Staff:  Gary Schumacher, Katherine Tadlock, Jennifer Francone

Excused:  Joseph Bernt, Peter Harrington, Rajindar Koshal, Bhavin Mehta, Averell Overby, Leona Cibrowski, Daniel Innis

Absent:  Michael Maume, Arvind Singhal, Roger Radcliff, Larisa Zelenskaya, James Bush, Michael Meyer

Guests:  Charles Mickelson

Convened:  2:14 P.M.

Update on OPIE and TOEFL for International Students:  Charles Mickelson, Director of the Ohio Program for Intensive English (OPIE), gave an update on OPIE TA screening, on-campus language placement, and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) concordances.  Regarding TA screening, he reviewed the state law requiring the language screening for any student providing instructional services and noted that the screening process began at Ohio University in 1984.  He reviewed the tests used to accomplish the screening and the suggested levels of performance required to pass the screening.  One test used is the Test of Spoken English (TSE) with scores ranging from 20-60.  On this test, OPIE recommends that a score of 60 be used to pass the screening.  A second test used in the SPEAK test that is sold to universities by Educational Testing Service (ETS) for their internal use.  Ohio University grades this test on a scale from 100 to 300.  On this test a passing score of 230 is used.  If students do not pass at this level on the SPEAK test, they are allowed to go before a panel of two faculty members, two undergraduate students, and an OPIE faculty member.  Most students between 200 and 230 pass the panel while only 50% of students with scores below 200 pass.

Regarding the on-campus placement into OPIE courses, Mickelson noted that the basic guidelines were established in the 1970’s.  Since that time, two major changes have occurred.  These are the use of the TOEFL test instead of earlier tests and the creation of part-time transition courses.  Mickelson reviewed some current confusion between the paper and computer forms of the TOFEL.  The paper TOEFL is scored from 310-677 while the computer TOEFL is scored from 40-300.  The computer TOEFL is available currently in every country except China.  He noted that a 600 paper score or a 260 computer score with a written essay scored 5.5 or above is considered safe for offering assistantships to students.  Mickelson also noted the following:

1. Departments should explain clearly about OPIE to international students so they are not surprised when they arrive on campus.
2. Students from China seem to generate test scores on campus close to those taken overseas but there are schools in China that prepare their students for the test.
3. In making admission and funding decisions, departments should look heavily at written submissions from students or do a telephone interview to assess their language abilities.
4. Some international students are unhappy because they have to take OPIE course, however, most students only take OPIE part time.  This means that OPIE does not receive any funding for these students.
5. In making decisions about further OPIE course work, OPIE relies heavily on the OPIE professor’s recommendation of ability at the end of the quarter.
6. At least half of the students who take OPIE courses pass the TOEFL after the course.
7. OPIE courses only deal with the students’ language ability and not their ability to learn or do well in their discipline.
8. Departments can waive the OPIE requirement but it is recommended that departments set a high standard to aid the student in being successful in their academics.  To request a waiver, a department can use the student’s academic history or the fact the department has sequential course work.  The department needs to accept the consequences if it waives the OPIE requirement for a student and the student has problems.
9. The department should set minimum TOEFL score levels based on the type of students they attract.
10. OPIE does offer courses in the summer and this could be used for departments that have sequential course offerings.  A possible problem with this option is that students may not get their visa to take language courses because some countries do not want to offer visas for students to study English.

In discussing the language placement option, Mickelson noted that OPIE was faced with how to deal with borderline students who do not need to take full time OPIE language training.  Instead of having them take half-time OPIE, some new courses that offer graduate credit have been developed.  He noted that OPIE has created several three credit courses geared at writing and communication.  These course have been set at three credits so that students could still be registered for fifteen hours in order to meet any graduate contract requirements.  One set of these courses are for students who are cleared for full time study but may need to have additional course work to help improve their language skills.  A second set of courses is for students who want to continue to work on their language and writing proficiency.

Chair’s Report:  There was a correction to Hicks comments in the February minutes.  The minutes were approved as amended.  Chair Appel handed out the text of the resolution for the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS).  Chair Appel looked into the issue of Teaching Assistants teaching dual enrollment courses.  Currently there is no policy regarding the issue.  She asked the Policies and Regulations Committee to look into writing a policy on the issue.

Associate Provost’s Report:  Dr. Schumacher handed out copies of the new timelines for announcements regarding eminent scholar and incentive fund competitions.

