IMPORTANT NOTICE: This guide is outdated and yet kept for the record.

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Graduate Program Procedures and Policy Guide

(Last updated 08/13/98)

Administration

• Organization of the Graduate School
• Graduate School Administrative Office Staff
• Graduate School Administrative Office Directory
• Graduate Council Activities
• Graduate Council Members
• Graduate Council Meetings and Agenda Items
• Graduate Program Director Functions and Responsibilities

Organization of the Graduate School

Purpose and Activities (Graduate Catalog)

The Graduate School, through graduate offerings of the various schools and colleges, prepares students for careers in a wide range of teaching, research, and service activities. The primary mission of the Graduate School is the advancement of knowledge through scholarly research, teaching, improving professional skills, and the recognition of the achievement of these goals by the awarding of advanced degrees.

The Graduate School operates in cooperation with the other divisions of the University. The Dean of the Graduate School serves as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and reports directly to the Provost/Academic Vice President.

The Graduate School is composed of divisions that offer graduate instruction leading to advanced degrees. The Graduate School has supervision over all graduate work in the University except law and medicine. The Graduate School consists of the graduate faculty, the graduate student body, the Graduate Council, and an administrative office.

The purpose of the graduate faculty of The University of Alabama is to set standards for graduate work and to provide graduate instruction. The graduate faculty consists of those faculty members who are deemed qualified by their peers and deans to teach and do research of graduate caliber and who participate actively in these graduate activities.

The Graduate Council, composed of 8 appointed and 22 elected members, formulates graduate policy. The Council develops and recommends necessary rules, regulations, policies, and guidelines that govern academic programs leading to advanced degrees. This body also recommends admission, retention, and graduation requirements for graduate students. The Dean of the Graduate School is ex officio chairperson of the Council and is responsible for the administration of the regulations and requirements for advanced degrees.

General Activities of the Graduate School Administrative Office

1. Provide service to academic programs, faculty, and students of the Graduate School.
2. Communicate the goals and activities of the Graduate School to other divisions of the university and to agencies and organizations external to the university.
3. Provide support and assistance to divisions in the appointment of graduate program directors, graduate faculty, and Graduate Council members.
4. Provide support and assistance to divisions in the operation of graduate programs.
5. Provide support and assistance to members of the Graduate Council and its committees.
6. Develop and implement activities and new initiatives to foster excellence in the graduate community.
7. Publish the Graduate Catalog and other printed materials from the Graduate School and mails printed materials to potential students.
8. Maintain the Graduate School Web Page
9. Engage in general recruitment activities and assist divisions with their recruitment activities.
10. Provide advisement for prospective students about the application and admissions process.
11. Coordinate receipt of application materials, entry of information into the university's data base, and forwarding of applications to departments for admission recommendations.
12. Provide services for new and continuing graduate students, including orientations and workshops, and provide support and assistance for the Graduate Student Association.
13. Provide workshops and ongoing training and support for Graduate Teaching Assistants.
14. Provide students with information about Financial Aid; coordinate applications for and administer the Graduate Council Fellowships, Future Faculty Fellows Program Joint Faculty Development Program, Presidential Graduate Fellowship Programs, National Alumni Association Graduate Fellowship Program, and other fellowship programs; and seek funding for new fellowship programs.
15. Provide assistance to students and faculty in meeting Graduate School requirements for credit hours, residence, time limits, transfer of credit, registration for courses, dropping/adding courses, qualifying and comprehensive examinations, admission to candidacy, etc.
16. Monitor the scholarship of Graduate Students and applies Graduate School policies concerning unsatisfactory scholarship.
17. Provide assistance to students and faculty concerning theses and dissertations.

Graduate School Administrative Office Staff

Graduate School Administrative Office Directory

Box 870118 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0118 (205) 348-5921 phone (205) 348-0400 Fax

APPLICATIONS, ADMISSIONS, AND RECRUITMENT

STUDENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT

MATRICULATED STUDENTS

CURRICULUM AND FACULTY

OTHER UNIVERSITY OFFICES

Graduate Council Activities

August 27, 1997  

MEMORANDUM

TO:       Graduate Faculty

FROM       Ronald Rogers

SUBJECT:      Report of Graduate Council and Graduate School Activities for 1996-97

Activities of the Committees of the Graduate Council

Committee on Financial Aid:  (Dr. J. Brian Gray, Chair; Dr. Margaret Johnson; Dr. Carol J. Pierman; Dr. David Roskos-Ewoldsen ; Dr. Will C. Schreiber; Dr. R. Carl Westerfield).

