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Graduate Faculty Status

A. Qualifications for Membership

Graduate program faculty are entrusted with upholding the research and advanced practice of the professional missions of the university.

Membership centers on three intellectual criteria:

  1. An earned doctorate from an accredited institution; an earned terminal degree from an accredited institution, when the terminal degree in the faculty member’s discipline is other than a doctorate; or an earned professional degree in the faculty member’s area of research or professional practice.
  2. Proficiency in conducting scholarly research and/or in the active practice of the profession. Through their own current research productivity and/or their own current professional and instructional practices, members of the Graduate Program Faculty have established themselves as leaders in their disciplines. Evidence of demonstrated proficiency includes, but is not limited to either of the following:
    • Active research agenda as indicated by the publication of scholarly books, articles in refereed journals, refereed conference presentations, grants and contracts received, patents, and creative activities appropriate to the various disciplines; recognition of research and creative contributions by awards, prizes, and fellowships; and editorial work, such as service on editorial boards of scholarly journals and university presses, editing of scholarly books, and the professional review of manuscripts for scholarly journals and presses.
    • Active practice of the profession, as indicated by the scholarship of practice, consultations, performances, contracts, awards, prizes, licensures, and other certifications. In the Mary Frances Early College of Education, we further define “proficiency in the practice of the profession” to include related work experiences in the field, professional licensure and certifications, or other demonstrated competencies and achievements contributing to effective teaching and student learning outcomes (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools faculty credentials (PDF).
  3. Proficiency in supervising scholarly research or practice of the profession. Members of the Graduate Program Faculty bear primary responsibility for teaching and preparing future generations of researchers, scholars, and practitioners. Evidence of demonstrated proficiency in supervision includes one or more of the following:
    • Prior supervision of student research, professional skills development, or service as a major professor/advisor or committee member for applied projects, theses, and dissertations.
    • Prior supervision of practitioners in academic or non-academic settings.
    • Demonstrated potential to successfully direct masters, specialist, or doctoral candidates to degree completion.

In addition to the three intellectual criteria listed above, the university also must ensure that faculty directing research and teaching advanced courses provide the type of sustained support, commitment, and access necessary to ensure students with whom they have been entrusted receive the mentoring, practical, professional, and research training appropriate for a university of our stature.

B. Responsibilities and Rights of the Graduate Program Faculty Members

Responsibilities of a member of the graduate program faculty include teaching graduate students effectively, in a civil, professionally appropriate manner; conducting scholarly research and creative work of high quality or remaining active in the practice of the profession; and directing the research or professional development of graduate students so that they progress toward graduation in a timely manner appropriate to the field.

Only graduate program faculty members may:

  • Serve as major professor for doctoral students
  • Serve as major professor for Master of Arts and Master of Science Students
  • Teach 8000- and 9000-level courses
  • Serve on the Graduate Council
  • Vote for members of the Graduate Council
  • Vote for appointment/reappointment/revocation of graduate program faculty status for faculty members in their department

Although part-time and external adjunct faculty members may hold Graduate Program Faculty status, they are not eligible to serve as major professors for doctoral students or master’s degree students writing a thesis.

C. Procedures for Appointment and Reappointment

Faculty procedures outlined below apply to all faculty members including tenure-track, career-track, external adjunct, and retired faculty. The term “program” is considered synonymous with “department” in the Mary Frances Early College of Education (MFE COE).

Initial Appointment

Newly Hired Faculty Members

A newly hired faculty member may be considered for graduate program faculty status at the time of hire if they have earned the terminal degree. To be eligible for graduate program faculty status upon appointment, the College’s Office of Faculty and Staff Services must receive notification of the faculty decision with the hiring proposal. This information may be included in the offer letter at the time of hire.

Current Faculty Members

A faculty member who does not hold graduate program faculty status may be considered for appointment during a regularly scheduled review as noted below or may request consideration during the Fall or Spring semester by making a written request to the department head and supplying a current curriculum vita.