Drs. Gary Schumacher and Katie Tadlock have now completed the meetings with the Graduate Chairs and support staff.  The meetings seemed to go very well.  They hope that these meetings will result in better coordination among departments and the various offices of Graduate Studies.  They also carried out a mailing to all individuals who were unable to attend one of the meetings.  This mailing included the same packet of information.  Finally, they carried out a mailing to all nonacademic units who provide stipend support.  This mailing is also aimed at improving communication and insuring that stipends are paid in a timely manner and that tuition scholarships are dispersed in a timely manner.

The Office of Graduate Studies has its first electronic dissertation submitted and are in the process of getting it uploaded.  They are now working through the specifics of the submission process and will be having a meeting of the steering committee early in spring quarter.

The Board of Regents is now releasing the initial analyses of the data submitted to them on tuition scholarship usage (specifically tuition scholarships alone).  Ohio University’s percentage usage is 18% compared to a statewide average of 16% for fall 1999 data.  These figures include our regional campuses.  The figure for our main campus is 8.7% while the figure for the regional campuses is about 70%.  Most of the ones submitted from the main campus are Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) stipends.  Approximately, two-thirds of all graduate students are on support.  The general conclusion from the preliminary analysis is that the perceived problem statewide regarding tuition scholarships alone is not nearly as bad as some anticipated.  Dr. Schumacher is hopeful that additional analyses will further support this conclusion and help calm legislative unrest.  The next step in all this will be the completion of additional analyses by the Board by April 1.  The Regents Advisory Committee on Graduate Studies (RACGS) will then review the overall data for the state and provide a written summary by May 1.  Campuses will be asked to submit a plan for tuition scholarship usage by August 31, 2001 for 2002-2003.  These will be reviewed by RACGS and a report sent to the Regents by November 1, 2001.  There will be no data collection on tuition scholarship usage this fall.

Subsidy for nonresident students who receive instruction outside the state has been a developing issue, especially with the growing distance education programs.  The Regents have developed an interim policy that will not provide subsidy for nonresident students in distance programs unless the programs include some component of their instruction inside the state (e.g., MBA without Boundaries).  This component needs to be related and vital to the program of study.  If a program is delivered overseas, we do not submit the program for subsidy.  Dr. Schumacher has been in discussion with the Board on issues related to this policy.

The Office of Graduate Appointments has developed a set of timelines for submission of graduate contracts to insure that students’ stipends and tuition scholarships are paid in a timely manner.  Dr. Schumacher handed out copies of these timelines.

The seven year reviews are moving along well and will be before Graduate Council shortly.  This is the Council’s opportunity to provide meaningful feedback to units.

Committee Reports:

            Curriculum Committee:  The committee has received two reviews to date.  These reviews are available at Pilcher House.  Scott Sparks is developing an evaluation template for committee members to use.  He will also develop a template for the Graduate Council comments that will be appended to the review document.  He will send the templates to Graduate Council for their review.  The timeline to evaluate the reviews will be short.  The Graduate Council comments are due in April.  Currently there are no provisions for Graduate Council’s comments to go to the deans first.  The current procedure is that the review goes to the deans before coming to Graduate Council in order to give the deans the opportunity to respond to the document.  The dean’s comments can affect the document.  Gitanjali Kaul would be the person to review the possibility of reordering the review process so the reviews go to Graduate Council before going to the deans.  There is one Graduate Council member on each of the review committees of University Curriculum Council (UCC).  When the review is finished, it comes before Graduate Council and Graduate Council can only append the document.  After the review process is completed, the review document goes to the Board of Trustees. 

            Policies and Regulations Committee:  The committee put forth for first reading a policy that would allow certain schools or departments to collect a deposit from students who are admitted to the program.  The fee would hold a place for the student in the program and would apply toward the student’s tuition if the student comes to Ohio University.  If the student does not come, the funds would go into a pool.  The policy is already in practice in the Colleges of Business and Osteopathic Medicine.  The committee conferred with the Bursar’s office and the Fee Committee when writing this policy.  It was suggested that any non-refunded money be given to Minority Graduate Student Affairs rather than the Graduate Studies Office.  It was also suggested that a committee be created to review requests rather than the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies.  An appeal process should also be established.  The committee will bring forth a revised document for second reading at the next Graduate Council meeting.

            Admission Requirements Committee:  The committee reviewed eleven individuals who work for the university for potential conflict of interest related to their graduate programs.  Meng-yn Chen, Tsangyao Chen, James Crawford, Mikhail Dobrynin, Dan Frech, Terrence Hines, Richard Shultz, Leigh Trapp, Liesta Walker, Karen Mammone, and Alistair Thorne were all approved to pursue graduate studies.

Adjourned:  3:47 P.M.