Time: Monday at 1:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
Location: Microsoft Teams
Meeting was held online only via Teams
Joshua Mersky, 2025-2026 GPRC Chair
Members Present: Alexa Anderson, Woonsup Choi, Itziar Lazkano, Joshua Mersky, Mark Netzloff, Krishna Pillai, Christoper Quinn, Ora John Reuter, Lorena Terando, Kay Wells
Members Absent: Erin Parcell, Anne Pycha
Guests: Zhiyang Zhou (Zilber College of Public Health); Chiang-Ching Huang (Zilber College of Public Health); Laleh Jamshidi (Zilber College of Public Health); Amy Harley (Zilber College of Public Health); David Clark (Provost’s Office); Victoria Moerchen (Ex-Officio – Graduate School); Tiffany Nation (Graduate Program Coordinator); Bryan Porter (Graduate School); Riley Harrison (Graduate Policy Coordinator)
- Call to Order
1:00 p.m. - Announcements
There were no announcements - Welcome from Graduate School
The new Graduate School Dean Bryan Porter, introduced himself and thanked the committee for their work on program reviews. He informed the committee that he will try to attend as many of the scheduled meetings as possible. He also thanked GPRC Chair Mersky and Tiffany Nation, Graduate Programs Coordinator, particularly for all of the organization and hard work that they will put in this upcoming year. - Automatic Consent
The minutes and annual report were approved, motioned, and passed unanimously.- Approval of meeting minutes from May 12, 2025
- 2024 – 2025 Graduate Program Review Committee (GPRC) Annual Report
- Review of the Graduate Program Review Committee (GPRC) Charter (A3.05.2)
GPRC Chair Mersky reviewed the committee charter with the committee. - 2025 – 2026 GPRC Roster
Mersky reviewed the roster with the committee. - 2025 – 2026 GPRC Meeting Dates
Mersky reviewed the scheduled meeting dates with the committee. - Faculty Doc. No. 3197R1 Graduate Program Reviews (Procedures for Qualitative Reviews of Graduate Programs)
Mersky reviewed the policy and summarized the responsibility of the assigned internal reviewers with the committee.
Associate Dean Moerchen informed the committee that there was a meeting that took place during the summer with Dave Clark Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, herself, Graduate School Dean Porter, and Tiffany Nation, Graduate Programs Coordinator to discuss program reviews. Per the meeting with the Office of Academic Affairs and discussions with GPRC Chair Mersky, Associate Dean Moerchen will be providing suggested policy edits to clarify the steps for programs that are accredited for the October meeting for committee edits and discussion. The suggested edits will include removing the need for the program’s response, the need for internal reviewers assigned, and functionally as a committee.
Discussion followed. - Graduate Program Review External Reports
- Biostatistics, MS Graduate Program Review External Report
Woonsup Choi and Lorena Terando served as internal reviewers. Choi reported that the program is doing really great according to the external report. The program received an A rating of continuing without conditions. The program was highly praised despite its small size. We the internal reviewers concur with the assessment of the external reviewers. There were some suggested recommendations from the external reviewers such as increasing targeted student recruitment efforts, engaging and encouraging faculty to pursue funded research, and incorporating research practicum into the program. The program is sincerely addressing the suggested recommendations. Overall, we recommend that the program continues without conditions.
Discussion followed.
Recommendation for continuation of the graduate program for the next 10 years without conditions was motioned, seconded, and approved unanimously.
- Biostatistics, MS Graduate Program Review External Report
- Other Business
Tiffany Nation, Graduate Program Coordinator informed the committee that the next meeting is scheduled for October 13, 2025. There was no other business. - Adjourn
The meeting was adjourned at 1:47 p.m.