by Skip Anderson

A 13-member committee has been appointed to review the administrative infrastructure of the Graduate School, according to Provost Thomas G. Burish.

In a memorandum to appointees dated Oct. 3, Burish said the committee's function is to address the administrative oversight of graduate education. He asked the committee to recommend "the best possible administrative or organizational structure for supporting and enhancing graduate education at Vanderbilt."

---

The committee charged with reviewing the administrative oversight of Graduate School is requesting faculty members to propose models to govern the University's Ph.D. and master's programs.

"I encourage faculty members who wish to suggest models for the committee to study or who wish to express their views on other aspects of graduate education at Vanderbilt to submit letters to the committee," said Charles M. Lukehart, professor of chemistry and chair of the committee. "It is important to have broad faculty input into this review process."

Written responses can be directed to:

Charles M. Lukehart
Department of Chemistry
VU Station B 351822
Nashville, TN 37235-1822.

---

Charles M. Lukehart, professor of chemistry, will chair the committee which consists of Bruce Barry, associate professor of management (organizational studies) and director of the Ph.D. program; Jason Carroll, president of the Graduate Student Council; Robert Drews, professor of classics and history classical studies; Ellen Fanning, the Stevenson Professor of Molecular Biology; Dennis Hall, associate provost for research and professor of physics; Lee Limbird, associate vice chancellor for health affairs for research, professor of pharmacology and chair of the department; Arthur Mellor, the Centennial Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Judy Ozbolt, the Independence Foundation Professor of Nursing; Howard Sandler, professor of psychology and human development; Jack Sasson, the Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Judaic and Biblical Studies; Carol Swain, professor of political science and law; and Michael Waterman, professor and chair of biochemistry.

Among the range of options he asked the committee to consider, Burish mentioned "complete decentralization to the various schools," which would have neither a central Graduate School, dean nor other chief administrative officer, on the one extreme, and the possibility of a considerably strengthened central administrative office with "enhanced responsibility" for graduate education on the other extreme.

The memo asked the committee members to divide the charge into at least three explicit issues:

* the best way to administer graduate education, including academic policies, recruiting exceptional students, monitoring academic progress and evaluating the success of related programs

* the best mechanism for distributing central monies such as stipends, topping-up awards, travel funds and advertising brochures

* the institutional role of the chief administrator of graduate education, including responsibilities, functions and whether the person should assume other responsibilities within the University.

"The committee should not be limited in its vision by what Vanderbilt's Graduate School does or does not do administratively at present, or has or has not done in the past," said Burish.

The committee has also been asked to consider the financial implications of its recommendations. The Graduate School is currently funded by a 9.8 percent tax on all graduate tuition, with an operating budget of roughly $2 million.

Initial steps in the evaluation process began when Russell Hamilton, then-Graduate School dean, announced his intention to retire last summer. However, the Provost suspended the effort until Chancellor E. Gordon Gee arrived and the Strategic Academic Planning initiative was under way.

"Strengthening graduate education at Vanderbilt must be one of the highest academic priorities for the next decade," said Burish. "The University's Strategic Academic Plan will make several recommendations aimed at doing so, but this is only the beginning. Additional investments will be necessary, many -- perhaps most -- at the department and school level. The major purpose of the committee is to help identify the optimal overarching administrative structure for promoting, investing in and evaluating the graduate education enterprise."

Currently, Vanderbilt has 1,659 students enrolled in 39 Ph.D. programs and 39 master's programs that are offered through the Graduate School.

The committee is expected to make its recommendations to the Provost by December 2000.

"The charge to this committee is complex in scope, and we welcome the opportunity to participate in a process to strengthen graduate education at Vanderbilt," said Lukehart, the committee's chair.

"These are heady times for graduate education in America," said Peter W. Reed, acting dean of the Graduate School and associate professor of pharmacology. "I'm absolutely delighted this process is taking place."

---

Register Home

Vanderbilt Home Page | Media Relations | News Service
Briefly Speaking | Faculty & Staff Notes | Calendar | Jobs | Archive