Prof. McNutt reported how positive it is that he is
so student oriented.
Work on an ETD (Electronic Theses and Dissertations) procedural model has been progressing,
with the discovery of a model at Arizona State University that looks quite promising.
4.
Committee on Educational Policy & Procedures – D. Byrd
Prof. Byrd presented the written report of the Committee (appended to the end of these minutes),
highlighting the two proposed policy changes having to do with masters level transfer credit and
residency requirements for CAS programs. He mentioned additionally that policy work to strengthen
human subjects research oversight is underway and a proposal will be forthcoming. Dean Pryse
inquired about policy having to do with culminating masters program projects. While there is no
campus policy proposal currently under consideration in that regard, State regulations do address such
requirements.
The Council voted unanimously (8-0-0) to accept the Committee report and approve the policy
proposals contained therein.
5.
Committee on Curriculum and Instruction – M. Rodriguez
Prof. Rodriguez presented the written report of the Committee (appended to the end of these minutes)
and briefly summarized each curriculum change proposal. After a short discussion, the Council voted
unanimously (8-0-0) to accept the Committee report and approve the proposals contained therein.
6.
Proposal to establish an inter-institutional dual degree program, MD/MPH, with Albany Medical
College.
Prof. Shadi Saleh from the School of Public Health introduced the Proposal to link the two existing
registered programs between the two institutions. He highlighted movement in recent years for
clinician (MDs) to be increasingly interested in Public Health. The establishment of this dual degree
relationship, initiated by the Medical College about 5 years ago, will provide a mechanism for medical
students to include Public Health studies in as an integral part of their educational preparation. Twelve
graduate credits (6 course credits; 6 internship credits) will be applicable simultaneously to both
degrees.
In anticipation of the attachment of a tabular layout for the curricular requirements of the dual
programs and a sample program of study, the Council voted unanimously (7-0-0) to approve the
proposal and recommend its introduction to the Senate for final governance approval.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. The next Council meeting is scheduled for
April 6, 2005.
END OF 3/10/05 GAC MINUTES
To:
Graduate Academic Council
From:
Donald Byrd, Chair
GAC Committee on Educational Policy & Procedures (CEP&P)
Date:
February 22, 2005
Subj:
Report and Recommendations
The CEP&P met on February 17, 2005. In attendance were D. Byrd (Chair), J. Bartow (staff), M. Jerison,
A. Pomerantz & M. Casserly
Proposals (attached) to change graduate policy pertaining to (1) full-time residency in C.A.S. programs and
(2) masters level transfer credit were approved and are recommended to the GAC for action by a vote of 4-
0-0.
REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS GOVERNING THE CERTIFICATES OF ADVANCED
STUDY
The Council proposes that the requirement for full-time study in Education C.A.S. programs be dropped
from campus policy. This follows on a recommendation received from the School of Education toward that
end. Residency policies pertaining to doctoral programs were devolved to the program faculty as
authorized by the University Senate in 1999. An accompanying shift in residency authority for the C.A.S.
programs in Education was not included due to oversight. C.A.S. programs outside the School of
Education have no such full-time residency requirement and the faculty within the School of Education
seek the same for their programs.
REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS GOVERNING THE CERTIFICATES OF ADVANCED
STUDY
Certificate of Advanced Study Award
A Certificate of Advanced Study attesting to advanced preparation and competence may be earned for the
completion of organized programs which normally extend at least one year beyond the master's degree.
Currently programs are available in several specializations in education, library and information science,
policy planning and analysis, public history, and Russian translation.
A certificate is also available in school psychology. This program is offered jointly by the Department of
Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Educational Psychology and
Statistics in the School of Education.
Many of these programs operate in conjunction with doctoral programs, and essentially the same academic
and admission standards apply.
Credit Requirement
Each program leading to a certificate of advanced study includes a minimum of 48 (60 for those in
education) credits of appropriate graduate study. Refer to descriptions of individual programs for required
courses and distributions.
Residence Study and Advanced Standing
Of the minimum number of credits of graduate study beyond the baccalaureate established for a certificate
in a particular field, at least one-half and not less than 30 credits must be completed in resident graduate
study at this University.
An applicant for admission to a program leading to a 60-credit certificate who holds a master's degree with
an appropriate specialization may apply for admission with advanced standing not to exceed 30 credits.
