Regulations for Graduate Faculty Membership
The University of Texas at Tyler
(Revised June 2014)
The purpose of graduate faculty credentialing is to ensure that graduate programs are supported by faculty who have the expertise to teach graduate courses and to mentor students as researchers. Those faculty who teach graduate-level courses, advise graduate students, serve on thesis or dissertation committees, or otherwise participate in graduate education at UT Tyler must be members of the Graduate Faculty.
The following policies and procedures are minimal for any graduate program. Individual academic units (colleges and/or departments) may have more stringent policies for their faculty members.
Exceptions to the Criteria for Selection and Privileges described in Section A below may also be granted in specific instances by the Dean of the Graduate School. Persuasive documentation of the qualifications of an individual for whom an exception is requested must accompany a request for an exception, and the request must be supported by faculty in the program, the chairperson of the department, and the dean of the college where the exception is being requested
A. CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP
1. Graduate Research Faculty
All tenure-track or professional practice doctoral (e.g., PharmD) faculty who hold an appointment at the rank of assistant professor or above are eligible to apply to be Graduate Research Faculty. Ordinarily appointments will be for six years and may be renewed. However, appointments may be awarded for shorter periods of time.
a. Criteria for Selection (must meet all criteria)
i. Tenure-track or professional practice ( e.g., PharmD) faculty position at UT Tyler
ii. Terminal degree in the person’s principal area of faculty appointment
iii. Hold at least a 50% appointment in an academic program or department
iv. Consistent and continuous level of research/scholarship/creative activities in the discipline that meets the goals and objectives of the unit/department/college.
b. Privileges
i. Teach masters and Ph. D. level courses.
ii. Serve on master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation committees and on comprehensive and proficiency examination committees in the member’s area of expertise.
iii. Chair master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation committees:
After serving (at UT Tyler or elsewhere) on at least two thesis committees and co-chairing or chairing at least a third, the member is eligible to Chair thesis committees.
After serving (at UT Tyler or elsewhere) on two doctoral dissertation committees and co-chairing or chairing at least a third, the member is eligible to Chair doctoral dissertation committees.
iv. Eligible to serve on the Graduate Council (full-time faculty only).
v. Represent the Graduate School at doctoral dissertation defenses.
vi. Participate in all other ways in graduate education.
2. Provisional Graduate Research Faculty
Newly appointed tenure-track or professional doctoral faculty members involved in graduate education may apply for Provisional Graduate Research Faculty. Appointments will be for a period of three years and are not renewable. At the end of the three-year appointment, a faculty member with a Provisional Graduate Research Faculty membership may apply for Graduate Research Faculty status (see Section 3 below) or may be granted Graduate Teaching Faculty status. Faculty with Provisional Graduate Research Faculty appointments may apply for Graduate Research Faculty status prior to the completion of three years.
a. Criteria for Selection
i. Hold a terminal degree in the person’s principal area of faculty appointment.
ii. Hold at least a 50% appointment in an academic program or department.
iii. Provide evidence of building a record of scholarship
b. Privileges
i. Teach masters and doctoral level courses.
ii. Serve on master’s thesis committees. On occasion a faculty member with Provisional Graduate Research Faculty status may co-chair a thesis with a Graduate Research Faculty member.
iii. Serve on master’s comprehensive examination committees in the member’s area of expertise
3. Graduate Teaching Faculty
All full-time or professional doctoral faculty who hold terminal degrees and who hold at least a 50% appointment in an academic program or department will be appointed to serve as Graduate Teaching Faculty.
a. Graduate Teaching Faculty may:
i. Teach masters and professional doctoral courses.
ii. Serve on comprehensive examination committees
iii. Eligible to serve on the Graduate Council (full-time faculty only)
iv. Participate in other ways in graduate education.
4. Visiting Graduate Faculty
A Visiting Member would typically be a faculty member at another university or health institution, an individual active in industry or business, or a retired faculty member. Visiting Graduate Faculty may serve on thesis or dissertation committees. Typically they are only appointed when there are no UT Tyler Graduate Research Faculty members in any department who have the needed expertise, and their appointments are limited to the estimated amount of time needed for completion of a thesis or dissertation.
a. Criteria for Selection.
i. Terminal degree in the person’s principal area of expertise (for appointment to dissertation committees)
ii. Consistent level of research/scholarship/creative activity
or
iii. Achievement of professional accomplishment of an unusually high order
or
iii. Special training in recognized institutions (such as conservatories or research institutes)
or
iv. Attainment of nationally recognized licenses/certificates specific to the need of the graduate program or student
or
v. Service on thesis or dissertation advisory committees at another university
b. Privileges.
Depending on the credentials brought by the applicant for Visiting Graduate Faculty status, participation may be restricted to the master’s level only. Suitably qualified visiting members may serve as a member of a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation advisory committee; and, when appropriate, co-chair a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. Individuals who do not meet qualifications 1 and 2 above may be recommended for Visiting Graduate Faculty status as non-voting members of master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation committees.
B. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
The following process will be used to apply for Provisional Graduate Research Faculty, Graduate Research Faculty, or Visiting Graduate Faculty membership.
1. The applicant will submit an application form and a full current vita to the unit head.
2. Applications for Provisional Graduate Research Faculty, Graduate Research Faculty status, or Visiting Graduate Faculty appointments should be voted on by at least three faculty in the department in which graduate faculty membership is being sought who hold Graduate Research Faculty appointments. The vote of the reviewing faculty will be recorded on the candidate’s application. In situations where there are not three qualified faculty in a department to vote on an application, the initial approval will be that of the chairperson of the department.
3. Applications will be approved or disapproved by the chairperson of the department, the dean of the college in which the graduate program is located, and the Dean of the Graduate School. The applicant will be notified of the approval/disapproval decisions at each level of the review.
4. Should the faculty member wish to appeal the decision of a chairperson, dean of a college, or the Dean of the Graduate School, he/she may do so by submitting a written appeal to the appropriate administrator at the next level of review within 10 days of receiving notice of the decision. Decisions made by the Dean of the Graduate School may be appealed to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
C. RENEWAL OF MEMBERSHIP
Membership on the graduate faculty carries with it the responsibility for active participation in the graduate program and for maintaining a high level of professional competence in the member’s discipline. As a means of maintaining high standards, the university requires all Graduate Research Faculty members to have their graduate credentials renewed periodically through a review process.
1. Change of status
Faculty, other than Visiting Graduate Faculty, may apply for appointment to the Graduate Research Faculty at any time using the process outlined in Section B.
2. Renewal of Graduate Faculty appointments
a. With the exception of Provisional Graduate Research Faculty who will be reviewed after three years, Graduate Research Faculty shall be reviewed for renewal at the time of tenure reviews and subsequently at each Comprehensive Performance Evaluation, or every six years. In the case of non-reappointment to the Graduate Research Faculty, an applicant may reapply after two years.
b. Applicants for Visiting Graduate Faculty status will be reviewed each time they are nominated to serve on a thesis or dissertation committee if their service will extend beyond the period for which they were approved in a prior application.
c. The process for renewal shall be the same as that for initial application (see Sec. B).