Members present at Waco campus: Stacy Atchley; Rosalie Beck (for Pitts); Rodney Bowden; Anne Marie Bowery; Gary Brooks; Mary Brucker; Gary Carini; Marion Castleberry; David Clinton (for Allman); Russell Duran (for Thompson); David Garrett; Baudelio Garza; Steve Green; Barry Hankins; Chris Kearney; Rafer Lutz; David Music; Jerry Park (for Mencken); Ken Park; Kevin Pinney (for Manzanares); Robert Ray; David Schlueter; Al Smith; Matthew Stanford; Ron Stanke; David Sturgill (also for Amanda Sturgill); Jack Tubbs (for Bratcher); Joseph White

Others present at Waco campus: Diane Brittain, Lydia Cooper, Amy Myers, Ann Pickens, Laine Scales, Sherry Sims, Ken Wilkins

Teleconferencing Technician: Chad Owens

Dr. David Music gave the Invocation.

I. Importance of Graduate Education: Dr. Randall O'Brien

• Dr. O'Brien has great appreciation for the graduate program directors; they are scholarly, informed teachers and researchers.
• There has been solid progress in graduate education and Dr. O'Brien expects continued progress for some areas.
• Graduate Education at Baylor helps Baylor to:
  • recruit the best and brightest faculty because they are attracted by strong graduate education.
  • achieve our vision and our mission
  • be a societal and global change agent.
  • provide role models for younger students.
  • have better overall education in the University.
  • provide important research productivity, teachers, citizens, and aids in the discovery of new knowledge.
  • attract the best and brightest faculty who then become strong role models and mentors for younger faculty.
  • produce educational leadership with Christian values.
  • increase our national and international presence.
  • bring a higher level of intellectual activity across the campus.
  • bring external funding to Baylor which helps us empower academic programs and which promotes a culture of philanthropy.
  • "adds glitter to the commencement ceremony"; [shows in a public arena that graduate education matters to the University.]
  • provides service to the larger community.

II. Report from Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research: Dr. Ken Wilkins

• The institutional, program and faculty components of the National Research Council Doctoral Assessment Project were finished successfully. Only one remaining component involves survey of graduate students in English and Physics.
• Travel awards:
  • Travel awards were given to students from 25 different programs.
  • This represents an increase of 112% from 2006/2007.
  • There is limited funding remaining for this current year.
• Recruiting materials:
  • Brochures scheduled for printing include Biology, Psychology/Neuroscience, and Statistics.
  • Viewbooks for Sciences and Mathematics are now being distributed.
  • Viewbooks for Social and Behavioral Sciences are scheduled for future printing.

III. Report from the Dean: Dr. Larry Lyon

• The search for the Assistant Dean's position for the Graduate School continues; Dr. Lyon expects the position to be filled soon.
• Dr. Lyon is on the Graduate Education Advisory Council (GEAC) and recently attended their meeting.
• The committee to study the stipend request process and student health insurance has met and progress has been made toward improving both of these issues. We will submit a proposal for university funds to supplement married students with health insurance.

IV. Report from Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Professional Development: Dr. Laine Scales

• The first week in April will be Graduate Student Appreciation Week; the Graduate School encourages each program to express appreciation to their students and the Graduate Student Association (GSA) representative.
• Amy Myers, the current GSA President was introduced along with the president-elect, Ann Pickens, and vice president-elect, Lydia Cooper.
• Graduate program directors will receive an email reminding them to nominate one of their students as the "Outstanding Graduate Student" for this year.
• There will be a GSA Ice Cream Social on Tuesday, April 2 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Creamery at North Village. All graduate students and graduate program directors are invited and encouraged to attend.
• On April 24, the GSA will host their annual Award Banquet. At the banquet, the award for Outstanding Graduate Program Director, Outstanding Graduate Student, and Outstanding Professor will be announced.

The meeting concluded at 4:55 p.m.