Full-Time Study in Residence
Students engaged in an education certificate program must engage in full-time study beyond the master's
degree or equivalent at the University for one regular academic session (12 credits, minimum) after
admission to the advanced program or, in programs specified by the Dean of the School of Education, in
full-time study (6 credits, minimum) in two consecutive summer sessions plus part-time attendance at the
University for formal study or field work and other professional activities during the intervening academic
years as required and specified by the department directing their program. However, full-time study
completed according to the latter plan may not be applied later to a doctoral residence requirement. Refer
to descriptions of individual programs for this information.
In addition, it is expected that during the period of full-time study in residence the student will be free of all
formal employment or comparable responsibilities except for professional duties which may be associated
with an assistantship, fellowship, or traineeship.
Each student engaged in a certificate program in school psychology must engage in full-time study beyond
the master's degree or the equivalent at the University for one continuous academic year after admission to
the advanced program. The definition of this academic year of full-time study in residence is the same as
that given in the following section under regulations governing doctoral study.
Comprehensive Examination
Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination in education and in the field of specialization is
required in each program in education. Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination in school
psychology is required in that program.
Statutes of Limitations
The required full-time study in residence for education certificate programs must be completed within four
calendar years from the date of initial registration in the program in the fall, three and one-half years from
the date of initial registration in the spring.
All requirements for the certificate must be completed within five six calendar years from the date of initial
registration in the program.
These This statutes apply equally to students who enter with or without advanced standing and to students
who formally change their areas of specialization after admission and study in one advanced program.
******************
Regulations Governing the Transfer of Credit to a Graduate Program
The Council proposes clarifying language to allow eligibility for the awarding of transfer credit, in all cases
subject to program faculty approval, when it can be demonstrated that a graduate course completed when
an individual was in undergraduate status was in excess of undergraduate degree requirements.
The Council additionally proposes the deletion of language pertaining to the location at which courses
presented for transfer credits were completed.
Regulations Governing the Transfer of Credit to a Graduate Program
Courses completed before entering graduate study at this University for which transfer credit is desired
must should be presented with the application for admission to graduate study.
In order to qualify for transfer credit for graduate courses completed at another institution after entering
graduate study at this University, the student's average grade in resident graduate courses taken at this
university must be B or better.
Candidates for degrees at this University are requested to receive the approval of their advisors or of the
Dean of Graduate Studies before registering for courses at other colleges if they plan later to present them
for transfer credit.
Courses presented must be appropriate to the student's graduate program. Professional courses offered for
transfer must be consistent with the student's graduate program.
Courses presented must have been given by an accredited institution authorized to grant graduate degrees.
Courses presented must be resident courses given on the campus of the institution offering them.
Courses presented must be graduate courses, that is, applicable to a graduate degree at the institution
offering them.
Graduate courses presented for transfer credit completed while the student was in undergraduate status
shall be eligible for transfer only upon receipt of documentation from the institution certifying that such
course work was not used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements at that institution.
Courses presented must be completed with grades of B or better.
An official transcript of the student's record in the course(s) presented for transfer credit should be sent to
the Dean of Graduate Studies, State University of New York at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany,
New York 12222.
Where possible, and to avoid delay, aAn official description of the course(s) should accompany the request
for transfer credit.
Courses accepted for transfer credit are not used in computing the student's academic average.
Of the graduate credits required for a 30-48 credit master's degree, at least 24 must be completed while in
resident study at this University. For those graduate programs requiring more than 48 credits, at least 50
percent of the program's requirements must be completed while in resident study at this University.
To:
Graduate Academic Council
From:
Monica Rodriguez, Chair
GAC Committee on Curriculum & Instruction (CC&I)
Date:
March 7, 2005
Subject:
Report and Recommendations
The CC&I met on March 7, 2005. In attendance were: S. Friedman, D. Parker, M. Rodriguez (Chair), and
F. Bolton (staff). F. Henderson, B. Keough, H. Meyer, G. Pogarsky and J. Bartow (staff) were unable to
attend.
Five items of business were considered:
1.
Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy’s proposal to add a Public Security
Specialization within their Public Sector Management Graduate Certificate Program
To briefly recap: The proposed specialization, public security, focuses on a new, emerging field
of public sector management and recognizes the critical shortage of individuals equipped to
manage in this new environment of terrorism which followed upon the attacks of 9/11. This 20
credit Public Security specialization is comprised of five courses - two core and three specialized
courses. Four new courses have been designed for the certificate and these courses draw on the
knowledge and expertise of faculty from the Department of Public Administration and Policy, the
Department of Political Science, the School of Information Science and Policy, and the School of
Criminal Justice. The specialization is expected to draw graduate students from diverse
disciplines who desire to earn such a certificate while satisfying specialty requirements in their
own degree programs as well as those who wish to build the knowledge and skills needed to
function in the country’s homeland security initiative.
