GPC Meeting Minutes – October 7, 2015

Welcome/Announcements [Mark McLellan]

Paul Veridian is the new biological engineering GPC.

Undergraduate Courses on Programs of Study [Mark McLellan]

The new policy allows undergraduate classes to be used on a graduate program of study when

the committee deems it is appropriate (see text below).

SGS Personnel Changes/GPC Resources [Erin Brewer]

Logan Hager new front desk staff, he does most of Docusign forms including Appointment for

Exam and Supervisory Committee forms.

Ashley and Olivia work-study students, answering phones and helping out as needed.

For information on who does what in the SGS office, an updated GPC Handbook, and other

important GPC documents go to: https://usu.box.com/s/6iomuhnvgv67mljkbo5m

Non-Resident Tuition Waiver for Excellence [Erin Brewer]

Averages for NRTWE (see table below)

Make sure to fill out form for students eligible for NRTWE (see form below). Find form at:

https://usu.box.com/s/6iomuhnvgv67mljkbo5m

CRM Update [Vina]

Departments need to update degree finder (usu.edu.degrees) for the degree spotlight

summaries in the new application.

GPCs can go to applynowdev.usu.edu to look at new application. GPCs should check the new

application to make sure everything their department requires is in the new application. Any

updates need to be sent to Joan by Friday (October 9th). Applications submitted prior to

implementation of the new application will be processed using the tracking sheets that SGS

currently uses.

The Recruiter dashboard interface is at: recruitercrmdev.usu.edu. This dashboard will allow

GPCs to see applications as they are submitted and see what supplemental materials have been

submitted. GPCs can print applications and choose what supplemental materials to include. A

report can be created that shows all applicants as well as supplemental materials and put into

Box for faculty to review applicants.

GPC trainings for Recruiter will start as soon as the new application is ready.

Waiving Letters of Recommendation [Joan]

Departments that waive letters of recommendation for current students will need to contact

their SGS processor to have the letters waived.

RCR 6900 [Jeff]

Federal regulations require any National Science Foundation (NSF) student to complete the

Research Integrity training. The Graduate Council made the training mandatory for all doctoral

students. RGS tracks students to insure participation. This training is most valuable when done

early in students’ program. It should be taken no later than a students’ second year. The

training is provided at no cost to the student or the department.

Degree Advancement vs Transfer Request [Mike]

Transfer request is for students to change current program, either within current department or

to transfer to another department.

Degree advancement is for students planning on continuing to another degree once they have

finished current degree. (See below for more information)

Thesis and Dissertation Submission Procedures [Mike]

When students’ materials are ready for review, GPC should email Mike to let him know.

Standard file naming should be: Lastname_A#_mmddyy

Files should be submitted as word documents.

Students’ lose their place in the que if their thesis or dissertation hasn’t been spelled/grammar

checked. (See below for more information)

Thesis/Dissertation Workshops [Mike]

Check the SGS website for information and dates about Thesis/Dissertation workshops:

https://rgs.usu.edu/graduateschool/value-added/training/workshops

Fall 2015 Completions [Kurt]

Updated website information now has checklists, deadlines, and more comprehensive

descriptions of the forms: http://rgs.usu.edu/graduateschool/forms

There is a new completion spreadsheet for Plan C students on the website under “Additional

Forms.”

For information about Degree Works contact Genie Maughn. Genie can edit the Degree Works

screens to meet department needs.

Schedule time with Kurt if you have any questions. (See below for more information)

1450 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-1450 PH: (435) 797-1180 FAX: (435) 797-1367 research.usu.edu

“The Program of Study for a Master's degree, or for

a doctoral degree if the student has a Master's

degree, must include at least 15 semester credits at

the level of 6000 or above. For a doctoral degree, if

the student does not have a Master's degree, the

Program of Study must include at least 30 credits at

the level of 6000 or above. Coursework that is

below the 5000 level should typically be in areas

outside the student's graduate degree field, and

must be approved by the student's supervisory

committee as appropriate for the student's

individual degree program.”

Deans and Department Heads: Below are the average Admission GA and test score data for degree-seeking graduate students enrolled on day 15 of this fall (2015) semester. These are the data that your departments should use to determine if applicants qualify for the Nonresident Tuition Waiver for Excellence. To be eligible for that 1-year waiver of nonresident tuition, a student must have an admission GPA and test scores that exceed the college average. These averages set the bar for students who apply for admission in spring, summer, or fall 2016. We will distribute a new set of college averages in September 2016, for use in applying the Excellence Waiver in calendar year 2017.  

    Averages  College   GPA   GRE-­‐V   GRE-­‐Q   MAT   GMAT-­‐V   GMAT-­‐Q  Agriculture   3.57   66.8   63.6   69.9   -­‐   -­‐  Arts   3.63   73.8   48.0   68.3   -­‐      -­‐  Business   3.50   66.9   60.9   68.3   68.9   54.4  Education   3.65   70.5   60.2   68.6   -­‐   -­‐  Engineering   3.54   67.5   75.9     -­‐   -­‐  HASS   3.59   73.8   58.7   69.6   -­‐   -­‐  Natural  Resources   3.60   74.8   63.4   74.5   -­‐      -­‐  Science   3.56   73.0   71.3       -­‐      -­‐    

List applicants to your department who meet the requirements for the Non-Resident Tuition Waiver for Excellence.

