Connecting Learning, Life and Aloha
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Graduate Council

Graduate Council Minutes, November 12, 2009

Attendance: Dan Brown (chair), Jerry Calton, Yoshiko Fukushima, Eric Im, Māhealani Jones, Bryan Kim, Charles Langlas, Don Price. Michael Shintaku, Kenith Simmons, Kathleen Stacey, and Jan Zulich. Colin Phifer (scribe)

  • Approval of meeting minutes from October 22, 2009

    • Amendments: insert “…not UHH” into 3a.
    • Motion approved 10/0/0.

  • Project update: graduate council charter

    • Dan Brown met with Māhealani Jones and Jan Zulich and developed a working charter for the council.
    • Currently, charter draft is being reviewed; the charter sub-committee will meet again and the next draft will likely be submitted to the full graduate council for adoption.
    • No motion needed.

  • Project update: graduate student handbook

    • Māhealani Jones and others have compiled a handbook for graduate students which outlines policies, procedures and expectations.
    • Individual graduate programs should continue to develop their own handbooks.
    • Reviews and comments are welcomed; Māhealani will share the handbook with the council.
    • No motion needed.

  • Procedure update: thesis submission process to library has changed

    • Submitting thesis to library for publication is a requirement of graduation, not a library requirement. Deadline for thesis submission for this semester is 12/01/2009.
    • Theses are published by ProQuest. Procedures change frequently and students should refer to the library website for the most up-to-date information. Students are responsible for all fees and reporting to the Registrar that the thesis is “turned in” to the library
    • Students submit a PDF copy of thesis. Upon submission, student receives a bound copy of thesis and library purchases a copy for the collection.
    • Information regarding thesis submission will be included in graduate student handbook.
    • No motion needed.

  • Motion: confirmation and submission of past actions on IRB and IACUC to Chancellor’s office for publication in catalog

    • Justification: old memo from last year that was not included in catalog.
    • Amendment: add signature line to page for chancellor’s signature and directions in cover memo requesting publication in catalog.
    • Motion approved 10/0/0.

  • Motion: direct Vice-Chancellor Michael Crosby of the Office of Research and Graduate Studies to explore possibilities of UHH representation on UH system wide IRB committee.

    • Justification: appearance of bias in UH IRB in how research proposals are dealt with. Currently, only UHM faculty and staff are part of the IRB. UHH now has a growing graduate program and representation would help ensure that UHH research requests receive full consideration.
    • Recommendation: develop mechanism where UHH representative would be aware of campus submissions in order to be an effective advocate. Representative should not be burdened by this task and the role should not develop into an administrative role.
    • Motion approved 10/0/0.

  • Motion: accept program modifications approved by Course Committee to M.S. Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science program.

    • Add two new electives
      • CBES 609 Theory and Application of Landscape Ecology
      • CBES 681 Spatial Data Analysis and Modeling
    • Approve the new courses as possible electives in the program
    • Motion approved 9/0/1

  • Program review of M.A. China-U.S. Relations program from provisional to established program.

    • Eric Im provided revised cost estimates and program description requested at last meeting.
    • Council discussed mechanisms to address the limited support for program.
    • Charles Langlas will draft language to administration outlining the conditions of support for the program to encourage the administration to become more actively involved in this issue.
    • Further review needed; no council recommendations.

Adjourned 9:15

Next Meeting: Thursday, December 3, 2009