University Council on Graduate Study Minutes
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
The November meeting minutes were approved with 21 in favor, 3 abstentions. 6 members arrived after the minutes were approved.
Academic Program Proposals
The School of Public Health presented a modification to their long-dormant Disaster Preparedness Certificate. The Certificate will meet student and faculty demand as determined by a recent survey of interest with 80 respondents. The certificate will be 15 credits (12 mandatory, 3 elective), and all courses will be taught by full-time faculty. Students will be drawn from SPH as well as other health science programs, and the program expects 10 students to enroll annually. It is anticipated that most students will be enrolled in other graduate programs at the University of Pittsburgh and so the program will generate limited tuition revenue. Any tuition revenue will likely be generated by supplemental tuition charged for credits more than those allowed by full-time enrollment. Market research data shows significant demand for training in this field, with 3% job growth annually and the field ranking in the top 10 most searched for among prospective students. Council approved the certificate with no discussion and 23 yes votes, 8 abstentions.
The School of Education presented a modification to their Combined Applied Studies in Education (CASE) M.Ed. program, which would reduce the credits required for the program from 40 credits to 30 credits beginning in the Summer of 2026. This modification brings the degree into alignment with the CASE undergraduate program as well as state certification requirements. The CASE M.Ed. program is fed exclusively by the CASE undergraduate program; as such, Council members asked that the two programs be aligned in enrollment projections, requirements, and budget projections. The proposal was approved pending final revisions with 24 yes votes, 7 abstentions.
Academic Policy Review
Academic Probation/Suspension/Dismissal
The revised Academic Probation/Suspension/Dismissal policy was presented by VP Godley for discussion. Additional edits incorporated UCGS feedback from November as well as updated policy language to maintain consistency with undergraduate policy language. There was general support for the revised policy. Council discussion centered around ensuring that the language used is clear to both students and schools and creates a transparent appeals process.
Suggestions for revisions were incorporated into new draft, which will be reviewed by PACUP before a final version returns to UCGS for a vote at a future meeting.
No policy vote was taken at this meeting.
Announcements
There were no announcements.
The meeting adjourned at 4:30 pm.
Attendance
- Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences - Grad Student - Juwon Adenuga
- Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences - Grad Faculty - Marc Coutanache
- Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences - Grad Faculty - Peng Liu
- Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences - Grad Faculty - Jonathan Woon
- School of Public and International Affairs - Grad Student - Zena Kesselman
- School of Public and International Affairs - Grad Faculty - Carissa Slotterback
- Katz Graduate School of Business - Grad Student - Denise Bergdolt
- Office of the Provost - Chair - Amanda Godley
- Office of the Provost - Staff - Courtney Syskowski
- Office of the Registrar, Observer - Staff - Jonathan Helm
- School of Dental Medicine - Grad Student - Dylan Baxter
- School of Dental Medicine - Grad Faculty - Dobrawa Napierala
- School of Education - Grad Student - Gerard Dorve-Lewis
- School of Education - Grad Faculty - Michael Gunzenhauser
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences - Grad Student - Abdulmohsen Alroumi
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences - Grad Faculty - Mark DeRuiter
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences - Grad Faculty - Michael Dickey
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences - Grad Faculty - Ketki Raina
- School of Law - Grad Faculty - Joshua Ash
- School of Medicine - Grad Student - Brooke Dresden
- School of Medicine - Grad Faculty - Arjumand Ghazi
- School of Medicine - Grad Faculty - Saleem Khan
- School of Nursing - Grad Student - Myeong-ga Cho
- School of Nursing - Grad Faculty - Elizabeth Schlenk
- School of Pharmacy - Grad Student - Christina Kazarov
- School of Public Health - Grad Faculty - Ying Ding
- School of Social Work - Grad Student - Bianca DeBellis
- School of Social Work - Grad Faculty - Suzanne Pritzker
- SEPC - Grad Faculty - Michelle Schein
- Swanson School of Engineering - Grad Student - Yousra Bensouda
- Swanson School of Engineering - Grad Faculty - Bryan Brown
- Swanson School of Engineering - Grad Faculty - Bob Parker
Additional attendees: Stephanie Hoogendoorn, OTP; Tina Ndoh SPH, Elizabeth Felter SPH, Katrina Bartow Jacobs SOE