Graduate Council
The Council of Graduate Schools notes that graduate program review has five general purposes: quality assurance, quality improvement, accountability, identification of strategies for improvement, and provide the institution with information for prioritization of resources. Reviews share certain key characteristics:
- Program review is evaluative, not just descriptive. It requires academic judgments about the quality of the program and the adequacy of its resources. It goes beyond assessment of minimum standards to subjective evaluations of quality by peers and recognized experts in the discipline or field.
- Review of graduate programs is forward-looking; it is directed toward improvement of the program, not simply assessment of its current status. It makes specific recommendations for future changes, as part of the long-range plans of the institution, the department, and other coordinating units.
- Programs being reviewed are scrutinized on the bases of academic strengths and weaknesses, not on their ability to produce funds for the institution or generate development for the state. Finances and organizational issues are relevant, but only as they affect the quality of the academic program.
- Program review is an objective process. It asks graduate programs to engage in self-studies that assess, as objectively as possible, their own programs. It brings in faculty from other institutions to review the self-studies and to make their own evaluations.
- Graduate program review is an independent process, distinct from any other review. Data collection and parts of the self-study may often serve a number of review purposes. However, to be effective, graduate program review must be a unique, identifiable process that stands on its own, draws its own set of conclusions, and directs its recommendations to the only individuals with the power to improve graduate programs: the faculty and administrators of the institution.
- Program review results in action. Based on the reviewers’ comments and recommendations, as well as the program faculty’s response to the review report, the institution develops and agrees on a plan to implement the desired changes according to a specific timetable.
Incorporating these characteristics, successful graduate program review answers the following questions:
- Is the program advancing the state of the discipline?
- Is its teaching and training of students effective?
- Does the program meet the institution’s goals?
- How is it assessed by experts in the field?
At UMB Graduate Program Review includes an internal self-study and an on-site review by an external site team.
Erin Golembewski, Vice Dean, University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies
Kenneth Wong, Dean, University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies
John Basile, University of Maryland School of Dentistry
Mathangi Gopalakrishnan, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
Bethany Lee, University of Maryland School of Social Work
Jessica Mong, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Silvia Montaner, University of Maryland School of Dentistry
Eun-Shim Nahm, University of Maryland School of Nursing
Julia Slejko, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
Ryan Riddle, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Niya Werts, University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies
Aman Shrestha, Graduate Student Association
Christa Porter, Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate School
Shirl Curtis, Assistant Dean of Graduate School
Can Ataca, Department of Physics
Rachel Brewster, Department of Biological Sciences
Adam Bargteil, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Lisa Dickson, Department of Economics
Irina Golubeva, Department of Modern Languages, Linguistics, & Intercultural Communication
Jiyoon Lee, Department of Education
Patricia Ordóñez-Franco, Department of Information Systems
Aminah Amjad, GSA Representative
Jennifer Cantrell, UMB
Colleen Knapp, UMB
Aubrie Zepp, UMBC
September 5, 2024
October 3, 2024
November 7, 2024
December 5, 2024
February 6, 2025
March 6, 2025
April 3, 2025
May 1, 2025
September 7, 2023
October 5, 2023
November 2, 2023
December 7, 2023
February 1, 2024
March 7, 2024
April 4, 2024
May 2, 2024
September 2023 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
October 2023 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
November 2023 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
December 2023 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
February 2024 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes
March 2024 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes
September 8, 2022
October 6, 2022
November 3, 2022
December 1, 2022
February 2, 2023
March 2, 2023
April 6, 2023
May 4, 2023
September 2022 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes DOCX
October 2022 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
November 2022 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
December 2022 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
February 2023 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
March 2023 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
2021-2022 Meeting Dates & Minutes
September 9, 2021
October 7, 2021
November 4, 2021
December 2, 2021
February 3, 2022
March 3, 2022
April 7, 2022
May 5, 2022
September 2021 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes DOCX
October 2021 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
November 2021 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
December 2021 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
February 2022 Graduate Council Meeting Minutes PDF
2020-2021 Graduate Council Meeting Dates
September 10, 2020
October 1, 2020
November 5, 2020
December 3, 2020
February 4, 2021
March 4, 2021
April 1, 2021
May 6, 2021
September 2020 DOCX Minutes
October 2020 DOC Minutes
November 2020 DOCX Minutes
December 2020 DOCX Minutes
February 2021 DOCX Minutes
March 2021 DOCX Minutes
April 2021 DOCX Minutes
May 2021 DOCX Minutes