 In past years, the Graduate Council has awarded two categories of fellowships:  (a) Regular  Fellowships and (b) Thesis and Dissertation Fellowships.  In 1996-97 the Graduate Council approved a new category of fellowships, Graduate Council Research Fellowships, to facilitate the University’s progress toward obtaining Carnegie Research II status. These fellowships are intended primarily to support graduate students on faculty projects that (a) are part of an existing federal grant, (b) will become part of a grant proposal, or (c) will lead to funded research.

From the 202 nominations for the four types of fellowships, 62 students received awards from the available pool of $625,000.  The fellowships carry full tuition and fee scholarships.   A summary of the awarded fellowships appears in the table below.

Students who are beginning graduate study in 1997-98 received 33 of the 39 Regular Fellowships.  Ten fellowships were awarded for the summer of 1997, carrying stipends of $3,500 each.

 On April 29, 1997, members of the Committee on Financial Aid met with department chairs and graduate program directors.  Committee members described the nomination and selection process for Graduate Council Fellowships and responded to questions about the criteria for selection of fellows.  

Committee on Research and New  Programs.  (Dr. Stephen J. Thoma (Chair); Dr. Lynn Beck; Dr. Deborah Crown; Dr. Jeri Duncan; Dr. Steve Prentice-Dunn; Dr. Jack W. Sulentic).

 A major focus this year was the review of criteria for graduate faculty membership submitted by 10 departments, colleges, and schools.  The committee, full Council, and Provost Barrett approved the criteria for the School of Social Work.   Those criteria were distributed to department chairs to serve as a model.

    The Council approved a policy to permit faculty members who serve in permanent research positions to apply for graduate faculty status.  Such members would need to meet the established criteria in order to earn graduate faculty membership.

 The Committee recommended to the Council, and the Council passed, a proposal to offer the  Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree, designed to prepare nurses for the role of advanced practice case managers.  The proposal later was approved by the Alabama Council of Graduate Deans and forwarded to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.

Committee on Program and Degree Requirements.  (Dr. Joseph A. Hornsby, Chair; Dr. Thomas A. Lee; Dr. Kathryn Oths; Dr. Harry Price; Dr. Elizabeth K. Wilson; Mr. Sal Mercogliano).

 The Committee concluded a three-year follow-up review of the MSAE degree delivered by QUEST videotape.

 The Committee and Council approved a plan to offer the existing Health Studies master’s degree program via a combination of distance learning technologies.  The program will provide primary prevention knowledge and skills to health care professionals as the health care industry moves into an environment increasingly dominated by the managed care model.

 The Council approved a recommendation concerning the number of course hours that may be taken by graduate assistants.  A table in the 1995-1997 Graduate Catalog showed the maximum number of hours "allowed" for various FTE levels of assistantships; hours beyond the maximum had to be approved on a case-by-case basis by the Graduate School.  With passage of a recommendation supporting greater departmental control in determining the course hours taken by graduate assistants, the revised table in the 1997-1999 Graduate Catalog shows the maximum number of hours "recommended" for various FTE levels.

 Committee on Admissions and Recruitment.  (Dr. Joan L. Atkinson, Chair; Dr. Gary A. Copeland; Dr. Pete E. Clark; Dr. Nathan L. Green; Dr. James F. Satcher; Dr. Paul H. Stuart; Mr. David Arrington).

 Committee members reviewed Graduate School publications used in recruitment and reviewed and rated department proposals for Graduate School Recruitment Grants.  The Committee considered a request from the Department of German and Russian for waiver of the GRE requirement for German nationals.  The Committee did not recommend approval of the request, stating the opinion that if the GRE exam is considered important for any of the department’s applicants, it is justified for all.

 The Committee invited departments to submit requests for funding recruiting projects.  Grants were awarded to all 22 departments that applied.

Committee on Teaching and Research Awards.  (Dr. Donald L. Hooks, Chair; Dr. Barbara A. Chotiner; Dr. James D. Leeper; Dr. Duk-Won Park; Dr. S. Allen Wilcoxon; Dr. Inez Rovegno).

