From: Ann G. Wylie, Interim Dean of the Graduate School
Subject: Council By Laws
Background:
Representation on the Graduate Council and its policy-making role is governed by the Council’s by-laws. These by-laws have not been examined or revised for many years. "Doc" Hunter, President of the Graduate Student Association has asked that the Council reconsider how graduate students are selected for the Council. Other questions have been raised about the proportioning of representatives among the colleges.
Suggested Disposition (approved by Council): Faculty Affairs Committee
Charge:
Examine the Council’s by-laws and report back to the Council. If the committee believes changes are desirable, recommend those changes to the Council.
Date: September 2005
To: The Graduate Council
From: Ann G. Wylie, Interim Dean of the Graduate School
Subject: Continuous Commencement
Background:
The University grants degrees three times a year—May, August and December. Some graduate students have asked why we don’t grant graduate degrees either continuously, i.e., on the date the dissertation is submitted to the graduate school, or monthly. Such a change would reflect the individual nature of graduate work and would tell employers or potential employers exactly when a student completed his or her graduate work.
Suggested Disposition (approved by Council): Student Affairs Committee
Charge:
1. Talk to the relevant people at the University, especially the registrar, about the practical issues involved in making such a change, and 2. Explore the advantages and disadvantages of granting doctoral and masters degrees continuously or monthly, rather than in May, August and December.
Date: September 2005
To: The Graduate Council
From: Ann G. Wylie, Interim Dean of the Graduate School
Subject: Distinction on PhD examinations, dissertations, and Master’s theses
Background:
Currently, the University recognizes only two grades on examinations, dissertation and theses—pass and fail. We have had a few inquiries about the creation of a third option—distinction—on these requirements.
Suggested Disposition (approved by Council): Faculty Affairs Committee
Charge:
Consider the advisability of such a change, criteria for awarding such a grade, and the danger of it being over-used.
Date: September 2005
To: The Graduate Council
From: Ann G. Wylie, Interim Dean of the Graduate School
Subject: The Digital Repository at the University of Maryland (DRUM)
Background:
Currently all dissertations are submitted to the graduate school in electronic form. When they are submitted they are deposited in the UM Library’s online electronic archive, DRUM. This is a free public archive of academic work by University faculty and graduate students. The submission of the thesis to the University in fulfillment of degree requirements grants the University the one-time, non-exclusive right to publish the document on DRUM.
Some students have asked to have the depositing of their dissertations in DRUM either delayed or to be exempt from the requirement. Generally speaking, their requests are based on their concerns about 1) the inclusion of material (especially visual material) for which one-time-use only permission was granted for the dissertation or 2) the possibility that someone else will use their ideas or arguments before they have had a chance to publish them themselves.
All dissertations that are accepted by the University must be made publicly available, but there may be ways to meet that requirement and give the students some flexibility in terms of the entry of their dissertations into DRUM.
Suggested Disposition (approved by Council): Academic Standards Committee
Charge:
Consider whether the Graduate School should establish guidelines for the depositing of dissertations and theses in DRUM and report back to the Graduate Council.
Date: September 2005
To: The Graduate Council
From: Ann G. Wylie, Interim Dean of the Graduate School
Subject: "Incomplete" Grades
Background:
Traditionally a grade of "incomplete" given to a graduate student remained on the student’s transcript until the professor submitted a replacement grade. In many cases, students graduated with incompletes on their record. Sometimes this was because the graduate student never completed the work of the course, and sometimes it was because the professor never submitted a grade. Undergraduates were required to execute a contract with their professors before they could be given incompletes. These contracts listed the work that remained to be done for the course and what grade the student would be given if the work was not completed. Nevertheless, I grades also frequently remained in place permanently for undergraduates.
Now professors are required to indicate the grade a student will receive if the work is not completed (and the grade changed by the professor) in an electronic window on the grade sheet. The Registrar converts all I grades given in undergraduate courses to those grades after - period of time. THIS IS TRUE FOR BOTH UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN 400-LEVEL COURSES.
Suggested Disposition (approved by Council): Academic Standards Committee
Charge:
Consider the practice of giving of "incompletes" to graduate students and allowing them to remain in place for long periods of time, including to graduation. Questions to be asked include 1. should the system remain as it is? 2. should graduate students sign incomplete contracts with professors? 3. should students be allowed to graduate with incompletes in 600-, 700- and 800-level courses? If not, what grades should they receive and when? 4. should we seek a way to treat graduate students’ grades differently from undergraduates in 400-level courses? 5. should students with incompletes be considered to be making satisfactory progress toward their degrees?
