To: Members of the UAMS Graduate Council
From: Dr. Antiño Allen, Chair
Subject: Graduate Council Meeting Minutes – December 18, 2023
Members Present: Drs. Antino Allen, David Ussery, Melanie MacNicol, Clare Brown, Martha Rojo, Isabelle Miousse, Mohammed Orloff, Nirmala Parajuli, Lin-Xi Li, Patty Wight (replaced Frank Simmen)
Members Absent: Drs. Brooke Montgomery, Andrew James, Lisa Jansen, Gregory Robinson
Non-voting Members Present: Drs. Sean Taverna, Latrina Prince, and Charlotte Gass (Recorder), Md. Mohsin Ali (GSA President)
Approval of Minutes from the Previous Meeting: Dr. Antiño Allen started the meeting by asking for approval of the minutes from the last meeting. The minutes were approved (1st by Dr. Melanie MacNicol and 2nd by Dr. Clare Brown).
2023-2024 GSA President Report – MD Mohsin Ali
- The students have met and have clear instructions on how to proceed.
- The GSA is planning a newsletter to go out the first of next year (2024).
- Dr. Taverna stated he would be willing to provide a cartoon for the newsletter
- The GSA is planning a movie night this week.
- Mohsin signed off after giving the GSA report
Administrative Items – Dr. Sean Taverna
Dr. Taverna gave a greeting and extended a Happy Holidays to everyone. He stated he is hopeful to meet everyone in person in the upcoming year.
Admissions
Dr. Taverna provided an update concerning the new holistic approach to the GPIBS admissions committee. There are currently 18 faculty members that are reviewing the applications with the new rubric. If other programs would like to implement, please let him know.
2023 Winter Awards
The 2023 Winter Awards Ceremony was held on Thursday, December 7th in the Helen Guinn Adams Atrium in the UAMS Bio Med 2 building. The ceremony went well and had great participation. The mentor awards have come in and will be distributed via campus mail soon.
Cancer Biology Track
Dr. Taverna thanked everyone involved with the constructive feedback concerning the Cancer Biology curriculum. It is expected to be implemented for the Fall 2024 term. Dr. Taverna also wanted to thank Dr. Antino Allen and the Graduate Council Curriculum Committee for the support and expedited review for the Cancer Biology curriculum. The reason for the rush was to be able to present the Cancer Biology Track curriculum to the Council of Deans Meeting today at 10 am.
Wellness Resources
Dr. Taverna stated that Dr. Prince has complied a wellness kit of resources that programs could send to their students.
Administrative Items – Latrina Prince
Dr. Prince will be implementing a semester-based Program Directors meeting (twice a year/once per term: fall and spring). The topics that will be covered during these meetings are:
- Academic Policies
- Graduate School Business Processes/Procedures
- Graduate School Forms
- Graduate School website navigation
- Graduate School contacts
Dr. Prince will also schedule a FERPA Training with Dr. Everhart (University Registrar) in the Spring 2024 term. Dr. Prince hopes to have this FERPA Training annually in the future.
The last day of the Fall 2023 was 12/15/2023. All grades are now due. If you need an extension, please contact Dr. Prince.
Other Administrative Items – Latrina Prince
- New GC Member: Patty Wight (replacing Frank Simmen) Martha Rojo (replacing Dean Patricia Cowan)
- Pending New GC Member for Pathobiology
Committee Reports
Curriculum
The curriculum subcommittee has been meeting and having engagement through emails.
- The new Cancer Biology Track was approved on Sunday 12/17/2023.
- New PHD in Environment Health Services (Waiting Program Director’s Response to Feedback)
- New PHD in Behavioral Sciences (Waiting Program Director’s Response to Feedback)
Faculty Committee
David Ussery
- No update at this time.
Academic Senate
Clare Brown
- The revised academia/faculty handbook should be available for review in January 2024.
- The UAMS Academic Faculty Survey has closed. The UAMS Academic Faculty Survey will be analyzed and finding presented next year (2024).
- Holiday Drive for arts supplies for the UAMS Child Development Center
- If you have not seen the flyer, please contact your Academic Senate representative.
- UALR Trojans night will be on 02/15/2023.
- Faculty must request tickets
- Able to give to students/staff
- Approximately 3,000 tickets (women and men’s basketball games)
Student Research Day
The annual UAMS Student Research Day will be on March 5, 2024. The announcement will go out this week for abstracts and posters. The deadline for abstracts this year is January 18, 2024. The deadline for posters this year is January 25, 2024. The announcements will have the order number to students to use with Creative Services to purchase their abstracts and/or posters. The cost is free for students if they meet the Creative Services deadline(s). The cost was covered last year by the Graduate School and the Vice Chancellor for Research.
There was no other business to discuss; therefore, the meeting was adjourned.
The meeting adjourned at 1:21p.m.