GRADUATE COUNCIL MINUTES

Friday, December 4, 2009 -10:00 a.m.

325 Graff Main Hall

Members Present: Carol Angell, Tom Krueger, Michele Thorman, Kasi Periyasamy,
Rob Dixon, Abdulaziz Elfessi, Jim Finch, Michelle Stertz,
Bernadette Taylor, Tera Kringle, Glenn Wright (late)
Consultants Present: Ray Abhold, Bruce May, Sandy Keller, Chris Bakkum
Guests: Bob Hoar, Michelle Tyvoll

The meeting was called to order at 10:04 am by Rob Dixon.

1. M/S/P (10-0-0) to approve minutes with corrections from November 20, 2009
meeting. Glenn Wright arrived after this vote.

2. Announcements

There will be a Graduate Council meeting on December 18 to discuss full time

graduate faculty status and RSEL grant issues.

The Graduate Council will meet on January 20 to hear student appeals.

3. English as a second language (ESL) admission requirements

A letter from Provost Kathleen Enz Finken clarifying her position on ESL admission
requirement policy was read by the council. Kasi Periyasamy presented a proposal
from the Computer Science Department to insert language to the effect that graduate
programs may allow exceptions to the general ESL admissions requirements for
special programs. Current and previously proposed language for ESL admission
policy was also reviewed. A discussion ensued, leading to a consensus that graduate
program directors should be given flexibility to admit students who are likely to
succeed, despite having ESL scores that are lower than the official admission
standards.

M/S/P (11-0-0) to approve the following ESL Admission Policy:

TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based) or 79 (internet-based).
This is not required for native speakers of English or for applicants currently enrolled
in or graduated from an undergraduate degree program in the United States. In lieu of
a TOEFL score, a band score of 6 is acceptable on the International English Language
Testing System (IELTS) exam. Some programs require higher scores for admission,
including the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Graduate programs may allow
exceptions to the language proficiency admission requirements if there is evidence of
a student’s ability to succeed in the graduate program.
 Previously proposed language regarding admission to a graduate program on
probation prior to meeting official ESL admission standards was discussed.
Consensus was to not bring this language forward for a second reading.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:07 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Bernadette Taylor