Graduate Council Minutes No. 975
October 9, 2008
Present: Buckholz, Clayton, Coulter, DeLucenay, Etscheidt, Joseph, Leutzinger, Licari,
Nelson, Pohl, Stalp, Wurtz.
Absent: Jackson, Waldron.
Guest: Susie Schweiger.
Pohl welcomed Chrisopher Buckholz and Chelsea Dulucenay to the Graduate Council.
Buckholz is the new representative from CHFA and is in the Music Department.
Delucenay is a Masters student from Women’s & Gender Studies.
1. Approval of minutes from September 11, 2008.
Coulter made a motion to approve the minutes from the September 11, 2008 meeting.
Stalp seconded the motion. Minutes were approved.
2. Graduate College Reports
Joseph welcomed Maureen Clayton, chair of Graduate Faculty. Maureen has been very
active in planning the Brown Bag Lecture Series. The first two had improved attendance
and were outstanding.
At the last Graduate Council meeting, discussion was held regarding the Strategic
Planning Priorities. Joseph has met with representatives of Continuing Education along
with Maureen Clayton, Michael Licari and Susie Schweiger. The current format (ICN
with online components and online courses) will not change. It was noted online
programs are convenient but sometimes not as rigorous. Students should be held to same
quality and rigor as on campus students. There was also discussion about the possibility
of modeling a MPP program after the current Philanthropy program. It was noted that
one department is concerned about remuneration paid to Departments for distance
education courses.
The second priority for Strategic Planning is diversity. The Provost has shared with
Joseph some ideas on how best to address diversity across campus. Reports will be made
to the President. The Graduate College can decide whether to participate in the Diversity
Advisory Board. Increasing diversity for the Graduate College will be aimed toward
students rather than faculty.
The final report from the Thesis Task Force has been submitted. Joseph will forward the
report to members of the Graduate Council. Etscheidt summarized the report for
members of the Graduate Council. The Thesis Task Force felt they had a good response
from graduate programs. The majority of programs offer a thesis or final research
project. Eleven of the programs require comprehensive exams. Most programs are four
semesters and include summers. Eighty-five percent of programs stated they do not have
standardized goals for acceptance of students’ thesis. Etscheidt would like volunteers to
contact the programs that did not respond to the initial survey. Joseph and Pohl thanked
the group for all of their hard work.
3. Ruth Ratliff from UNI Foundation
Ruth Ratliff presented information on the UNI Foundation to the Graduate Council. The
national campaign kickoff for “Imagine the Impact” is scheduled for fall 2010. The
Foundation is a separate corporation however some staff salaries and other expenses are
paid by UNI. The Foundation is governed by a group of trustees. In the past year, the
Foundation has received $21 million in commitments; estate gifts, gifts paid over time,
cash gifts, etc. Contributors are allowed to designate where their gift is used. All five
colleges, the Athletic Department and GBPAC have designated development directors.
The Graduate College and Rod Library do not have development directors. It was stated
every graduate should be a constituent for Rod Library.
Pohl commented approximately 85% of colleges have development officers for their
Graduate College. Ratliff felt it was a problem to identify who to approach to ask for
funds for the Graduate College. Pohl felt corporations where UNI graduates are
employed are possible donors. Ratliff felt most of graduates from UNI are teachers, not
in business or industry. Ratliff stated John Deere offered some support for PSM degree.
Coulter asked about the possibility of the Graduate College and Rod Library sharing a
development officer. Pohl stated with a designated development officer there would be
the opportunity to raise funds from private industries and businesses. Ratliff disagreed
and stated it would be a difficult task for one person to contact all graduates from the five
colleges. Currently development officers are specialized to the college they serve.
Ratliff did agree that development officers should encourage gifts be designated to the
Graduate College.
Joseph said development officers serving colleges similar to UNI are very successful in
their fund raising. This information has been shared with the Foundation Office but the
Graduate College has still been denied a development officer. Ratliff felt the issue was
how best to raise money for the Graduate College. Clayton asked how the percentage of
UNI alumni contributing compared with giving at other colleges. Ratliff felt the
percentage of alumni contributing was good for a college of UNI’s size. It is comparable
to Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. Clayton asked if there data
available to determine how many donors were graduate alumni and how many were
undergraduate alumni. Ratliff told the Graduate Council that the Alumni Association is
doing survey to find out what alumni most valued about their education at UNI. The
survey also asked what they most wanted to hear about and athletics was at the bottom of
the list. Alumni wanted to know about the success of UNI students and what is being
accomplished by the educational programs at UNI.
4. Catherine Palczewski – Update on search for Provost
Palczewski was at the meeting. She is the chair of the search for UNI’s new Provost.
She will answer questions that she can and is also asking for help from the Graduate
Council. The committee was formed last spring and hired a search firm to handle the
applications. Applications were accepted through September 30, 2008. All scheduled off
campus interviews are confidential. The search committee plans to bring the top 3 or 4
candidates to campus. On campus interviews will start in early November. The goal of
the search committee is to offer the Provost position to the top candidate and have offer
accepted before the end of the fall semester. A definite starting date has not been
identified. The search firm has had 6000 contacts via e-mail, 1000 by phone; however if
120 candidates were identified 50 candidates would not qualify. Control of the search
was retained by the search committee. The search firm served as a consultant.
She asked that when candidates come to campus faculty should be willing to discuss
needs. Itineraries are being developed and she asked that staff attend a focus session if
invited. The search committee would like to see Lang Auditorium full of faculty and
staff to meet and discuss needs with each candidate.
Due to time constraints, Joseph tabled Agenda items 4 and 6 to the October 23 meeting.
5. Representative for Regents Award Committee
Pohl asked for volunteers to serve on the Regents Award Committee. Jesse Swan is chair
and the committee recommends faculty to the Regents for their Excellence Award.
Joseph stated it is a time commitment but it was wonderful to be able to see the
contributions being made by colleagues. Up to six faculty are eligible to receive award.
Serena Chen from Communication Studies had indicated to Pohl she would be willing to
serve on the committee.
6. Graduate Council Chair Elections
Pohl has not received any nominations. No one present at the meeting is able to serve as
chair at this time. Joseph will ask Waldron. Nelson stated she would serve as vice-chair.
Joseph presented certificate to Pohl in recognition of her leadership the past year.
7. Adjourn
Motion by Stalp, seconded by Wurtz to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed. Meeting
was adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
The next meeting of the Graduate Council will be October 23 at 3:30 p.m. in Lang 115.
Respectfully submitted,
Machelle Stickler
Secretary