MINUTES OF THE GRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING
Fidel Center – Collaboration Room – Graduate Office
The Graduate Council Meeting was called to order at 3:50 P.M. on Tuesday, November 11, 2014 in Fidel Center – Collaboration Room – Graduate Office. Members present: Lorie Liebrock, Chairman, Snezna Rogelj, Clint Richardson, Sue Dunston, Subhasish Mazumdar, Penny Boston, Nikolai Kalugin, Ivan Avramidi, Corey LeClerc, Michelle Creech-Eakman, Mark Samuels, Jamie Kimberly, Frank Reinow, Navid Mojtabai, Kevin Wedeward. Others who attended were: Tom Engler, William Stone and Sara Grijalva and Bryan Watson.
1).Call for Approval of Minutes:
The chairman called for approval of minutes of October 14, 2014 meeting. Navid Mojtabai made the motion to approve the minutes, Subhasish Mazumdar seconded the motion. All approved and the motion passed.
a.Student Nominations for Presentations for Legislative Session – (Liebrock) –
The Dean informed the council that the vertical format of the poster template was unanimously approved by the NM Council of Dean's at their last meeting. This design allows for (8) eight posters however she was giving the graduate council a chance to approve one of the templates stating that they need to have their decision by the next meeting in December. The Dean also stated that abstracts of the students who are selected are needed and that nominations are needed from each department. She mentioned that too many nominations were better than not having enough.
a.Proposed Catalog Changes for the Earth and Environmental Science Department – (Boston) - Penny Boston explained the proposed changes to the council and made a motion to accept them. Mark Samuel seconded the motion. All approved and the motion passed. After passing the motion a council member stated that the wording at the bottom needed to include this wording. “Additional expectations for graduate credit.” Boston stated that she would add that clause.
ERTH 445/GEOL 545/GEOP 545
Petroleum Exploration Geophysics, 3 cr, 2 cl hrs, 3 lab hrs
Council of Chairs approved the undergraduate change at the October meeting.
A 100-level ERTH course and associated lab
Offered fall semester, odd-numbered years
An introductory course on seismic refraction and reflection imaging of the subsurface, with applications for petroleum, crustal and environmental problems. This course covers methods of data acquisition, processing, and interpretation. Topics include: survey geometries, data editing techniques, amplitude recovery, (bandpass) filtering, deconvolution, velocity analysis and migration, well log to seismic ties, contour maps, time-to-depth conversion. Designed for students with a range of Earth science and engineering backgrounds.
TO REPLACE GEOP 546, GEOP 557 and ERTH 445:
GEOP 546, Reflection Seismic Data Interpretation, 3 cr, 2 cl hrs, 2 lab hrs
Prerequisites: ERTH 445 or equivalent, graduate standing or consent of instructor.
An overview of the fundamentals of the geologic (both structural and stratigraphic) interpretation of 2D
and 3D reflection seismic data. An introduction to seismic acquisition and processing and their effects on
interpretation. Techniques covered include: well log to seismic ties, contour maps, fault plane maps, timeto-depth conversion, seismic sequence analysis, and workstation interpretation of 3D data. Designed for student with a range of earth science and engineering backgrounds. Shares lecture/lab with ERTH 446, but is graded separately and additional graduate-level work is required.
GEOP 557, Reflection Seismic Data Processing, 3 cr, 2 cl hrs, 2 lab hrs
Prerequisites: ERTH 445 or equivalent, graduate standing or consent of instructor.
The computer application of digital signal processing to reflection seismic data from environmental,
petroleum, and crustal surveys. Topics covered include: definition of survey geometries, data editing techniques, amplitude recovery, bandpass filtering, deconvolution, velocity analysis, F-K filtering, and migration. Shares lecture/lab with ERTH 457, but is graded separately and additional graduate-level work is required.
ERTH 445, Exploration Seismology, 3 cr, 2 cl hrs, 3 lab hrs
Prerequisites: PHYS 121 or equivalent; a 100-level ERTH course and associated lab; upper-class standing
Offered fall semester, odd-numbered years
An introductory course on seismic refraction and reflection imaging of the subsurface, including methods of data acquisition, processing, and interpretation in two and three dimensions. Designed for students with a range of Earth science and engineering backgrounds.
b.Proposed Catalog Changes for the Mechanical Engineering Department – (Kimberley) – Jamie Kimberley presented the catalog changes for the Mechanical Engineering Department. Jamie made a motion to accept the changes, Michelle Creech-Eakman seconded the motion. All approved and the motion passed.
