Attending: Elizabeth Baranger (Chair), Luis Chaparro (Engineering), Rose Constantino (Nursing), Robert Devaty (FAS/Physics & Astronomy), Mary Derkach (GSPH), Kathleen DeWalt (FAS), Stephen Hirtle (SIS), John Ismail (Dental Medicine), Rainer Johnsen (FAS/Physics and Astronomy), Peter Karsten (FAS/History), Wynne Korr (Social Work), Margaret Mahoney (Law), Ron Neufeld (Engineering), Lou Pingel (Education), Evelyn Rawski (FAS/Interdisc.), Gordon Spice (Education), John Stephens (GPSA/FAS), Roslyn Stone (GSPH), Regis Vollmer (Pharmacy); Kit Ayars (Office of the Provost), David Herring (Law), Ron Brand (Law), Barbara Repasi (Office of the Registrar)

I. Minutes Approval

Minutes of the February 1999 meeting were approved unanimously.

II. Elimination of Programs in the School of Education

As part of the School of Education's planning process, some graduate programs are being eliminated. Chair Elizabeth Baranger noted that it is traditional for UCGS to review plans for elimination of programs to allay concerns that students currently in the programs be treated fairly. Lou Pingel noted that students have been individually informed of the phase-out plans for their programs, and that the school is working on arrangements so that accredited programs planned for elimination will have accreditation for five more years so that students can graduate from an accredited program.

Course work and faculty will be available to students so that they can complete their programs in a reasonable period of time (i.e. within the statute of limitations for that degree). Inactive students will be readmitted only if courses are available. (Inactive students have not been informed of the phase-out of the programs, however.)

Council discussed whether students could, practically speaking, complete their programs with the more limited resources available. Pingel noted that the dean has made a commitment to provide the resources necessary. John Stephens expressed regret that the school did not use its student government body to communicate information about the plans for eliminating the programs.

After more discussion, UCGS moved and approved (with 2 abstentions) the school's plans for processing the elimination of the programs contingent on continued strong commitment from the dean for making available to current students those resources necessary for completion of the programs within the statute of limitations.

III. Honors Designation for Students in LLM Program (School of Law)

While graduate students do not receive University Honors upon graduation, undergraduate and first-professional students can receive such honors. The School of Law's LLM program has requested a waiver of this policy so that it can award honors to its graduates. The Graduate Procedures Committee had confirmed the policy that QPA-based honors are not appropriate for graduate degree recipients.

Ron Brand, School of Law, described the program and its students, noting that this one-year degree program is for international students who have a professional degree from overseas. Law wishes to grant honors designation for these students since they take courses with the JD students (who, as first-professional students, can and do receive University Honors at graduation).

Discussion on the program's grading system and the distinction between a first-professional and a graduate program followed. Brand noted that the median grade for LLM students is a B. In response to a follow-up question, he added that no student had ever failed. Honors designation is not determined by students' grades but by their class rank (about the top 20% receive honors).

After Dean Herring and Professor Brand were excused, Council considered separately the question of whether the LLM is a graduate or first-professional degree and whether, if a graduate degree, it should be granted a waiver to the policy of not granting University Honors to graduate degree recipients. After some discussion, UCGS affirmed by majority vote that the LLM is a graduate degree. To the question of whether the LLM program should be given an exception and allowed to grant honors, the vote of Council was 7 for making an exception and 8 opposed. The request to grant University Honors to LLM recipients was denied.

IV. Master of Studies in Law

Dean Herring noted that this proposed graduate degree would have as its sole purpose the enhancement of qualifications of non-law professionals. Graduates would not be qualified to practice law. Twelve other law schools now offer the MSL, and the School of Law sees this as an opportunity to enrich its current JD program by adding new perspectives. The degree will require 30 credits (27 earned at the School of Law plus 3 earned in a previous graduate program and accepted as transfer or advanced standing credits).

Letter grades will be given to the MSL students; they will need a 3.00 QPA to graduate. This will entail separating their work from the work of their JD classmates. Other points raised and addressed included resources for faculty interest and advising, primary registration for students doing a dual degree, a note that students who want to go on to the JD program will need to re-take courses taken as MSL students, assurance that no new resources will be needed, no comprehensive or thesis will be required, accreditation, tuition, and handling potentially high level of interest from FAS graduate students.

Baranger noted that the Graduate Procedures Committee's discussion of this proposal was somewhat negative based on a concern that this degree would suck resources and not prove to be a worthwhile financial investment for students. Law has responded by noting that it will pay close attention to "truth in advertising," that the potential audience is presumably there since the school was approached by people interested in such a degree, and that, finally, there is no way of telling if the program will definitely work until the school tries.

UCGS moved to approve the proposal and send it on to the Provost with its endorsement by a vote of 11 for, 2 against, and 3 abstentions.

V. The meeting was adjourned.