Add the average GPA and test score(s) for your college in row 6, columns F - K. (Averages from the memo sent by Dean McLellan)

Save this file, replace 'DEPT' with your department abbreviation, and send the file to Richard Inouye by June 1.

If you identify additional qualifying students after June 1 send an updated file to Richard Inouye.

College Average:

College Dept A# Last Name First Name

Admission

GPA

List applicants to your department who meet the requirements for the Non-Resident Tuition Waiver for Excellence.

Add the average GPA and test score(s) for your college in row 6, columns F - K. (Averages from the memo sent by Dean McLellan)

Save this file, replace 'DEPT' with your department abbreviation, and send the file to Richard Inouye by June 1.

GRE-V GRE-Q GMAT-V GMAT-Q Miller

Transfer Request or Degree Advancement—which do I use?

Transfer Requests:

1. Immediate program change for a student who does not have to finish their current program to

change matriculation. The change could be because:

a) Student is seeking another program for a better fit with academic goals.

b) Department is encouraging student to pursue a less rigorous program.

2. TR form is a courtesy only for currently enrolled students that would like to switch to a different

department/degree program (so they don’t have to apply again and pay the $55 application

fee). The prospective department/program also reserves the right to not accept a Transfer

Request form and instruct the applicant to pay the $55 fee and submit a new application.

3. I make the matriculation change upon DocuSign approval of the form.

QUESTIONS?

Degree Advancement Requests:

1. A non-immediate program change (typically to an “advanced” degree such as MS to PhD) that is

dependent upon the student completing their current program first.

a) Student is seeking a higher degree in their own or another department and either

department will accept the student on the prerequisite that they will complete their current

program first. It’s not typical, but if the prospective program/department does not care

about the student finishing their current program and wants them immediately, then you

would use a Transfer Request instead.

2. The DAF is unique and typically low volume. It’s rarely used because most students don’t

advance to another degree immediately. The Transfer Request is high volume and you will use it

99% of the time, just make sure to use the DAF when the current program completion is a

prerequisite from the prospective program/department to matriculate to the advanced degree.

3. Program Coordinator Kurt Adison will make the matriculation change when the student

completes their current program.

QUESTIONS?

Thesis and Dissertation Submission Procedures

1. The Thesis/Dissertation Format and Style Form is the only way to unlock and begin the paper

submission process. As soon as the FS form is submitted to Box.com and it is signed on

DocuSign, that is the signal for me to create the Thesis/Dissertation Review folder directly in the

student’s DEPT/ACTIVE folder on Box.com where the student, advisor, department reviewers

will be invited and GPCs can upload documents immediately.

2. MS Word documents are preferred now so we can run an immediate spell check (papers need

to be ready for our level of review—a complete, detailed review and annotation of the paper

will not occur if spelling/grammar basics errors are present). If the student gives you a PDF,

please stop, do not submit yet to Box.com and request from the student a Word document

instead.

3. Please note: students will lose their place in the review queue if a paper that hasn’t been spell

checked is submitted to our level of review. If on a close reading, we discover multiple

formatting/grammatical issues, the review will stop and we will give additional instructions

about preparing the document for our level of review.

4. Rename the files you submit to Box.com in a standardized form for continuity and clarity, just

like all our academic forms, depending on the type of paper the student is submitting:

a) Thesis/Dissertation_Lastname_A########_MMDDYYYY

(add date only to Thesis or Dissertation file name)

b) Journal Chapter 1_Lastname_A########

5. Emails from the GPC/Department Reviewer who are submitting the paper for review are now

required. Box.com does not notify me immediately when documents are uploaded and that has

become an issue. When you have uploaded the paper, signed title page, and journal samples if

applicable, email me that the paper is ready for review. We cannot check the paper into the

review queue until all the “ducks are in a row” just like before with the paper-based submission

procedures.

Fall 2015 Completion Deadlines

• Doctoral, Master’s Plan A & B• Successfully defend by 18 December 2015

• Library notification of approval by 8 January 2016

• Professional/Plan C• Recommend students notify GPCs by 12 October 2015

• Professional/Plan C Completion Spreadsheet• Available for download on Additional Forms page

• GPCs submits Completion Spreadsheet to SGS Plan C Completion Inbox by 26 October 2015

• Graduation Information Checklist will be sent in mid-November• Students will receive an automatic reply when completed from Qualtrics

Fall 2015 Degree Awarding Period28 December 2015 – 1 February 2016

Recommend students check:

• Log on to Access Banner http://banner.usu.edu• Check matriculation

• Check approved Program of Study to USU transcripts

• Confirm ALL courses have letter grades and correct credit totals

• Enter Diploma Address in Personal Information

• Check holds/fees on account

• Graduation Information Checklist completed

• $15 Graduation Fee assessed/paid