I. Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the last meeting of UCGS are attached for your review.

II. Role of UCGS

Elizabeth Baranger will briefly discuss the role of UCGS in the governance of graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Council members might be interested in looking at the home page of UCGS: http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/ucgs.html

III. Activities of Council in 1997-98

Elizabeth Baranger will discuss the activities of UCGS during 1997-98 and those activities which will continue in 1998-99. Attached are copies of the newly formatted Policy Statement for Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, and Graduate Student Assistants, the revised Regulations Governing Graduate Study at the University of Pittsburgh and a letter to deans and department chairs detailing the benefits of research associates.

IV. Proposal for a Certificate Program in West European Studies

The attached proposal describes a graduate certificate program in West European Studies. This certificate has been offered for some time but was never approved nor entered into the University's system unlike all the other area studies graduate certificate programs. Dr. Michael Malloy, Associate Director of the Center for West European Studies will attend to answer any questions.

V. Regulations Governing Special Status

In reviewing the copy for the new FAS Graduate Bulletin, a discrepancy between some relatively new FAS regulations and the University regulations was discovered. Attached is the letter from Associate Dean DeWalt requesting a variance. See page 18 and 19 of the enclosed 1998-99 Regulations Governing Graduate Study for the University-wide regulations. Several possible actions by UCGS will be presented.

VI. Future Activities of UCGS for 1998-99

We will discuss some issues which might be future agenda items. Any ideas members have about initiatives UCGS should explore or problems which need to be solved should be brought for discussion.