1 GRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING 18 January 2012 102 Kern ...

Minutes of the Meeting December 14, 2011
The Graduate Council -3-
Dr. Regina Vasilatos-Younken recommended that when the Committee is finalizing the document they
contact Ms. Marilyn Engle, University Editor Representative in The Graduate School, to review the document
and to discuss optimal placement of the guidelines on the web.
Dr. Nemes reported that the Committee hopes to finalize the guidelines in January and will then present
their recommendations to the Advisory Committee on Graduate Education prior to bringing them to Council.
Committee on Programs and Courses
Dr. Foley recognized Dr. Andy Cole, Chair, Committee on Programs and Courses.
Dr. Cole presented the following program proposals for Council action and moved to approve the slate
of proposals (Appendices B–E):
1. Program Change: Drop the Master of Agriculture (M.Agr.) and Master of Forest Resources
(M.F.R.) degrees in Forest Resources (College of Agricultural Sciences)
2. Program Change: Drop the Master of Agriculture (M.Agr.) and Master of Forest Resources (M.F.R.)
degrees in Wildlife and Fisheries Science (College of Agricultural Sciences)
3. Program Change: Adoption of the International Development and Agriculture (INTAD) dual-title
degree program by the graduate degree program in Plant Pathology (College of Agricultural Sciences)
4. Program Change: Change in requirements for the graduate program in Entomology (College of
Agricultural Sciences)
There being no discussion, the question was called and all program proposals were approved unanimously as
presented.
Dr. Cole then directed Council members to Appendices F and G, which are not action items but are presented as
informational items. The first item is a change in the requirements for the Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) in
Architecture (College of Arts and Architecture); the second item is proposing off-site delivery of the Master of
Business Administration (M.B.A.) in Business Administration offered by Penn State Erie in Cranberry
Township, PA.
A question was raised regarding why the proposed changes in the Master of Architecture were not an
action item. Dr. Vasilatos-Younken remarked that the proposed changes do not affect the graduate program
requirements; they add prerequisites required for some students entering the program who have deficiencies in
coursework so that the M.Arch. degree program meets accreditation guidelines.
A question was then raised regarding the proposal to offer the M.B.A. program at Cranberry Township
via blended delivery and the type of support that students will have for the online portion of instruction. Dr. Al
Warner, representing the program, responded that the program staff will provide technical support for students;
25% of the course will consist of face-to-face interaction between instructors and students, and 75% will be
online. He added that this combination has worked well for other offerings by the academic unit.
Another question was asked regarding how this offering will impact the online intercollege M.B.A. and
a concern raised regarding the precedent being set by allowing resident students to take online courses (electives
proposed for the program). Dr. John Magenau, also representing the program, responded that several of the
proposed elective courses are offered by Penn State Erie through the World Campus and that allowing resident
students to register in these online courses promotes better utilization of the campus resources. He added that
requests will be sent to the other units offering proposed electives to determine if space will be available for
students in the Penn State Erie M.B.A. at Cranberry Township. It also was noted that the director of the
intercollege M.B.A., in the proposal’s consultation section, did not predict a significant adverse impact on the