Semester-End Report

Spring Semester
Academic Year 2008-09

Significant Events

March                                                  Graduate Open House: More than 289 prospective students attended the Spring Graduate Open House.

April                                                    Spring Graduate Forum - Discussion regarding planning for the future. Revised Strategic Planning will be placed on the graduate website.

May                                                     May 7^th – Graduate Research and Creative Presentation Event

Graduate Student Association Scholarship – The criteria for the scholarship include:  having completed a minimum of 15 graduate credits at CCSU; being in attendance at least one additional semester after receipt of award; demonstrating a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 for all graduate courses; and completing a full application packet including an essay and two letters of recommendation.

This year, the scholarship has been awarded to two students, each receiving $1000:
                     
                        Ms. Bharati Shah  M.S. Marriage & Family Therapy
                                                and

Ms. Talhaht Mannan  M.S. Early Childhood

Graduate Community of Scholars Award - The Graduate Community of Scholars Tribute, which is presented annually during the spring Graduate Forum, was established by the Graduate Studies Committee in 2001 to recognize departments or programs whose ongoing work and scholarly activities embody the School’s five graduate tenets.  After being awarded in the spring, the Graduate Community of Scholars Tribute’s poster is moved to the new department where it is displayed for the next academic year. A plaque announcing the recipients hangs in the office of the School of Graduate Studies. 

This year, the award went to the English Department.

Policy Resolutions Passed:

The following policies were adopted:

1. The Policy committee recommended revised criteria for the Graduate Academic Awards and Outstanding Scholar Awards, changing the number of credits from 15 to 12.  Letters of recommendation are no longer needed for Graduate Academic Awards, just signatures. Letters are required for Outstanding Scholar award.  Each program nominates one student for the Graduate Academic Award and may nominate the same student for Outstanding Scholar Award if they wish.  An amendment was suggested to replace “Departments” with “Programs” in the document.

2. New wording on grades of C+ of C in the Graduate Catalog

Current p. 13:

No more than two grades of C+ or C (i.e. two C’s, or two C+’s, or one C and one C+) may be carried in a planned program; courses beyond these in which grades of C+ or C are achieved may have to be repeated or additional course work may have to be taken on the planned program of study.  Courses in which students receive a grade of C- or lower will not be counted for graduate credit in the planned program and may not be used to meet prerequisite requirements for graduate courses.  Students will be required to retake required courses in which grades of C- or lower are earned.  Both grades will remain on the student’s transcript.

Current p. 17

In addition to grade-point requirements for good academic standing, students should note that no more than two grades of C+ or C (i.e. two C’s, or two C+’s , or one C and one C+) are permitted for courses included on the planned program of graduate study leading to a doctoral or master’s degree or sixth-year certificate.  Students who achieve grades low enough so that, in the opinion of the dean of the School of Graduate Studies, they will not be able to attain the 3.0 CPS required for graduation, will be dismissed from the program.

3. Changes were recommended and accepted for the Admission Requirements for the Advanced Official Certificate Program in Professional Counseling.  This includes:

A master’s degree in counseling or related field; completion of the application process through the graduate school; 3 current recommendations from professionals in the field (send to the Department office); a written essay- description of your motivation for advanced graduate study, past experience and future professional goals (send to the Department office); and an interview with program faculty.

4. Changes were recommended concerning the Graduate Student Association Scholarship:  

12 credit requirement instead of 15 credit requirement; changes were made to criteria for the essay and the full application; updated the list of those who may provide recommendations for the applicants; changes were made to the committee making decisions.

Respectfully submitted,

Kenneth J. Weiss, Interim GSC Chair