inutes of the Graduate Studies Committee
for December 1, 1999

The Graduate Studies Committee met on Wednesday December 1, 1999 at 12:05 PM in Union 202. In attendance were Gail Cook, Farida Khan, Dwayne Olsen, Brad Piazza, Tasha Souza and Gary Wood (Chair). Jay Sounderpandian representing the Department of Business also attended the meeting.

I. Changes to the MBA Curriculum

Professor Sounderpandian outlined the proposed changes to the MBA curriculum and gave the rationale behind them. In the new format, the core courses will change from 3 credits to 2, and a series of 2 credit electives will be introduced. Students will be required to take 14 credits of core courses, 14 credits of electives and a 4 credit capstone course. The total number of credits required will be 32 which is one less than the current 33. Foundation courses which may or may not be required depending on a student's background are not included in the total.

Under the new format, evening students will be able to take two, eight week courses each semester rather than one, sixteen week course, decreasing their time to graduation.

Teaching load--The new format will require that most faculty carry a 10 credit load one semester and an 8 credit load the other. The Business faculty have approved this plan.

Effect on enrollment--The department hopes that the new format will make the program more attractive to evening students and have a positive effect on enrollment.

2 Credit vs. 3 credit core courses--The committee expressed its concern that more information was not given to explain how this change will be accomplished. The members of the Business department stated that for most of the core courses, the essential material would be retained. Other material that is important but not as essential will be presented in the new elective courses. In some cases, it may happen that most of the material from the 3 credit course is simply compressed into a 2 credit course.

Elective courses--There are enough teaching hours available among the Business faculty to cover the new elective courses.

Calculus is no longer required--UW-P is the only school in the MBA consortium that still requires calculus. Elimination of the calculus requirement will not affect accreditation. The Mathematics department has been notified of the change.

Motion (Khan/Olsen). The Graduate Studies Committee approves the proposed changes to the structure of the MBA curriculum and the change in total credits from 33 to 32. Motion passed unanimously.

Motion (Souza, Piazza). The Graduate Studies Committee approves the new courses BUS 713, Decision Analysis, and BUS 753, Business-to-Business Marketing. Motion passed unanimously.

Motion (Olsen/Cook). The Graduate Studies Committee approves the change in the number of credits from 3 to 2 for courses BUS 712, Quantitative Methods, BUS 732, Corporate Financial Management, BUS 733, Investments, BUS 735, Seminar in Financial Management, BUS 752, Marketing Management, and BUS 795, General Management of Organizations, with the content of the new courses appropriately reduced. Motion passed unanimously.

Motion (Olsen/Souza). The Graduate Studies Committee approves the change in the number of credits from 3 to 2 and the change in the course description for ECON 764, International Trade and Finance. Motion passed unanimously.

II. Student Appeal

The committee considered a student appeal regarding the calculation of an MBA program grade point average to determination if the candidate is awarded the MBA with distinction. The GPA for this student included grades from foundation courses, which are not required of all students. Including those grades caused the student's GPA to fall below that required for the "with distinction" designation.

The catalog states that, "Students completing all requirements for the degree with a cumulative grade point average of 3.83 or higher will be awarded the master's degree 'with Distinction'".

The consensus of the committee was to interpret the catalog literally. In the case of this student, the requirements for the degree included some of the foundation courses.

Motion (Wood/ Olsen). The student appeal regarding a change in the method used to calculate grade point average is denied. The GPA was calculated properly. Motion passed unanimously.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 PM.

Submitted by, Gary M. Wood