GRADUATE FACULTY MEETING
September 13, 2001
MINUTES
Student Rep: Brannan
Staff: Baronitis, Carter, Chapa, Chappell, Darlington, Hatcher, Jones, Porter, Silverman, J., Spitzenberger
Minutes were unanimously approved.
2. Presentation of gavel to new Faculty President
Dr. Gallick stated that he enjoyed his year as President of the Graduate Faculty. He thanked the Graduate School staff for their assistance and passed the gavel to Dr. McMillin, 2001-2002 Faculty President. Dr. McMillin proclaimed her gratitude to Dr. Gallick for his help throughout the past year.
Dr. Stancel expressed his appreciation to Dr. Gallick for his service as Faculty President while presenting him with a memento from the Graduate School, stating that the GSBS is fortunate to have such a dedicated leader.
3. Report of the Graduate Student Association
A) Dr. McMillin introduced the new GSA President, Jennifer Brannan, a third-year student who is working with Dr. Z. Hong Zhou at the Medical School in Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. Ms. Brannan reported that the GSA was very active in the new-student orientation, hosting several social activities. She thanked the GSBS for financial assistance during orientation.
B) The GSA has 100 seats reserved for the Astros game on September 23. A "Sports Day" is being planned for October 13, with hotdogs, volleyball and softball, etc.
C) The GSA is requesting Faculty to allow time off for any GSBS student who wishes to donate blood for victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
4. Report from the Office of Research and Academic Affairs, Health Science Center
A) Dr. Stancel stated that the major activity of the HSC is Tropical Storm Allison flood recovery. The restoration efforts in the Medical School are moving slowly due to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regulations. Each repair must wait for an officially assigned "walk-through" approval team to record the conditions before reconstruction can begin. Teams should arrive within the next week or two.
In response to a request from Texas Senator Hutchison, a proposal was written for approximately $50 million for time and effort that would go to faculty with federal grants. Dr. Willerson, HSC President, has arranged to distribute some private funds to Medical School faculty who sustained severe damage to their research programs.
B) Dr. Willerson is planning to demolish the two-story John Freeman Building and construct a nine-story structure on that sight. He is hoping to finance this with insurance money, FEMA money, and Permanent University Funds. Animal facilities will be built on the top floors. One NIH grant has been submitted and reviewed for this project, with a second one to be submitted October 1.
C) A campaign is beginning for funds to build an Institute of Molecular Medicine to be built on Texas Medical Center's parking lot "A", near the Medical School.
D) There are tentative plans to remodel the Dental Branch. This space could initially be used as surge space and later, if a new dental school is built, possibly for informatics and translational clinical-type research.
5. Report from the Vice President for Educational Programs, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
A) Dr. Tomasovic reported that the GSBS's new home, the Basic Sciences Research Building (BSRB), is progressing on schedule, although some time was lost during the recent flooding.
B) The 54th Annual Symposium on Fundamental Cancer Research, "Mechanisms for Cell Growth and Differentiation," is scheduled for October 2-5, 2001, at the J. W. Marriott Hotel on Fannin. All graduate students are exempt from fees and are asked to pre-register by September 21 (lunch is an additional expense). Although M. D. Anderson faculty are exempt from fees, Health Science Center and Texas A&M University-IBT faculty must pay.
C) Dr. Margaret Kripke, Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at MDACC, has been promoted to Executive Vice President. The other two MDACC Executive Vice Presidents are Dr. David Callender and Mr. Leon Leach.
D) The MDACC's joint Ph.D. granting authority with the Health Science Center and the GSBS has been cleared through the UT Regents Office, the UT Systems Office, and the staff level at the Coordinating Board. Dr. Stancel and Dr. Tomasovic are scheduled to present the proposal to the entire Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) at the end of October. No problems are anticipated.
E) M. D. Anderson Cancer Center received approval from the THECB to form a school of health sciences. MDACC faculty who teach in the baccalaureate program will hold primary appointments in this school.
6. Dean's Report
A) Dr. Stancel thanked the students, the GSBS Admissions Committee, and everyone involved in the success of orientation and recruitment. He shared statistics from the Fall 2001 entering class, stating that the GPA is the highest in GSBS history.
B) Dr. Victoria Knutson joined the GSBS staff August 1 as Assistant Dean for Admissions (50% FTE). She will maintain her faculty appointment at the Medical School in the Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology. She will expand the admissions recruitment efforts. Anne Baronitis continues, part-time, as Director of Admissions.
