OFFICIAL
 

PURPOSE

1. This Policy and Procedure Statement states the process for nominating and evaluating graduate faculty.

 

CRITERIA

2. Graduate faculty may serve as instructors of record for graduate courses (5000, 6000 and 7000 level).  Individuals lacking graduate faculty status are not allowed to teach graduate level courses.  Appointment of an individual lacking graduate faculty status to teach a graduate course is considered a serious violation of university policy.
3. Graduate faculty may chair or serve on dissertation or master’s committees.  No member of the graduate faculty may chair the committee directing a student to a degree higher than the level of the highest degree earned by the graduate faculty member.  Appointment of an individual lacking graduate faculty status to serve as a member of a graduate committee is considered a serious violation of university policy.
4. Minimum Graduate College criteria for faculty teaching graduate courses include:

   1)    Completion of the doctorate or other recognized terminal degree from an accredited institution; 2)    Doctorate/recognized terminal degree in a discipline in or related to the assigned graduate course(s);
   3)    Proven record of scholarship or creative activity.
   

   Any exceptions to minimum criteria must be clearly justified and approved by the department chair/school director, college dean and Dean of the Graduate College.
5. Individuals nominated must meet minimum Graduate College criteria.  Each department/school may develop additional criteria and guidelines for eligibility that conform to departmental and college expectations in scholarly/creative activity in place for tenure requirements.
6. The department/school criteria for nomination and evaluation of graduate faculty will be submitted through the college dean to the Dean of the Graduate College.  A Graduate Faculty Review Group (GFRG) representing the graduate programs in each college will review the criteria.  Any items in question will be re-evaluated and approved by the department graduate faculty, department chair/school director, college dean, GFRG and Dean of the Graduate College.  Approved copies will be on file in the department/school and in the Graduate College.  These criteria must be reviewed by the department/school every five years, and any subsequent revisions will be routed through the above review process.  Although required every five years, departments/schools may choose to review criteria at any time as needed and route revisions through the above review process.
7. Categories of Graduate Faculty include:

A.  Core Doctoral – tenured and tenure-track faculty at Texas State, may teach doctoral and master’s level courses, may chair dissertation and master’s committees, may serve as a member of dissertation and master’s committees, may serve on the Graduate Council.
B.  Associate Doctoral – tenured and tenure-track faculty at Texas State, may teach doctoral and master’s level courses, may chair master’s committees, may serve as a member of dissertation and master’s committees, may serve on the Graduate Council.
C.  Adjunct Doctoral – may teach doctoral and master’s level classes, may serve as a member of dissertation and master’s committees.
D.  Regular – tenured and tenure-track faculty at Texas State, may teach master’s level courses, may chair master’s committees, may serve as a member of master’s committees, may serve on the Graduate Council.
E.  Associate – faculty at Texas State, may teach master’s level courses as indicated in Attachment B of the Graduate Faculty Nomination/Renomination form, may serve as a member of master’s committee when the individual’s expertise is relevant to a particular student’s research topic.
F.  Adjunct – may teach master’s level courses, may serve as a member of master’s committees.


8. Additional Graduate Faculty appointments include:

A.  Faculty with Administrative Assignments – faculty holding administrative positions (i.e. department chairs/school directors, assistant deans, associate deans, and individuals holding the rank of dean or higher) are appointed to the graduate faculty following the same procedures for all faculty; however, the expectations for scholarship may be adjusted to reflect the time commitment and responsibilities of the administrative appointment.
B.  Courtesy Appointments – members of the graduate faculty may be appointed to chair or serve on dissertation or master’s committees in a department/school other than their home department/school upon written request approved by the relevant department/school graduate faculty committees, department chairs/school director, college deans and Dean of the Graduate College.
C.  Resignation or Retirement – membership in the graduate faculty automatically ceases upon resignation or retirement.  An individual wishing to retain membership in the graduate faculty must request adjunct membership in writing.  The request must be approved by the department graduate faculty committee, department chair, academic dean and Dean of the Graduate College.  Upon expiration of the term, adjunct membership may be renewed following the standard review process.


9. Core Doctoral, Associate Doctoral, and Regular Graduate Faculty may be nominated for terms up to five years.  Adjunct Doctoral and Adjunct Graduate Faculty may be nominated for terms up to three years.  Associate Graduate Faculty and Adjunct Graduate Faculty lacking a terminal degree are appointed for one semester or summer term to teach a specific course(s) or serve on a specific master’s committee, but may be appointed for up to one year with proper approval.



PROCEDURE - NOMINATION OF GRADUATE FACULTY

10. Nomination of faculty is initiated at the departmental level.  For each proposed graduate faculty member, the department chair/school director should initiate the Nomination/Renomination Form for graduate faculty (see Attachment A (pdf) (word)).  A complete and current Texas State vita must be attached to the form.  In exceptional cases, individuals lacking a terminal degree may be nominated to serve on a master’s committee(s) or teach a master’s level course(s).  Such cases will be approved only if the individual possesses documented and demonstrated competencies and achievements related to a specific graduate student’s research project or related to the specific graduate course(s) they would be assigned.  Nomination of faculty not possessing the doctorate/terminal degree in the discipline in which they will teach must include detailed justification consistent with SACS requirements.  Individuals lacking a terminal degree may only be nominated for Associate or Adjunct Graduate Faculty status.  If the nominee does not hold the terminal degree, the department chair/school director must also submit the appointment justification form (Attachment B (pdf) (word)).  Justification for such exceptions is kept on file in the Graduate College.  An individual lacking a doctorate/recognized terminal degree is appointed to graduate faculty status for up to a one year term.  Upon expiration of their term, the faculty member may reapply at which time their credentials will be reevaluated in reference to specific graduate course(s) to be taught.
11. The credentials of the proposed graduate faculty member should be examined and reviewed by the graduate faculty committee of the department/school, and an elected representative of the graduate senior faculty will sign the nomination form recommending approval or denial.
12. The department chair/school director will examine the credentials of the proposed faculty member and recommend concurrence or non-concurrence and forward to the college dean.
13. The college dean will examine the credentials of the proposed faculty member and recommend concurrence or non-concurrence and forward to the Dean of the Graduate College.
14. The Dean of the Graduate College will examine the credentials of the faculty member and approve or deny the appointment.  The Dean of the Graduate College will provide written notification of the decision to the department chair and nominee.
15. Members of the graduate faculty must reapply upon completion of the approved term, not to exceed five years. Appointment dates will be recommended by the department, with the concurrence of the college dean, and approved by the Dean of the Graduate College.
16. The Graduate Council will elect from its members a seven person appeal committee, composed of one representative from each college. Any faculty member denied graduate faculty status at any level may appeal to this committee.  A written request for an appeal must be submitted within 45 days from the date the faculty member is notified of denial.



CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

17. This PPS has been approved by the reviewer listed below and represents Texas State's Division of Academic Affairs policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

Review Cycle: _________________________       Review Date: ____________
Reviewer: _____________________________        Date: __________________
Approved: _____________________________        Date: _________________

 
Gene Bourgeois
 
 Provost and Vice President
 for Academic Affairs
 

Texas State University-San Marcos
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Last Updated: February 20, 2007
Send comments and questions to: tg12@txstate.edu