As stated in its bylaws, the University Council on Graduate Study is to communicate its decisions to the faculty, students, and administrative officers of the University. If you have comments on the activities as reported here or suggestions for agenda items, please contact Vice Provost Elizabeth Baranger at 624-0790 or via email at eub@pitt.edu.

Issues Addressed In 2001-2002

Certificate Programs
In response to the increasing number of new certificate programs that have come to UCGS, a document was created that gave a description of certificates at the University of Pittsburgh.  The purpose of this document is to act as a guide as Council reviews proposals for new certificates. This document could also be used as a guide for those who are creating new certificate programs. The document is available online at http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/certificatedoc.html.

Reports Given to UCGS

Report on the Online Recruitment Seminar
The Graduate and Professional Admissions and Recruitment Committee (GPARC) members Fredi Miller (Law School) and Linda Berardi-Demo (School of Medicine) gave a report to Council on the Online Recruitment Seminar sponsored by GPARC on September 26, 2001.

Off-Campus/Distance Education Programs
The report by Robert Knipple on the Johnstown campus programs was distributed to Council.

Report of the Graduate and Professional Student Association
Curtis Wadsworth, the outgoing president of the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA), reported on the 2001-2002 activities of the GPSA.  Activities included: financial restructuring, representation on University and Trustee Committees, networking with other school level Graduate Student Organizations, increasing student involvement within the GPSA, and social and cultural opportunities provided by the GPSA.

UCGS Committee Activities

The UCGS Recruitment Committee, chaired by Vice Provost Baranger, considered a variety of issues involving the recruitment of graduate students including applications from international students post 9-11, centralized assistance for recruiting, online application vendor negotiations, and salaries of teaching assistantships. In addition, the Recruitment Committee reviewed the following recruitment materials: the City Panorama Brochure (a brochure targeted at graduate students that highlights the advantages of living in the city of Pittsburgh), and the architecture for the new Graduate Studies Web Site http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate.

The Graduate Student Affairs Committee, chaired by Judy Erlen, focused on two issues, the retention of graduate students and career services.  A member of the committee conducted a survey of graduate students to learn more about graduate students’ perceptions and experiences with retention issues within their departments and to find out what possible career advising needs existed.  In response to the survey, the committee reviewed the document Elements of Good Academic Advising and will pursue ways to better implement these guidelines and to encourage each school to create their own appropriate version of this document.  In response to career advising needs, the committee met with the Director of Career Services, Marvin Roth, to discuss ways to meet the evolving needs of graduate students looking for nonacademic careers.

The Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Working Group, chaired by Vice Provost Baranger, initiated the ETD Pilot Project that began accepting ETDs for December 2001 graduates.  From December graduation 2001 through April graduation 2002, 49 ETDs were submitted through the ETD Pilot Program. Over the course of last year, members of the ETD Working Group and various University colleagues have focused on improving the ETD process by, expanding ETD technical support for students through ULS and CSSD, adding a new ETD Search Interface, creating Word and WordPerfect templates for ETDs, and working with designated ETD Student Services Staff in each school to better serve graduate students producing ETDs.   In the spring of 2002 the ETD Working Group hosted Ed Fox, the Director of NDLTD, who gave a talk about the current status of the National Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
 

Review of Proposals

Doctor of Physical Therapy Program
Approved October 16, 2001.  Approved by the Chancellor February 22, 2002.  The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences proposed the first professional degree in Physical Therapy.  The degree increases the credit requirements of students in the program.  It also responds to a national health care trend requiring graduates to be better trained clinically, and helps the University to remain competitive with other highly ranked programs in the field.

Doctor of Audiology Program
Approved September 4, 2001. Approved by the Board October 18, 2001.  The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences proposed the Doctor of Audiology program which replaces the existing master’s program in Audiology in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

Certificate Programs in Youth Health and Fitness and Adapted Physical Education
Approved January 15, 2002.  Approved by the Provost February 19, 2002.  The School of Education proposed two certificates that provide professionals with a body of knowledge to improve practice and develop the post-baccalaureate student's understanding of increasing physical activity in children (Youth Health & Fitness) or enhancing their work with children with special needs (Adapted Physical Education).  The programs are distinct from the master's program, but certificate students may apply for admission to the master’s program in Health, Physical and Recreation Education, with a majority of the credits permitted to count toward the master's degree.

Certificate in Global Studies
Approved January 15, 2002.  Approved by the Provost February 14, 2002.  The University Center for International Studies and the Graduate School for Public and International Affairs proposed the certificate in Global Studies which strengthens the University’s profile in international studies by enabling graduate students to pursue “global competency” to effectively communicate and marshal intellectual and technical resources across cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Certificate in Intellectual Property and Technology Law
Approved January 15, 2002.  Approved by the Provost February 11, 2002.  The School of Law proposed the Certificate in Intellectual Property and Technology Law. The certificate program provides students with a basic grounding in the field of Intellectual Property Law, relevant clinical and/or practical lawyering experience, and more in-depth study of advanced topics in intellectual property law and related areas of law and legal practice involving technology-driven issues and clients.

Early Admission Program in GSPH
Approved January 15, 2002.  Approved by the Provost February 19, 2002.  The Graduate School of Public Health proposed early admission to its Master’s Programs for Pitt undergraduates. This program enables undergraduates in any unit to take an early admissions option to GSPH.  The option is intended to attract health-oriented students before their senior year; it formalizes an existing policy permitting students of exceptional ability to gain acceptance to a graduate program prior to the completion of the bachelor degree.