Date: September 2005
To: The Graduate Council
From: Ann G. Wylie, Interim Dean of the Graduate School
Subject: Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
Background:
The University of Maryland grants masters’ degrees in a wide variety of fields. In some fields, it is the highest degree. In others, it is an intermediate degree and can be followed by a doctorate. Some programs at the University admit students first into a master’s program and, upon completion of that degree, admit some of them into a doctoral program. Other programs admit students directly into doctoral programs regardless of whether they already have masters’ degrees. It is possible for some students who enter doctoral programs without masters’ degrees in their chosen fields of study to leave the University after several years of study without obtaining any degree at all.
Some universities have instituted a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree to signify completion of a significant course of study for students who enter directly into PhD programs. The point at which these degrees are awarded varies. For some institutions it is after comprehensive examinations; for others it is at advancement to candidacy; for still others it is after the completion of a certain number of credit hours of course work.
Suggested Disposition (approved by Council): Academic Standards Committee
Charge:
Consider the advisability of instituting an MPhil degree for all PhD students at the University of Maryland. Investigate current variations in granting the degree and suggest a standard for us to use.
Date: September 2005
To: The Graduate Council
From: Ann G. Wylie, Interim Dean of the Graduate School
Subject: Pass-Fail Grading Option for Graduate Students
Background:
Currently, graduate students are not allowed to take courses on a pass-fail basis. Graduate students have asked that this policy be modified to allow them to take courses that are not required by their academic programs, but which would enhance their studies and research, on a pass-fail basis. The Academic Standards Committee began discussion of this issue last spring.
Suggested Disposition (approved by Council): Academic Standards Committee
Charge:
Consider whether graduate students should be allowed to take some courses on a pass-fail basis. Questions to consider include 1. whether auditing courses would achieve the same goal 2. specifying the kinds of courses that would qualify for pass-fail status 3. creation of a permission system 4. impact on tuition remission
Date: September 2005
To: The Graduate Council
From: Ann G. Wylie, Interim Dean of the Graduate School
Subject: The Unit System
Background:
In the 1960s the University of Maryland in College Park adopted a unit system that weights individual courses and on which full- and part-time status is determined. The higher the course number, the greater the number of units a course is worth. Units have no role in the calculation of a student’s GPA. The system works as follows: Designation of Full- and Part-time Status The Graduate School uses the unit system in making calculations to determine full- or part-time student status. Please note that graduate units are different from credit hours. The number of graduate units per credit hour is calculated in the following manner: • Courses in the series: 000-399 carry 2 units/credit hour. • Courses in the series: 400-499 carry 4 units/credit hour. • Courses in the series: 500-599 carry 5 units/credit hour. • Courses in the series: 600-898 carry 6 units/credit hour. • Master’s Research course: 799 carries 12 units/credit hour. • Pre-Candidacy Doctoral Research courses: 898 carries 18 units/credit hour. • Doctoral Dissertation Research: 899 carries 18 units/credit hour. All doctoral candidates must pay candidacy tuition for which they will be registered for six (6) credit hours of 899. To be certified as full-time, a graduate student must be officially registered for a combination of courses equivalent to 48 units per semester. Graduate assistants holding regular appointments have full-time status if they are registered for at least 24 units in addition to the assistantship; holders of half-time assistantships are considered full-time if registered for 36 units. Audited courses do not generate graduate units and cannot be used in calculating full-time or part-time status. This system appears to be unique to the University of Maryland and is a source of confusion for many students and faculty.
Suggested Disposition (approved by Council): Academic Standards Committee
Charge:
Investigate how other universities determine full- and part-time status for graduate students and make a recommendation to the Graduate Council for either continuing or eliminating the assignment of units to courses.
Date: September 2005
To: The Graduate Council
From: Ann G. Wylie, Interim Dean of the Graduate School
Subject: Winter-term Teaching
Background:
Many departments allow graduate students to teach their own classes during winter term. The University has established no standards for this teaching, e.g. where such students must be in their graduate programs, whether they must have prior experience as teaching assistants, and whether winter-term teaching is an overload for students who are working as graduate assistants during the fall and spring semesters of that academic year. The Student Affairs Committee began discussion of this issue last spring.
Suggested Disposition (approved by Council): Student Affairs Committee
Charge:
Consider establishing guidelines for departments in the use of graduate students as instructors of record in winter-term courses. Issues to consider include 1. the effect on the graduate student’s progress toward degree 2. the quality of the courses offered to undergraduates 3. the level of the courses graduate students may offer.
Date: September 2005
To: The Graduate Council
From: Ann G. Wylie, Interim Dean of the Graduate School
Subject: Vacation time for 12-month assistantships
Background:
At the February 2005 Graduate Council meeting, the Student Affairs Committee reported that it would review at a later date the matter of vacation time for students on a 12-month assistantship. The University has no established standard on this question and practice varies across campus.
Suggested Disposition (approved by Council): Student Affairs Committee
Charge:
Review practice in various departments/colleges and consider establishing guidelines for uniform standards.
Posts: 104 | I am: PhD, education | Registered: Aug 2004
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