Membership

Membership on the graduate faculty is required for those faculty who are active in at least one of the areas of responsibility for graduate education at SFA. These responsibilities include teaching graduate courses in one’s area of expertise; directing theses and dissertations, as well as serving on thesis and dissertation advisory committees; serving on the university Graduate Council; and serving on the University Research Council. A member of the graduate faculty is appointed for a five-year term by the provost and executive vice president for academic affairs upon the recommendation of the department chair, academic dean, university Graduate Council and dean of the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.

All members are expected to maintain an active program of scholarship and remain current in the literature, methodologies and techniques of their respective disciplines; contribute to the establishment of appropriate standards for admission and retention of qualified students into the graduate programs of the university; contribute to the establishment of appropriate criteria for conferring graduate degrees and the development of quality curricula; promote the highest standards of student scholarship; and contribute to the establishment and maintenance of an environment of learning and achievement among graduate faculty and students.

Apply for Membership

Download the Graduate Faculty Membership Application and Renewal Form.

Types of Membership, Criteria for Selection and Privileges

Regular member

Appointment up to five years and subject to review at the end of the approved period. Regular membership is appropriate for full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty at SFA.

Criteria for Selection

terminal degree
appointment in a tenure or tenure-track position at SFA
appropriate level of professional or scholarly/creative activities in discipline (as evidenced by consultancies, performances, published and unpublished work, work presented at professional meetings, grant applications, faculty development, service as an officer in a professional society, graduate courses taught, theses directed, etc.)

Privileges

serving a five-year term subject to review in the fifth year
teaching graduate courses in the member's area of expertise
directing theses and dissertations and serving on thesis and dissertation committees in the member's area of expertise, as appropriate
eligibility to serve on the University Graduate Council and University Research Council

Limited member

Appointment is up to two years and subject to review at the end of the approved period. This status is appropriate for non-tenure track faculty and staff at SFA, a faculty member at another university or health institution, an individual active in industry or business, or a retired faculty member.

Criteria for Selection

terminal degree or achievement of professional accomplishment of an unusually high order or the attainment of professional expertise by virtue of training and experience

Privileges

teaching graduate courses in the member's area of expertise
serving as a member of a thesis or dissertation committee

Termination and Non-Renewal of Membership

Non-reappointment to the graduate faculty may be for any of the following reasons:

Omission of supporting evidence for review
Lack of maintaining appropriate levels of professional or scholarly/creative activities in one's discipline
Inactivity in graduate education

In exceptional circumstances, special training in recognized institutions (such as conservatories or research institutes) or the attainment of nationally recognized licenses/certificates may be judged to satisfy the requirement for advanced degrees. Extensive practical experience in activities related directly to one's faculty appointment and resulting in wide recognition at the regional and/or national levels may also satisfy the requirement for advanced degrees.

Graduate Faculty Review Process

Membership on the graduate faculty is required for faculty members who are active in at least one of the areas of responsibility for graduate education at SFA. These responsibilities include teaching graduate courses in the member's area of expertise; directing exhibitions, theses and dissertations, as well as serving on exhibition, thesis and dissertation advisory committees; serving on the university Graduate Council; and serving on the University Research Council. A member of the graduate faculty is appointed initially for a five-year term by the executive vice president for academic affairs upon the recommendation of the academic unit head, academic dean and dean of graduate studies.

Each faculty member reviewed will be evaluated by all members of one's academic department holding regular (tenure track) status on the graduate faculty. The evaluation will be with regard to one's contribution to graduate education at SFA, professional and scholarly/creative activities, and the programmatic needs of the department. Recommendation should then be forwarded to the academic unit head that the candidate be reappointed for a full term on the graduate faculty or be removed from the graduate faculty.

When a recommendation for non-reappointment is made, a faculty member may file an appeal. An appeal of a decision to remove a person from graduate faculty status must be filed within 30 days of notice of the decision to remove the faculty member and should follow HOP 02-310 (faculty disagreements).