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Original Date: July 1998 |
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This P&P includes the following main sections: • Overview • Criteria for Graduate Faculty Status • Appointment to the Graduate Faculty • Process for Appointment • Supporting Materials • Review and Appointment Schedule |
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A distinguished and dedicated graduate faculty is essential to ensure graduate programs with high standards, expectations and reputation. According to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Handbook for Reaffirmation of Accreditation, 2003, "The institution is responsible for justifying and documenting the qualifications of its entire faculty.” Appointment to graduate faculty carries approval to teach graduate courses, eligibility to participate on graduate committees, and eligibility to elect representation to graduate committees. Graduate faculty are expected to demonstrate a high level of scholarship, active professional involvement, and teaching expertise at advanced and specialized levels as appropriate for graduate programs. Graduate faculty appointment is a consideration in all performance reviews. The level of activity devoted to graduate teaching, scholarship, and service in order to maintain graduate program involvement factors in assigning faculty load. Graduate Faculty Status and teaching graduate courses do not alone determine a faculty workload model that includes reductions in teaching assignments.
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1. In order to be awarded Graduate Faculty Status, faculty are required to demonstrate competence relevant to teaching at the graduate level. Competence should be made evident through high academic achievement, effective teaching at the graduate level, active scholarship and professional involvement. Primary consideration is given to a faculty member's highest earned degree in the relevant discipline. 2. Generally, faculty teaching graduate or other post-baccalaureate courses should hold an earned doctorate/terminal degree in the relevant teaching discipline or a related discipline. 3. Other criteria that will be considered should relate to competence, effectiveness, and capacity. This includes relevant undergraduate and graduate degrees, related work experiences in the field, professional licensure and certifications, honors and awards. 4. For full or provisional appointment to graduate faculty, a faculty member must hold a tenure-track appointment at the rank of assistant professor or above. Appointment to temporary Graduate Faculty Status may be granted to non-tenure-track faculty. |
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Guidelines for determination of Graduate Faculty Status and length of term are as follows: 1. Appointment to the Graduate Faculty for a period of five years requires satisfactorily meeting all criteria listed in the previous section. 2. Appointment to Provisional Graduate Faculty Status, for a period of up to three consecutive years will be made, for those holding required degrees, upon receipt of satisfactory evidence that the individual has the potential to fulfill graduate faculty scholarship criteria within the period of provisional status. 3. Appointment to Temporary Graduate Faculty Status requires satisfactorily meeting all criteria for graduate faculty or demonstrating professional or academic excellence in a particular area related to a specific course or other assignment. This category may be used for the appointment of part-time faculty or faculty who will teach a course or serve on a committee during a given semester or academic year but not on a continual basis. Temporary Graduate Faculty Status does not entitle one to serve on campus wide governing bodies as a representative of the Graduate Faculty, nor to vote for such representation when voting is restricted to Graduate Faculty.
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1. A letter of recommendation from the faculty member's department chair specifying the number of years recommended for Graduate Faculty Status (go to #2 if the candidate is a department chair) accompanied by supporting documentation provided by the faculty member is sent to the dean of the school of the faculty member's home department. 2. The dean of the school attaches a letter of recommendation for the number of years recommended for Graduate Faculty Status, and sends the package with the department chair's letter and the supporting documentation to the Graduate Programs Committee. 3. The Graduate Programs Committee reviews the letters of recommendation and supporting materials and decides by majority vote whether to recommend a 5-year or Provisional (1-3 years) graduate status. Copies of the recommendations shall be sent to the VPAA. 4. The VPAA will review the recommendations of the Graduate Programs Committee and appoint faculty to graduate status for the appropriate term. Copies of the appointments shall be sent to the faculty member, department chair, and the dean. 5. Faculty applying for Temporary Graduate Faculty Status are only reviewed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Appointment is effective immediately upon approval for any period of time up to one calendar year. Notification is sent to the faculty member, department chair and Dean.
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1. A current curriculum vitae from which the criteria for graduate faculty appointments can be assessed. 2. A narrative addressing philosophy, goals and accomplishments in a) graduate teaching, supervision and mentoring, b) scholarship and c) service, is included with the vitae. 3. Additional relevant supporting materials. |
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Faculty will be reviewed and recommended for Graduate Faculty Status or Provisional Graduate Faculty status in the Fall of each year at the first meeting of the Graduate Programs Committee. Appointment is effective immediately upon approval by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. |
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