 The committee selected the following winners of Graduate School Awards:

Financial Support for Graduate Students

 1.  The University employed a total of 1,144 graduate assistants with an average stipend of $7,880 per year for 0.5 FTE.

 2.  The Presidential Graduate Fellowship Supplement Fund supplements graduate fellowships for new fellows and those preparing for a career in teaching.  In the 1996-97 academic year, 47 students benefited from this fund by receiving a $1,500 supplement.

 3.  The National Alumni Association Collegiate License Tag Endowed Graduate Education Fund provided fellowships of $10,000 each to 13 students in 1996-97, and will fund 24 students in 1997-98.  The fund is for residents of the State of Alabama.

 4.  A total of $22,221 was awarded to 117 students from the Graduate Student Research and Travel Grants Fund in 1996-97.

 5.  Again this year, the Graduate Council had at least one member serve on all committees that conducted academic program reviews of departments having one or more graduate degree programs.

Minority Affairs

   1.  The Future Faculty Fellows Program provides support annually for four to five African-American students who plan careers in college or university teaching.  Awards for this program are based on faculty nominations.  Thirty-two fellowships (supporting 18 individuals) have been awarded since the program was initiated in 1991.  Six students have received their doctoral degrees.

 2.  The Joint Faculty Development Program with Alabama A & M University, Alabama State University, and Oakwood College will be in its ninth year.  The program is for faculty members from these Alabama HBIs who need the terminal degree in their field.  Twenty-seven fellowships (supporting 13 individuals) have been awarded since this program began in 1988.  Six of these individuals have graduated and returned to their HBIs.

 3. The Patricia Roberts Harris Fellowship Program was discontinued by Congress.  Fortunately, the Graduate School received notification that funding was available through the GANN program to provide a fifth year of funding in 1997-98 for graduate students who were awarded a Harris Fellowship beginning in 1993.

 4.  In the three years of The University of Alabama’s participation in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Minority Doctoral Scholars program, six students have been selected for support.  This accomplishment places UA second only to the University of Virginia in the number of SREB fellowships awarded.  After graduation, SREB Minority Scholars must agree to work for an Alabama public college or university for three years, provided a reasonable offer is made.  Six University of Alabama graduate students have applied for the regular SREB award for 1997-98.

 SREB announced a new fellowship program for 1997-98, a matching scholars program in which the university provides funding for half of the fellowship stipend.  The Graduate School applied for and received two SREB matching doctoral fellowships for 1997-98.

 5.  The Graduate School is exploring new alternatives for external funding for fellowships for minority students. For example, for 1997-98 a new doctoral student applied for and received a five-year, $100,000 scholarship following an application to the David and Lucille Packard Foundation.

Other News

 1.  Workshop for New GTAs.  The Bryant Conference Center was the site of the 11th annual workshop, held on Wednesday through Friday of the week before the beginning of the 1997 fall semester.  Distinguished faculty, staff, and Graduate Teaching Fellows presented information on topics such as preparation of course syllabi and lectures, effective communication skills for classroom and laboratory instructors, different models of instruction for different teaching situations, leading discussion and lab sections, and using multimedia and the Internet in college teaching. There was also discussion of important policies and procedures, such as those regarding sexual harassment, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the confidentiality of student records.  All 200 of the new GTAs were videotaped while teaching, and fellow GTAs provided verbal and written feedback on teaching strengths and areas for improvement.

 2.  Orientation for New Graduate Students.  On August 13, 1997, the office of Graduate Student Services provided an all-day orientation for new graduate students.  Among the topics covered were registration, recreational facilities, dining facilities, child care, financial aid, grant writing, dealing with department politics, avoiding graduate student stress, and the Internet.

 3.  Awards for Outstanding Thesis and Dissertation.  This year's winners were:  Thesis—Vikram Gopal (Chemical Engineering), and Dissertation—David Harris Anderson (Biological Sciences).  All divisional nominees who did not win a University-wide award received an Award of Merit from the Graduate School, recognizing the high quality of their thesis or dissertation.

 4.  Enrollment and Degrees Conferred.  Graduate enrollment for the 1996 fall term was 3,322, including 478 off-campus students.  The 1996-97 academic year total of 1,332 graduate degrees awarded included 186 doctoral degrees, 74 educational specialist degrees, and 1,072 master’s degrees.

