Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

Coastal Carolina University

November 1, 2006

Members Present: S. Libes, (Natural and Applied Sciences), E. Wright (Natural and Applied Sciences), D. Rauch (Business), J. Marcis (Business), E. Helms (Education),

J. Winslow (Education), W. Prince (Humanities and Fine Arts), J. Navin (Humanities and Fine Arts), D. Wiseman (Office of the Provost), D. Lawless (Registrar)

Guest:: D. Vrooman

The meeting was called to order by Dr. Dennis Wiseman at 11:30 am in the Dawsey Conference in the Singleton Administration. Dr. Wiseman welcomed the members and provided an overview of the agenda.

1. After the Call to order, the first item on the agenda was the approval of minutes from the October 4, 2006, Graduate Council meeting. There being no discussion on the minutes, it was moved and seconded that the minutes be approved as distributed. The motion passed.

2. Dr. Wiseman indicated that the Provost had been invited to the meeting to share his views on graduate education at the university and answer questions but that he had been delayed in his office. Dr. Wiseman suggested that the Council move to the items on the agenda that had been submitted by the Spadoni College of Education. These items included the proposal of four new courses as identified below.

Spadoni College of Education: Proposals for New Courses

EDEC 601 Emergent Literacy. (3) Course designed to explore the thought, writings, and research in the area of language development and emergent literacy, as well as the theoretical foundations of constructivist approaches to early childhood education.

Rationale: This course is required in the M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education program and needed to meet content requirements for accreditation purposes.

EDEL 602 Developing Early Literacy. (3) Application of child development and language acquisition knowledge in making effective and appropriate decisions about early childhood and literacy practices for both emergent and early literacy learners.

Rationale: This course is required in the M.Ed. Elementary Education program.

EDEL 687 Differentiated Instruction in the Elementary Classroom. (3) Study of developing appropriate, differentiated instructional strategies that will help elementary teachers more effectively engage all students in optimal learning experiences.

Rationale: This course is required in the elementary specialization of the M.Ed. in Elementary Education.

EDEL 695 Special Education for Teachers in Elementary Education. (3) Addresses current issues and needs in instructional programming for students with high incidence disabilities (learning disabilities, emotional/behavioral disorders, and mental retardation) at the elementary level. Emphasizes methods for the development and acceleration of basic academic skills.

Rationale: This course is required in the elementary specialization of the M.Ed. in Elementary Education.

Discussion: It was decided by consensus that the items be taken as a group and moved and seconded for approval. Dr. Navin indicated that he had concerns regarding the supporting paperwork that accompanied the course proposals, in particular areas where there were inconsistencies, but not with the courses themselves. He felt that what was being submitted as documentation for courses at the graduate level should represent a much higher level of quality. Dr. Navin’s comments related to such areas as lack of consistency from syllabus to syllabus in the use of some terminology, e.g., conceptual framework and conceptual model, information provided pertaining to student evaluation and grading, identifying when the courses would be taught, whether or not they were required or elective courses, and conflict in some places between information provided on the Graduate Council’s new course proposal coversheet and what was included in the accompanying course syllabus. Dr. Wiseman indicated that the entire package could be sent back to the college for further development, the courses could be approved as submitted, or the courses could be approved with advisory information sent back to the college related to the points discussed. Dr. Rauch noted that he didn’t believe that it was in the place of the Graduate Council to question certain standards or even formatting aspects of the proposed syllabus coming from the colleges and that it was the faculty member’s prerogative to determine how he or she would determine grades and the course’s evaluation system. However, it was in the Council’s place to expect that whatever is included in a proposal coversheet agree with whatever is included in the accompanying syllabus. And, in some areas, there is an absence of agreement in what was submitted. After a lengthy discussion, the Council decided to accept the proposed courses and requested that Dr. Wiseman communicate with the college the concerns that had been raised and indicate that greater detail will need to be given to whatever may be submitted in the future.

Meeting with the Provost, Dr. Dave DeCenzo.

The Provost arrived at the meeting during the discussion of the courses submitted from the College of Education. After the end of the discussion, Dr. Wiseman introduced the Provost and asked him to begin by sharing his views on graduate education at Coastal Carolina. The Provost indicated that he felt that graduate education was an important part of the future of the institution and that, in considering aspirant institutions, he thought that it would be reasonable for 15-20% of Coastal’s enrollment to be at the graduate level. However, decisions would need to be made regarding resources, focusing on, and even targeting certain areas for program development that fit into the mission of the institution The Provost gave the example of in the past the institution adding programs but not supporting them with library resources. This has resulted in a shortfall of resources in the library in at least one program area that has brought about serious questions concerning program accreditation. The Provost indicated that this should not happen again.

Dr. Wiseman asked the Provost his view of the role of the Graduate Council in graduate program development, e.g., a body that reviews proposals that are submitted from the colleges, a body that encourages and/or suggests areas for programs to be developed, or both. The Provost said that he felt that program development needed to begin with the faculty and that the faculty needed to have a commitment to any program proposed. The Graduate Council’s role should be one of providing relevant information pertaining to the development of programs and reviewing program proposals that are received. This would be especially important in terms of the proposed program’s fit with Coastal’s mission, resources available and/or proposed, and the quality of the degree being requested.

In summary, the Provost indicated that he saw an important place for graduate education in academic programming at Coastal but that, whatever programs are proposed, they need to be consistent with the mission of the institution. The organizational and administrative structures that are established for graduate education will continue to grow and evolve with the institution. Whatever is in place, however, should serve both the individual colleges as well as the institution as a whole.

Overview of MAT student transcript reviews – Dr. Emory Helms

As time did not allow for Dr. Helms’ presentation, he will be asked to provide information on MAT student transcript reviews at the December meeting of the Council.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 12:35 am.