Minutes of the Graduate Committee

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FRESNO
5240 N. Jackson Avenue, M/S UC 43
Fresno, California 93740-8023
Office of the Academic Senate Ext. 8-2743

April 28, 2009

Members Present: T. Skeen (Chair), K. Carey, P. English, N.P. Mahalik, S. Skelton, Z. Wang.

Members Absent: S. Brown-Welty (excused), G. Kriehn (excused), R. Yazdipour (excused).

Visitors: Lorin Lachs (Psychology), Juston Points (Psychology).

The meeting was called to order by Chair Skeen at 2:02 p.m. in the University Center Room #203.

  1. Minutes. MSC to amend the Minutes of April 14, 2009 as follows:
    Z. Wang and R. Yazdipour to be listed as “Members Present.”
  2. Agenda. MSC to approve the Agenda as distributed.
  3. Communications and Announcements:
    1. Dean K. Carey reminded the Committee of the Graduate Research Symposium to be held in the Madden Library on Thursday, May 7 between 1:00 – 8:00. Students who attend the entire session are eligible to win one of three $200 vouchers that may be used to pay university fees.
    2. Chair T. Skeen reported that the Committee may need to revisit (APM 322) Policy on the Assessment of Teaching Effectiveness as a result of his meeting with the Executive Committee of the Senate.
    3. Chair T. Skeen is working diligently on completing the Committee’s Annual Report (due May 13). The Committee expressed both its appreciation and its sympathy.
    4. Dean K. Carey noted that Civil Engineering will appear before the Committee next Tuesday, May 5, and that Spanish Linguistics will appear next fall.
  4. Juston Points - Proposal for Pursuing Interdisciplinary Studies Master’s Degree for (MS Cognitive Science).
    Mr. Points was invited to state his justification for his proposal regarding an interdisciplinary MS degree in Cognitive Science. Mr. Points noted the following:
    1. CSU – Fresno does not offer a graduate degree in Cognitive Science. The university does offer MA degrees in Psychology and Linguistics, and an MS in Computer Science. These three fields comprise graduate education in cognitive science.
    2. Mr. Points intends to pursue a Ph.D. in Cognitive Science. Thus, an MS degree is essential preparation for Ph.D. programs. Mr. Points offered that his proposal was modeled after programs in Cognitive Science at UC Merced and the University of Amsterdam.
    3. There is faculty in the departments of Computer Science, Linguistics, and Psychology who are qualified and prepared to assist Mr. Points in his interdisciplinary plan.
    4. The Committee observed that Mr. Point’s proposal included three undergraduate Computer Science courses and four seminars in Psychology and/or Linguistics. In addition, the faculty who would be advising Mr. Points all had MA degrees in their fields. The question arose that Mr. Point’s proposal could perhaps more properly be described as an MA degree rather than an MS. While Mr. Points did not feel strongly one way or another, Dr. Lachs felt that the proposal accurately reflected an MS degree.
    5. The Committee complimented Mr. Points on his presentation and noted that he articulated the conceptualization of his proposal very effectively. The guests were thanked and excused at approximately 2:45.
    6. Discussion of whether Mr. Point’s proposal described either an MA or MS degree ensued. The Committee concluded that when applying to Ph.D. programs Mr. Points will be judged by the quality of his work and is not likely to be hurt by the type of degree he is awarded.
      MSC to approve Juston Point’s proposal for an interdisciplinary
      MS degree in Cognitive Science as presented.

MSC to adjourn at 2:55 p.m.

The next scheduled meeting of the Graduate Committee is Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. in the University Center, Room #203.

Agenda.

  1. Approval of the Minutes of 4/28/09.
  2. Approval of the Agenda.
  3. Communications and Announcements.
  4. Civil Engineering program review (2:20 p.m. confirmed)
  5. Planning for end of year luncheon.

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