Reappointment

Review and reappointment of current graduate program faculty members will be part of the regularly scheduled reviews of faculty, including:

  • Third-year review
  • Promotion
  • Post-tenure review for tenured faculty members; every 5 years following promotion for career-track faculty members; and every 5 years following appointment for retired and external adjunct faculty members.

Consistent with the university’s appointment and promotion policies, deference to decisions of colleagues closest to the discipline will be employed in determining Graduate Program Faculty status. Successful review at the department level at any of these career points will result in an appointment or reappointment to the Graduate Program Faculty.

If, at the time of retirement or departure from the university, a faculty member holds graduate program faculty status, they continue to hold that status until a five-year review is needed. These faculty members may be reappointed following a successful five-year review if they have maintained an uninterrupted proficiency in supervising scholarly research or practice of the profession."

Appeals Process

If a candidate does not concur with the vote of the departmental graduate program faculty, the candidate may make a written request for reconsideration to the dean within 10 days of receipt of the program faculty’s decision. The reconsideration must specify the basis for the request (e.g., the introduction of new information, explanation of the information in the original materials).

The dean will notify the department head that an appeal has been filed, and the department head will have 10 business days to supply materials in support of the department’s decision. If the department head voted with the minority of faculty members, a faculty member who voted with the majority should provide the materials from the department.

The dean will appoint an ad-hoc appeals committee consisting of five members from the graduate program faculty within the Mary Frances Early College of Education but outside the home department of the candidate; members may not have a conflict of interest with the candidate. The recommendation of the ad-hoc appeals committee is advisory to the dean. The appeals committee will meet within 15 business days of receipt of the department materials to consider all materials submitted by the candidate and the Department. At the end of its deliberations, the committee will vote by written secret ballot about whether to support the department vote. A faculty member who votes with the majority will write the appeal committee’s recommendation letter to the dean, reporting the numeric vote and outlining the substance of the discussion. This recommendation letter will be delivered to the dean, the candidate, and the department head within 10 business days of the committee’s vote.

The dean will have 10 business days to consider the material submitted by the candidate, the department, and the appeals committee. The dean shall notify the candidate, department head, and members of the appeals committee in writing of the final decision. The dean is the final level of approval.

If the candidate does not concur with the dean’s decision, an appeal must be made within 15 business days of the date on the dean’s decision letter.

D. Revocation of Graduate Program Faculty Status

A member of the Graduate Program Faculty of the University of Georgia may have their Graduate Program Faculty status removed if they fail to meet any or all the expectations outlined above, as assessed during the periodic review process. Information regarding Revocation of Graduate Program Faculty status can be found on the Graduate School’s website.

E. Participation of Retired Faculty in Graduate Programs

Graduate Program Faculty membership terminates at the time of retirement. The policy of the Graduate School concerning the participation of retired faculty in graduate programs is:

  1. The chair of a doctoral student’s advisory committee, who is retired, may continue in that capacity if the student has been admitted to candidacy for the degree and if the student and department wish for the relationship to continue. If the student has not been admitted to candidacy at the time of the chair’s retirement, another chair must be selected following regular procedures.
  2. A retired professor will not assume the role of chair of an advisory committee for a student.
  3. A retired professor may retain Graduate Program Faculty status and continue to serve as a member of a doctoral committee provided that the student has been admitted to candidacy and provided that the student and department wish for the relationship to continue, and the professor is able to perform the required services. If the student has not been admitted to candidacy at the time of the member’s retirement, another member must be selected following regular procedures.
  4. A retired professor may be appointed to serve on a doctoral committee as a non-Graduate Program Faculty member following regular procedures.
  5. A retired professor may continue as a student’s major professor for a master’s degree if the program of study has been received by the Graduate school before his/her retirement. A request to waive any of the above policies will be considered upon petition from the academic unit’s graduate coordinator to the dean.