Graduate Program in Medical Education
Approved February 19, 2002.  Approved by the Provost March 12, 2002. The School of Medicine proposed a Master of Science and a Certificate in Medical Education. The program offers individuals who have already earned a MD or an equivalent degree in another health science field to become clinician educators under the guidance of faculty from both the School of Medicine and the School of Education.

New Majors in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Approved April 16, 2002.  Approved by the Provost August 22, 2002.  The Faculty of Arts and Sciences proposed Master’s of Science Degrees in Geographical Information Systems and in the Mathematics Professional Program. The programs provide training that enables graduates to apply technical skills in business or government settings and to pursue non-research-focused careers in science and mathematics.

Master of Public Health Program in Public Health Genetics
Approved May 14, 2002.  Approved by the Provost July 15, 2002.  The Graduate School of Public Health proposed the Master of Public Health in Public Health Genetics. The degree program provides broad training in public health genetics, including basic human genetics, epidemiology, statistics, and behavioral health in the context of the ethical, legal, and social issues associated with genetic technologies.

Certificate Program in Engineering and Technology Management
Approved June 25, 2002.  Approved by the Provost September 13, 2002.  The School of Engineering proposed the Graduate Certificate in Engineering and Technology Management. The post-baccalaureate certificate program is the first program developed by a graduate school in collaboration with the College of General studies under the auspices of “Pitt Learning Solutions.”  It offers a choice of three tracks: Quality Management, Engineering and Project Management, and Emerging Technology Management.

Certificate in Public Policy Management (CPPM) and the CPPM and MPPM Programs in Macedonia
Approved June 25, 2002.  Approved by the Provost August 22, 2002.  The Graduate School of Public and International Affairs proposed the Certificate in Public Policy and Management (CPPM) and Delivery of Existing MPPM in Macedonia.  The certificate program enables experienced public administrators working at the local, regional, and national levels to earn the master’s degree on-site in Macedonia and through distance education.

Eight Certificate Programs in Nursing and Two Minors
Approved June 25, 2002.  Approved by the Provost July 24, 2002.  The School of Nursing proposed eight Post-Masters Certificates and two Minors. The eight new certificate programs, which enable practicing nurses with graduate degrees to add another specialty to their original master’s degree, are Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Nurse Practitioner, Healthcare Administration, Nursing Education, Nursing Informatics, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner.  Two new minors, which enable graduate students to broaden the focus of their degree programs, are Nursing Informatics and Research.
 

Documents Circulated to the University Community

Report on 2000-2001 Activities, University Council on Graduate Study, University of Pittsburgh. http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/ucgsar2000.html

Elements of Good Academic Advising, University Council on Graduate Study, University of Pittsburgh.
http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/advising.html

Graduate Faculty Membership Roster, June 30, 2002, Office of the Provost, University of Pittsburgh.  Updated three times a year at http://www.ir.pitt.edu/gradfac/homepg.htm.

Regulations Governing Graduate Study at the University of Pittsburgh, University Council on Graduate Study, University of Pittsburgh.
http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/reg.html

Finding the Graduate Program That's Right for You, Office of the Provost, University of Pittsburgh.
http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/gradprogram.html

Policy Statement for Graduate Student Researchers, Office of the Provost, University of Pittsburgh.
http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/gsr.html

Policy Statement for Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, and Graduate Student Assistants, Office of the Provost, University of Pittsburgh.
http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/tapolicy.html

Choosing A Dissertation Advisor, Office of the Provost, University of Pittsburgh.
http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/advisor.html

Style and Form Manual, Office of the Provost, University of Pittsburgh.
http://www.pitt.edu/~graduate/style.html

Thesis and Dissertation Templates http://training.cssd.pitt.edu/thesisdissertationtemplates.htm

Graduate Recruitment City Panorama Brochure, Office of the Provost, University of Pittsburgh.

Graduate and Professional Bulletin, 2003, Office of the Provost, University of Pittsburgh. http://www.umc.pitt.edu/bulletins/graduate/index.html

2001-2002 UCGS Standing Committees

Graduate Procedures: Chair, Louis Pingel
Graduate Student Affairs: Chair, Judy Erlen

2001-2002 UCGS Ad hoc Committees

ETD Working Group: Chair, Elizabeth Baranger
Graduate Recruitment Committee: Chair, Elizabeth Baranger
 

2001-2002 UCGS Members
 

Jacob Birnberg, Katz Graduate School of Business
Ray Burdett, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Luis Chaparro, Engineering
Nancy Condee, Faculty of Arts and Sciences/Interdisciplinary
Judith Erlen, Nursing
Stephen Hirtle, Information Sciences
Stephanie Hoogendoorn, Graduate and Professional Student Association/FAS
Steven Husted, Faculty of Arts and Sciences /At-Large
Rainer Johnsen, Faculty of Arts and Sciences /At-large
Mark King, Education
Wynne Korr, Social Work
Michael Lewis Information Sciences
Margaret Mahoney, Law
David Miller, Public and International Affairs
Ronald Neufeld, Engineering
Cindy Persinger, Graduate and Professional Student Association/FAS
Stephen Phillips, Medicine
Lou Pingel, Education
Dennis Ranalli Dental Medicine
Mark Roberts, Medicine
Deane Root, Faculty of Arts and Sciences/Humanities
Esther Sales, Social Work
Mitch Seligson, Faculty of Arts and Sciences/Social Sciences
Randall Smith, Pharmacy
Mary Lou Soffa, Faculty of Arts and Sciences/Natural Sciences
Roslyn Stone, Public Health
Curtis Wadsworth, Graduate and Professional Student Association /FAS
 

Observers:
Barbara Repasi Heron, Associate Registrar
Carrie Sparks, Assistant to the Provost