Erica Chapa, who replaced Sheila Davis at the GSBS front desk, was introduced. Ms. Chapa is a native Texan who received her degree in psychology from UT-San Antonio. Ms. Davis has been promoted to Staff Assistant.
7. Report of the Standing Committees
8. Report of the Executive Committee
Ph.D. Candidacy Exams for Non-Program Students
Dr. McMillin presented a summary of Dr. Stancel's September 5 memo and proposal to the Graduate Faculty (above). She explained that Option 2 has been omitted from the approved exam choices for students who are not formally affiliated with a Program and the Executive Committee asked the GSBS Deans to come up with other possibilities. She urged the Faculty to accept this alternative proposal since the first student exams will take place this Fall. She suggested that future options be considered by forwarding them to the Academic Standards Committee, allowing the customary processes.
Dr. Dowhan opposed the current concept of the written exam. He understands that it is in place for this academic year, however, he would like the standing committees to spend the next year reevaluating the process. He feels that the exam for non-Program affiliated students is a duplication of previous effort (by testing the students on completed course work) and is more onerous than any Program's exam. He feels some simpler format should be devised for both Program and non-Program students.
Dr. Norris distributed copies of a suggestion for an alternate proposal utilizing a modification of the Microbiology and Molecular Genetics Program exam. This broad exam design was instituted by the MMG Program in 1998, with questions written and graded (Pass/Fail) by the Examining Committee. He believes the challenge comes when tailoring a test which addresses breadth for non-Program students. Non-Program students have a wide range of proficiency; it will be difficult to devise (and grade on an equal basis) an exam which accurately tests breadth. He mentioned that many non-Program students have not taken the same core courses.
It is felt that the original proposal may force a student to join a Program. Currently, approximately 25% of GSBS students are not formally affiliated with a Program. An average of 12 candidacy exams are given each year to non-Program students. The suggestion that non-Program students be united under a general Program called "Biomedical Sciences" has previously been discussed, but not approved. Programs are not obligated to administer the written exam to a non-Program student.
Dr. Waymire would like to investigate the option of having the student's Examining Committee write and grade written exams for Program students.
Dr. Arlinghaus feels that a written exam provides assurance that the student knows the material. He would like the student's Advisory Committee to write and grade questions for the written portion of the candidacy exam, and have the Examining Committee administer the oral portion. He feels the members of the Advisory Committee know the student best. However, some faculty members feel this gives the student a distinct advantage because the Examining Committee usually includes three of the Advisory Committee members.
The MMG proposal will be rewritten for review by the Academic Standard Committee at their October 10 meeting. Any other proposal submitted will be forwarded to the ASC.
Motion by Dr. Arlinghaus, seconded by Dr. Murgola: Use the Microbiology and Molecular Genetics model as presented by Dr. Norris, which represents a modified version of Option 2, for non-Program students for the written component of the candidacy exam.
Motion passed.
9. Report of the Academic Affairs Office
Dr. Wiener thanked Drs. Watowich and Dash, the 2000-2001 Chairpersons of the Academic Standards and Curriculum Committees, respectively. He stated that their fairness and thoughtfulness are greatly appreciated.
10. Old Business
No old business was discussed.
11. New Business
A) Vote on Chairs and New Members of Standing Committees
Motion by Dr. Gallick, seconded by Dr. Dafny: Accept the slate as presented.
Motion passed.
B) Vote on the Executive Committee's submission to <"http://gsbs.uth.tmc.edu/faculty/meetings/9-01_stand_cmte_proc_change.html">change Bylaws to have the recommended membership on standing committees go from the Executive Committee to the Dean, then to the Faculty
No motion was made. The procedure for selecting members of GSBS standing committees will continue with no changes. The final slate from the Executive Committee's August meeting will be forwarded to the Graduate Faculty for a vote at its September meeting. The slate will then be presented to the Dean for final approval and appointment.
C) Nominations of candidates for 2001-2002 Vice President/President-Elect of the Graduate Faculty
1. Nomination from the Executive Committee: Kenneth E.
Hogstrom, Ph.D.
Motion passed.
D) Calculus
II Admission Requirement
Motion by the Executive Committee: Omit Calculus II as a general admission
requirement with the caveat that individual Programs and/or student committees have the option
to require it, to be effective immediately for all current and future graduate students.
Motion passed.
MEETING ADJOURNED at 1:27 p.m.
Approved and Signed: Jeanie B. McMillin, Ph.D., President, GSBS Faculty