 5.  Electronic Theses and Dissertations.  In March 1997 the Graduate Council had a demonstration of the "Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Project" that has been grant-funded at Virginia Tech for the past 10 years.  Following that session, Dean Rogers asked John Schmitt and Anne Edwards to co-chair a task force to seek campus input about the University’s joining the project.

6.  World Wide Web.  John Schmitt and Patti Harrison demonstrated the Graduate School’s latest Web pages for the Council.  From the Graduate School’s home page (www.ua.edu/graduate/), there is on-line access to nearly all of the Graduate School’s publications.  Included are the full text of the Graduate Catalog (with a search engine), the Graduate Program Directors’ Procedures and Policy Guide, the Manual for Students Preparing Theses and Dissertations, the Graduate Assistant Guide, the Financial Assistance Handbook, the Graduate School Annual Report and Statistical Analysis, and various graduate school forms.

 The electronic application was added to the Graduate School’s Web site in February, 1997.  In the six months since then, 100 applicants have submitted on-line applications.

 7.  Graduate School Opportunities Day.  This annual event was held on March 11, 1997, at the Ferguson Center.  Over 40 University of Alabama graduate programs displayed materials, and faculty representatives met with over 200 prospective graduate students.

 8.  Research Project Support.  Nineteen Summer Research Fellowships were offered for the first time in support of special research projects conducted by graduate students.

 9.  SLIS Merger.  There was a called meeting of the Council January 28, 1997, to discuss the proposed merger of the School of Library and Information Studies into the College of Communication.  Prior to the meeting, Dean Rogers had provided the Council a report of the task force to study the merger.  Drs. Joan Atkinson and Gordon Coleman from SLIS, and Culpepper Clark from Communication, provided their view of the proposed merger and responded to questions.  After the meeting, Dean Rogers provided Provost Barrett a summary of the Council’s input on the merger.  

Graduate Council Members 1998-1999

THE GRADUATE COUNCIL
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

• Rogers, Ronald, Ph.D., Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate School (ex officio and chair) 8-8280
• Barrett, Nancy, Ph.D., Provost/Academic Vice President (ex office) 8-4892
• Osburn, Charles B., Ph.D., Dean of University Libraries (ex office) 8-7561
• Clark, Peter E., Ph.D., Faculty Senate Representative (ex office) 8-1682

* Appointed

**Student Representative

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1998-99

THE GRADUATE COUNCIL

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

• Dr. Ronald Rogers, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, Graduate School (ex officio and chair)
• Dr. Nancy Barrett, Provost/Academic Vice President (ex officio)
• Dr. Charles B. Osburn, Dean, University Libraries (ex officio)
• Dr. Peter E. Clark, Faculty Senate Representative (ex officio)

GRADUATE COUNCIL COMMITTEES

*Appointed

**Student Representative

***This committee consists of the members of the Committee on Research & New Programs plus additional Council members to ensure representation from each college.

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Graduate Council Meetings and Agenda Items

Meetings of the 1998-1999 Graduate Council:

September 22, 1998

November 24, 1998

February 23, 1999

April 27, 1999

All meetings held at 3:00 p.m. in Ferguson Forum

Agenda items for Graduate Council Meetings should be submitted to Dean Ronald Rogers.

Agenda items for the Committee on Financial Aid and Committee on Admissions and Recruitment should be submitted to Dr. Pat Harrison.

Agenda items for the Committee on Program and Degree Requirements, Committee on Research and New Programs, and Committee on Teaching and Research Awards should be submitted to Dr. John Schmitt.

Graduate Program Director Functions and Responsibilities

• To communicate Graduate School policies and procedures to faculty and students within the program.
• To assume primary responsibility for implementing Graduate School policies and procedures within the program and for ensuring that faculty and students meet existing policies and procedures.
• To advise the Graduate School Administrative Office about concerns of faculty and students and to recommend modifications in Graduate School procedures.
• To inform the Graduate School when a new Graduate Program director is appointed by using the Form for Recommendation of Appointment of Graduate Program Directors.;
• To carry out other duties, as specified by the graduate program director's department, including coordinating recruitment activities, organizing review of applications and admissions recommendations, coordinating selection of fellowship and award nominees, approving dissertation committees, etc.