Wednesday, May 1, 2024 

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Romney 102


Council in Attendance:
Marc Giullian (Business)
Catherine Dunlop (Letters)
Stephanie McCalla (Faculty Senate)
Rollin Beamish (Arts)
Stephan Warnat (Engineering)
Christopher Livingston (Architecture)
Heidi Koenig (Student Representative)
Craig Ogilvie (Dean of The Graduate School)
Brennan Reeves (Office of International Programs)
Katey Franklin (Health & Human Development)
Brian Rossmann (Library)
Sweeney Windchief (Education)

Also in Attendance:
Donna Negaard (Graduate School)
Lauren Cerretti (Graduate School)

Absent:
Amy Reines (Sciences)
Scott Powell (Agriculture)
Wade Hill (Nursing)

Meeting started at 10:33 a.m.

 

April 17, 2024 minutes

  • Motion to approve by Livingston, Beamish 2nd, 5 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstention

Announcements

  • Faculty Senate update (McCalla)
    • Last meeting today—new chair elect to be elected. Stephanie McCalla’s last meeting with UGC.
    • Will vote to confer degrees
    • Discussion on SmartBuy
    • New Univ Data & Analytics Officer; Stephanie meeting with soon and can bring items to him if needed
  • Update from the Dean
    • Thank you to our chair, Catherine Dunlop, and our exiting members: Stephanie McCalla, Scott Powell, Brian Rossman, Chris Livingston, Heidi Koenig.
    • Four grad students won top national fellowships—3 NSF GRFPs and 1 NASA’s graduate research fellowship
    • Free graduate application week last week. 450 apps during the week, which is about 20% of a normal year of apps
    • Univ Data & Analytics helped look at retention data for graduate students in univ housing
      • New grad student living in house retention to second year (or graduated) success rate of 93.7%
      • Campus program but live in community, 92.7% retention to second year (or graduation)
      • New to MSU living in housing 94.1% retention and living in community retention rate 91.2%
      • Dean Ogilvie hopeful this could lead to more housing earmarked for grad students
        • Q: update on campus architect visit last fall?
          • No update yet
        • Dean Ogilvie sent policy updates to deans and DHs and grad coordinators
        • Team in graduate school looking at an “all set” initiative—includes assistantships, housing, registration for first semester. Goal is to integrate student as early as possible and can arrive feeling all set
          • Q: Stipend processing seems slow. Any change there?
            • Grad School staff working with univ partners to analyze pinch points and come up with solutions if possible
          • 3MT competition Friday May 3rd 3pm
          • MMIP commemoration May 3rd all day

Old Business

  • 4xx and 5xx policy review
    • Inconsistency between “no more than 9 credits of 4xx-level” and “number of 5xx-level course credits must be equal to 2/3rds”
    • Suggest removing the 5xx level course piece
    • Council members share feedback from colleges
    • Beamish moves to approve, Giullian 2nd, 7 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstained
    • Motion passes

 

  • Appeals policy: review updated draft from policy subcommittee
    • Background: Currently students can appeal an academic decision, but it’s not obvious to the student. Trying to make the process clear for students.
    • Subcommittee provided new draft; discussion ensues
    • Concern raised about length of time (45 days); suggest changing to 30 days (not business days)
      • Comment: This would put international students in a position to lose their visa and have to leave the country in this time
      • Comment: would also make it so any student has to take the semester off and lose progress
      • Could add language to expedite for international?
        • Is this fair to all students? All would appreciate expedited process
      • Department head as first stop is positive; important to make sure DH has access to the Plan of Action (current draft has Plan of Action much later)
      • If Graduate Dean upholding the appeal, must include a Plan of Action
      • Engineering feedback from college (1 person): would like DH on the appeals cmt to provide guidance on rigor and standards for the department. Grad Dean should not make a decision that is against the dept or faculty on the committee.
        • Would it help to add language that says The Graduate Dean must be the final say (because that is the role and scope of the position)? Faculty/depts might not feel overruled then?
      • Q: what is a Plan of Action?
        • It’s a generic template that is used to outline requirements for continuing in the degree program (e.g. meetings with faculty, retaking a course, meeting a certain GPA req)
      • Q: Can we add a sentence in fourth paragraph that says “Subcommittee MUST consult with the student’s graduate committee”? Concerns from counseling as gatekeepers for the field of counseling—take that responsibility seriously to protect communities.
        • Yes, can add
      • Q: How many students are appealing academic standing or outcomes?
        • Maybe 8 a semester that reach The Graduate School
        • Other students just leave without meeting with The Graduate School to review possible options
      • Q: 2nd to last paragraph—student may or must create Plan of Action?
        • If Dean’s decision is to uphold the appeal, they must develop a Plan of Action
      • Subcommittee will iterate and bring in the fall
    • Graduate Fresh Start policy discussion
      • Updated draft and context document distributed
      • Program of study GPA and cumulative GPA are separate.
      • Previously taken courses that meet all GS policies can be used on the program of study
      • Graduate Student Leadership Council (GSLC) discussed and were of two opinions with little middle ground
        • Some surprise as students’ reactions being split
      • Removed stipulation that 30% of credits can be used
      • Dean Ogilvie requests members ask for input from their colleges for fall 2024 meetings
      • Dean Ogilvie will take to Office of the Registrar and Vice Provost for feedback


New Business

 

Updates from subcommittees

  • Policy subcmt: AI Guidance document distributed, “How to Integrate Generative AI into Your Research and Scholarship”
    • Center for Faculty Excellence would post to website
      • Understood that document will evolve and change
    • Q: Was Computer Science dept okay with this?
      • No large objections were made
    • Q: What does “seek guidance from your advisor or editor” mean? Who is editor?
      • Advisor?
      • Could it be editor from journal to publish?
    • Q: Are departments going to have their own guidance?
      • Could become too cumbersome to have guidance all over the web
    • Plagiarism question under Relevant MSU Policies. There is Student Code of Conduct plagiarism policy but no policy for faculty. Need something at faculty/staff level
    • For “Questions?” Section
      • 1st UIT will not be able to field questions, keep MSU Library
      • 2nd Grad School does not have expertise (please remove and replace with Office of Research Compliance)
      • 3rd add Office of Research Development
    • Q: Would someone provide the prompt in the citation?
      • Council unsure. Livingston will ask CFE and perhaps other campus experts

 

Public comment

 

Adjourned at 11:53 am

Next scheduled meeting – August 2024 TBD