Correction in description of MENG 585 requirement for part-time on-campus graduate students. The following catalog changes are suggested:
CURRENT CATALOG: Students must take MENG 585 each semester offered if the student is in residence. Distance-education students are required to take two semester of MENG 585. Only one credit of MENG 585 may be used to fulfill degree requirements.
NEW CATALOG: Students must take MENG 585 each semester offered if the student is in residence. Distance-education students and part-time on-campus students are required to take two semester of MENG 585. Only one credit of MENG 585 may be used to fulfill degree requirements.
c.Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) – (Liebrock) – The Dean stated that there were two graduate programs here at NMT that are members of the WRGP. These programs are Physics and Chemistry. She stated that they probably don't even know they are members and that most if not all of the departments are not familiar with the program. 10 students a year would be accepted into the program. Students would come from western states that participate in the exchange program. The requirement is that they would receive in-state tuition. The cost would be expensive without them having a TA or RA. Dr. Ostergren has not yet approved this program and the deadline is in a week and a half. The Dean asked if there was anyone who would like to participate in this program if it is approved. A question was asked by one of the council members as to how this will benefit NM Tech. The Dean stated that it would be good advertising for Tech. She also stated that we should consider whether to add more departments to this list or remove the two that are on the list. The council asked how this would be paid. Right now the Dean will have to get together all questions and find out how this will be taken care of. If we go with the program NM Tech must accept at least one student a year for this, if we have qualified applicants that request the reduced tuition. It wasn't determined if each department would need to admit one student a year or just one student in general. The Dean stated that the departments who are interested in this would need to have special programs within the department that were unique. She also stated that we can put a limit on the amount of students accepted for this program. The Dean expressed again that this proposal was due in a week and a half. Some departments decided they would like to participate but would rather wait until next year. The Dean said she would follow up by sending a link to the department chairs.
d.Education Geography – re: Cleary Act (Discussion) – Liebrock –
The Dean reported that NM Tech was not in full compliance with the Clery Act. She stated that when a department or group of students control any space in which they are using for research or wherever education takes place that each site must be reported. All sexual assaults and related crimes would need to be reported. If NM tech has signed an agreement, which puts the school in control of a space, then a report must be filed. She suggested that any agreements that have been made, a copy of that agreement needs to be produced so that they can be taken to NM Tech's lawyer for review. The school is working with Scott Scarborough in the lead for this documentation. He will require a list of all sites and dates and will require reports of any crimes. The Dean explained that this is to make the university safer and that Clery Act information must be put in a syllabus. A page of student policies must be created. There was a lot of concern about this and departments weren't quite sure how this would affect them. The Dean stated that this would all have to go through tech's lawyer and be explained fully.
e.Central America Funding – Liebrock - The Dean talked shortly about her trip to Central America. She explained that each student would be given limited funding and that the funding they will allow is short of what tuition and fees will cost the student. They are allowed $25,000.00 a year. She explained that the departments would have to come up with some way to help by helping them to find internships. Legal agreements would need to be filed. Also departments would have to show research productivity and academic progress. Students could also apply for OPT for one year. The Dean asked the Chairs to figure out ways that they can provide money to these students to bring the amount up to what is expected for the second academic year.
f.Three Year Bachelor's Degrees – Liebrock – The Dean asked the departments how they felt about accepting students with 3 year bachelor's degrees. Dr. Stone stated that he remembered that Dave Johnson would not accept any students with less than a four year degree. The Dean asked the Chairs to decide if they would accept these or not. Most departments stated that they would go on a case by case basis.
5.)Student Questions and Concerns: (GSA Representative) – Bryan Watson -
a.Bryan stated that there was more money for travel funding and that they give out competitive grants four times a year. Students must make proposals. They allow $1,000.00 for Domestic students and $1,600 for International students.
6).Adjournment – The Dean made a motion to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 P.M.