The rationale and description of the new Public Security specialization were well stated and
convincing. The four new courses are established and are being taught by University faculty.
This Public Security specialization meshes well with the other special concerns of the Public
Sector Management Graduate Certificate - Public Management, Health Policy, Public Policy,
Human Resource Management, Information Resource Management, Local Government, and
Legislative Administration. The CC&I members voted 3-0-0 to move this proposal forward for
GAC approval.
2.
School of Business – Request for a curriculum change to the full-time MBA program
After extensive internal discussion and review, the School of Business has recommended (1) the
elimination of two core courses in Excel and database management that were deemed unnecessary
as students are presently entering the program with such knowledge and (2) combining their two
courses in global business and strategic management into one course entitled Global Strategic
Management. By making these changes, the full-time MBA program can mount all of its required
core courses in the first year of the program and will enable students to take two additional 3
credit hour electives in the second year.
The changes appear to structure the required core courses within the first year of the program and
enable students to now create a minor field of study to complement their concentration
specializations. The proposed changes were believed to strengthen the MBA program and its
offerings. The CC&I members voted unanimously to move this proposal forward to GAC for
approval.
3.
College of Arts and Sciences Department of Art – Request for a curriculum change to the MFA
program
The Department of Art requested to eliminate 8 credits of drawing requirements and to increase
the area of specialization in studio art from 20 to 28 credits. Students of the MFA program would
then be provided the opportunity to have more focus in their chosen studio area of painting,
sculpture, drawing, digital imaging, printmaking or combined media.
This movement away from the drawing requirement also acknowledges the expanding
components of art media. The CC&I members voted 3-0-0 to approve this curriculum change.
4.
College of Arts and Sciences Department of Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S. Latino Studies -
Request for a curriculum change to the M.A. program
The Department of Latin American, Caribbean and U.S. Latino Studies has asked that the required
15 credits of supporting courses for the M.A. program be reduced to 12 credits and that a Directed
Readings course, Lcs 691, become a requirement. This would ensure that the required reading for
the Master’s project would be systematically accomplished under the direction of the project
director.
The Committee members voted 3-0-0 in favor of the change.
5.
School of Education – Revisions of numerous existing programs were submitted for review
(Due to meeting time constraints only revisions to the MSSE and M.S in TESOL programs could
be considered.)
Revisions to the MSSE Program – The School of Education’s Department of Educational Theory
and Practice has proposed to eliminate Etap 680 (3 credits), Research Seminar: Critical
Introduction to Education Research Paradigms, from each of its nine subject areas of Adolescent
Education (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, French, Mathematics, Physics, Social
Studies and Spanish 7-12). Etap 690, Graduate Teaching II, is to be increased from 6 credits to 9
credits. In justification of the credit increase to Etap 690 is the proposal to incorporate the major
focus of Etap 680 on teacher inquiry into the workload of Etap 690 and so connect this inquiry
project directly to the student teaching experience. A carefully designed portfolio which follows
guidelines established by the MSSE faculty is to become a requirement of Etap 690 and is to serve
as the culminating project for the program as a whole.
The CC&I members voted unanimously to move this revision forward for GAC approval.
Revisions to the M.S. in TESOL Program – The School of Education’s Department of Theory and
Practice proposed the following changes to TESOL program courses and requirements:
A.
Etap/Erdg 657, Reading in a Second Language, is to become an elective rather than
required course. Reading in a second language is a topic dealt with in other courses in the
program and its movement to an elective would allow for the addition of a methodology
course, Etap 598.
B.
Add a new required course, Etap 598, Directed Field Experience. This course will give
TESOL students the first teaching experience in the program under the guidance of an
instructor and two teaching assistants. This course will also fulfill the 100 hour pre-
practicum requirement for students in the certificate line.
C.
Etap 580, Research and Pedagogy in Teaching in the Secondary Schools, is being
eliminated from the department’s offerings and is to be replaced with a choice of Etap 680,
Research Seminar: Critical Introduction to Educational Research Paradigms or Etap 681,
Research Seminar: Research in Practice.
D.
Various changes in linguistics, language and technology electives as detailed in original
proposal of program revisions and filed with GAC records.
As stated in the proposal “These revisions allow this program to continue to meet all the requirements of
State University of New York’s New Vision in Teacher Education and of the Teacher Education
Accreditation Council.” and as these changes require no new faculty members or costs, the Committee
members agreed 3-0-0 to move these proposed revisions forward with its approval to the GAC.
