June 16, 2021

Approval of Minutes 

#466 – May 19, 2021 

*This item was unanimously approved via email on 6/18/2021

Attending:  Jerry Lin, Brett Welch, Carly Cox, Jeff Forret, Dorothy Sisk, Theresa Hefner-Babb, David Short.

Quorum for voting not reached, will discuss items today and hold voting via email later. 

Old Business 

• Minimum admission standards for LU Graduate Program. GRE required. Academic colleges set standards.
• University-level policy regarding application of credits from Master’s degree toward D.E. or Ph.D., “double counting” courses. Hold until degree plan is well defined.
• Thesis/Dissertation course grading – update. Primary concern is financial aid. Will continue to communicate with Academic deans.
• M.S.N./M.B.A. dual degree program – update. Documented?
• Planning for syllabi review – Summer 2021 courses. A committee will review stacked course syllabi. Syllabus training planned.
• Plan for end to COVID related admissions waivers? No additional waivers planned beyond Fall 2021.

College of Engineering

Port & Terminal Management – proposal of new form for Graduate Course Waiver. Policy being formed by CAPM. Met with CAPM on June 8, 2021. Still in the work.

College of Arts & Sciences

Department of Psychology – proposal to increase credit hours required (45 to 60) for the M.S. in Applied Psychology – Clinical Psychology Concentration. The program change approved by the GC in December 2018. Must get BoR approval and make substantive change request to SACSCOC.  Program needs to be 60 hours in order for students to receive professional certification.  Hefner-Babb:  the clinical concentration we offer now needs to be increased to 60 for students to get their LPA license with the state, and we have to get the change approved by the Board of Regents first.  Will email all council members to vote on this and, if approved, draft BoR agenda item for the upcoming August meeting.

*This item was unanimously approved via email on 6/18/2021

G4 Approvals

CoFAC – Dawn Kidd, Martina Bienvenue, Outside Committee Members - Lindsey Snyder (student Brian Cheslock L20357425), Thangi Appanah (student Rajmonda Krasniqi L20384724)

CoEHD – John Boatwright

Will reach out to Dr. Saleem for comments on the CoFAC applicants.  Dr. Sisk:  recommends approval as Full graduate faculty member, will email other council members to finalize. 

New Business 

Review draft 4+1 policy (see document “MAAP-Accelerated Programs”)

Council members asked to review document and provide any recommendations for revisions.  Forret:  History begins communicating with prospective 4+1 students during their sophomore year, and he asks if some qualifier should be found in section IV-a.  Lin:  using three semesters in this policy because students need to get into their Junior year to decide on any graduate level pursuits, but does not object to loosening the statement in the policy.  Hefner-Babb:  fine with whatever committee agrees to as far as language to this regard in this policy.  Lin:  suggests “should apply for admission at least one semester prior to the semester in which they graduate” to include students in their senior year.  Hefner-Babb:  brings up issue about too many double counted credits. Lin:  plan is to only allow double counting of up to 6 credit hours and total combined credit hours for accelerated program needs to be 150 or higher.  Hoping to implement this for Fall 2021, but not fully approved yet.  Hefner-Babb:  contemplating allowing 9 hours to be double counted with approval from the department and college dean.  Dean’s council will discuss this later, the current draft of this policy should not include this right now.  Forret:  part V letter c about remaining in good academic standing seems focused on cumulative GPA, is there anything related to program GPA?  Lin:  not currently, cumulative GPA only is used at this time.  Policy can be revised as needed once approved.  Will make edits and send off to council for approval via email. 

*This item was unanimously approved via email on 6/18/2021

Request to change major in the first semester after admission – findings, review draft policy

Grad students can file major change after taking at least one long semester’s worth of coursework in the degree program under which they were admitted.  The G16 will be subject to qualification review by the department and the College of Graduate Studies.  If a student completes more than 50% of the required hours under one degree, they will need to reapply to the new major program should they wish to change.  Sisk:  concerned that this will prevent students from having multiple majors.  Lin:  students need to be in approved dual degree programs if they are to have more than one major. 

*This item was unanimously approved via email on 6/18/2021

Policy of Graduate Faculty Membership

LU was cited by SACS on our graduate faculty qualifications, so the new policy was drafted to rectify this.  The levels of membership have been consolidated based on practices of our sister institutions, and will consist of two levels, one for tenure or tenure track faculty and another for all others (Special).  Special membership will retain the one year duration and the other level will have a five year duration.  New hires will receive an initial approval at time of hire and will then fall into the five year review cycle.  Need to work with college deans on what the minimum standard will be.  Current G4 process will remain in place until new process approved. 

  *This item was unanimously approved via email on 6/18/2021

Other

Dr. J. Kruger has been named Interim Chair of Earth & Space Sciences and will no longer represent the College of Arts & Sciences on this council.