December 8, 2025 – Graduate Faculty Committee (GFC) – Minutes

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Time: 3:00 p.m.
Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams

Present: Brian Schermer, Amy Kalkbrenner, Jerald Thomas, Itziar Lazkano (chair). Winson Chu, Joshua Mersky (GPRC), Jeb Willenbring, Taylor Mathewson Levandoski, Emily Middleton, Timothy O’Brien (GCC), Hamid Ouali (vice chair), Peninnah Kako, Mohammad Rahman, Reed Heintzkill, Jorg Woehl, Oluwaseyi Ambrose, Pamela Bermender, Victoria Moerchen (ex-officio), Riley Harrison (admin support), Jennifer Singer, Brooke Haley, Cynthia Marifke

  1. Meeting called to order at 3:08 p.m.
  2. Announcements
    1. Chair announcements
      1. Update on the GPRC policy discussions, more to come in February
  3. Automatic Consent
    1. Minutes of September 15, 2025, approved as distributed.
  4. New Business
    1. Proposed Changes to Faculty Doc. No. 3078R3: English Proficiency Requirements for Graduate Admission and New Graduate Teaching Assistants – Jen Singer & Brooke Haley
      1. Presentation on the proposed changes, justification of changes, and questions relating to the policy
      2. MOTION: Approve proposed changes to Faculty Doc. No. 3078R3. Motion made by Amy K. and seconded by Hamid O. Approved by voice vote.
  5. Continuing Business – None.
  6. Reports
    1. Academic Planning and Budget Committee
    2. Academic Policy Committee
    3. Physical Environment Committee
    4. Research Policy and Advisory Committee
  7. Other business – None.
  8. Meeting adjourned at 3:44 p.m.