June 2010 Archives

June 28, 2010

Dear Graduate Students:

When Provost Sullivan issued his approval and comments on the graduate education restructuring work groups' final report in May, he directed me to begin the implementation process in collaboration with you. My staff and I have been working over the past weeks to lay the groundwork to expedite implementation of those changes outlined in the report.

I want to personally reassure you that the Graduate School is committed to continuing to serve you and to make every effort to provide a seamless transition. We are available to answer any questions or concerns you may have regarding the ongoing changes as part of the graduate education reform.

Our common goal is to further enhance the quality of graduate education and your graduate study experience across the University of Minnesota. The changes recommended by the work groups and approved by the Provost are designed to move primary authority and responsibility for graduate programs to the colleges, to digitize and streamline student processes, and to improve the University's ability to respond to the rapid development of knowledge and changing market forces in higher education.

The final report contains a total of 32 recommendations--20 from the Academic Issues Work Group, and 12 from the Student Administrative Processes Work Group. Many of the recommendations relate to one another. Please see the summary status report.

Actions and changes related to particular items will be communicated to you on a regular basis. A communications implementation team is forming to keep us all regularly informed in an open and transparent manner. Your input will be sought regularly and will be essential to our success. Updates will be posted and archived on the Graduate Education Transition website.

As we continue with the restructuring process, I encourage your input, feedback, and any questions you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact us:

Admission-related issues: Dean Tsantir, tsan0006@umn.edu
Student services issues: Karen Starry, starry@umn.edu
Fellowships-related issues: Alison Skoberg, skobe001@umn.edu
Program-related issues: Vicki Field, field001@umn.edu
All other requests: Dean's Office, 612-625-2809, or Henning Schroeder, gsdean@umn.edu

Sincerely,

Henning Schroeder
Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Education
612-625-2809
gsdean@umn.edu

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This emailed was sent to all students enrolled in Graduate School programs, with a copy to directors of graduate studies and DGS assistants.

June 14, 2010

A Graduate School Policy Review Committee has been formed to review and update existing graduate education policies that are currently found in a variety of formats, including the Graduate School catalog and constitution. As outlined in its charge letter from Cathrine Wambach, chair of the University Senate Committee on Educational Policy (SCEP), the group's goal is to present policies to the Senate at the end of spring semester 2011.

Associate professor Nita Krevans is chairing the committee, which includes several other faculty members and staff representatives from the Provost's office, University Policy Office, Graduate School, Council of Graduate Students, and Academic Support Resources.

The committee began meeting in July, assembling a list of topics that should be considered while reviewing existing policy content, as well as identifying where new policies might need to be developed. As with the review of undergraduate educational policies, a significant effort will be made to get feedback on the proposed policies.

If you have questions or have information that might assist the committee with its charge, please contact gepolicy@umn.edu.