Nick Anderson

The document details the second annual J. Clarke Rountree Outstanding Student Speaker Contest. Discussions included welcoming remarks and the introduction of the Communication Arts Department Chair, Dr. Gilchrist Petty, who honored Dr. J. Clarke Rountree, the longest-serving faculty member. Dr. Petty emphasized the importance of communication and public speaking skills. Following introductions, the contest featured presentations from student speakers. The first speaker, Serenity Andrus (the previous year's winner), presented on the science of smiling and its effects on stress reduction, noting that smiling releases happy hormones like dopamine and serotonin, and that even fake smiles can reduce the body's stress response. The second speaker, Cody Holland, discussed mental health awareness, arguing for the value of taking mental health awareness and first aid courses to destigmatize the issue and better equip individuals to help those suffering.

This document is a transcript of a legal presentation titled 'Founder Fundamentals / Legal 101 / Ep 6: Raising Private Capital.' It covers essential considerations for companies seeking to raise private capital, including readiness, valuation, types of securities (debt, equity, convertible notes, SAFEs), and the regulatory frameworks governing private placements, specifically Regulation D (Rules 506b and 506c) and crowdsourcing. The presentation details compliance requirements, disclosure practices, and the roles of various advisors in the fundraising process.

The meeting covered several key announcements and revisions. Regarding the use of AI in dissertations, the Chair reported an initial case where guidelines were not followed, necessitating that programs develop specific guidelines or default to the Graduate School/AI Committee guidelines. The council discussed revisions to the Academic Probation and Dismissal Policy, specifically concerns regarding the five-year post-qualifier time limit for part-time students and the process for setting academic probation plans, ultimately approving the policy as proposed. Information was shared regarding experiential learning opportunities in terminal master's degree programs. Furthermore, discussions addressed necessary revisions to the Kuali form to differentiate credit hour entry points for doctoral programs. Various curricular items were reviewed and approved, including new courses, modifications to existing courses and concentrations, and the inactivation of certain PhD programs. Several graduate faculty nominations for supervisory and teaching roles were also approved.

The meeting addressed several key matters. Discussions concerning Fall Thesis/Dissertation/Scholarly Project Deadlines focused on extensions related to Covid-19 disruptions and registration fees for additional semesters, noting that some campus labs were still closed. The committee also heard a presentation from the Fellowship and Graduate School Advisor regarding advising services and specific funding opportunities available to students, such as NSF GRFP and Fulbright. A significant portion of the meeting involved a discussion about modifying or improving the JUMP change form process, focusing on tracking dual-credit courses for students pursuing combined graduate and undergraduate degrees, and the timing of notifications versus audits. Finally, an update was given on the Music 525 Course Approval, which passed unanimously, and the announced impending retirement of the Graduate Dean.

General updates included a nine-student headcount decrease compared to the previous year, mainly due to a lack of new international student admissions, and the Graduate School's shift to online recruiting via webinars. Announcements were made regarding on-campus classes, student Covid-19 testing, remote thesis/dissertation hours requiring specific online sections, and a new process for submitting paperwork signatures to the Graduate School. Under Old Business, the Alabama Assets Update involved discussions regarding program support from ACHE, the potential need for UAH participation and a NISP, and deliberation on whether new courses should be created or if current programs could be used interdisciplinary for certificates. A key unresolved question focused on where these new interdisciplinary programs should be administratively housed. Under New Business, the council discussed extending the entrance exam waiver (for GRE, GMAT, and MAT) into Fall 2021 due to limitations at overseas testing centers impacting enrollment. Discussion included the rationale for using the GRE metric, alternative holistic review processes (like reviewing special topics courses), the possibility of using interviews, and the rule that an exam can still be required for assistantships or fellowships. The motion to waive the entrance exams for Fall 2021 was passed.