This policy outlines information related to earning and sustaining graduate faculty status at McNeese State University. To ensure the quality and rigor of the University\u2019s graduate programs, faculty must have graduate faculty status to teach any graduate course, serve as a graduate advisor and major professor, and hold membership on any committees for which graduate faculty status is required. Oversight of all processes related to the \u201cgraduate faculty\u201d distinction is governed by the Dor\u00e9 School of Graduate Studies (hereafter referred to as \u201cSchool\u201d), and the awarding of graduate faculty status is based upon a vote by the Graduate Council. The Graduate Council will follow the guidelines presented herein when reviewing and voting upon graduate faculty membership applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Graduate faculty members are distinguished by their employment status at the University and their performance. Only full-time, tenured, or tenure-track faculty are eligible for the distinctions of Full Member or Associate Member. Other faculty are eligible for the distinction of Temporary Member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A faculty member at the rank of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor who holds a terminal degree appropriate for their discipline, per accreditation standards, who (1) is concluding a term as an Associate Member and (2) was engaged in graduate studies (e.g., teaching graduate courses, mentoring graduate students, serving on committees, etc.) as an Associate Member is eligible for appointment as a Full Member. Faculty with this distinction are eligible to teach graduate courses, serve as graduate advisors and major professors, and hold membership on any committees for which graduate faculty status is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Full Member is appointed for a term of five academic years. At the conclusion of their term, a Full Member must apply for renewal of their Full Member status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A faculty member at the rank of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor who holds a terminal degree appropriate for their discipline, per accreditation standards, is eligible for appointment as an Associate Member. Faculty with this distinction are eligible to teach graduate courses, serve as graduate advisors and major professors, and hold membership on any committees for which graduate faculty status is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An Associate Member is appointed for a term of three academic years. At the conclusion of their term, an Associate Member must apply for Full Member status if they meet the performance criteria presented in this policy. If they do not meet Full Member criteria, they may apply for renewal of their Associate Member status for another three-year term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Note: Newly hired or appointed faculty at the rank of assistant professor or above with a terminal degree in the teaching discipline may be granted status as a Temporary Member upon receipt of a memo from the department head with the dean\u2019s approval describing their credentials. This memo must then be approved by the executive director of the Graduate School. The newly hired faculty member will then submit an application for Associate Member by the last business day of March following their initial employment date, at which time they will be considered for Associate Member status.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n A faculty member at the rank of instructor or a visiting faculty member of any rank (e.g., visiting lecturers, clinical faculty, etc.) with a terminal degree in the teaching discipline is eligible for appointment as a Temporary Member of the graduate faculty. In most instances, the Temporary Member must hold a terminal degree or other SACSCOC-approved qualifications appropriate to perform graduate faculty responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In special circumstances, a faculty member without a terminal degree, but with other SACSCOC-approved qualifications as determined by the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness, may be appointed as a Temporary Member. For example, a Temporary Member may serve as a clinical faculty member or in another special role if they hold a professional endorsement specific to the duties they will be assigned. Such an endorsement must be regarded within the discipline as the appropriate credential for the duties in question and must be approved by the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Temporary Member is eligible to teach graduate courses and serve on graduate examining committees for comprehensive examinations and theses. To serve on an examining committee, written justification must be provided to the executive director of the Graduate School by the department head and academic dean to document the individual\u2019s expertise in the specific topic\/area of study relevant to the comprehensive examination or thesis and present a feasible rationale why the Temporary Member should serve in lieu of an Associate Member or Full Member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Temporary Member is appointed for a term of one academic year. Department heads must submit an appropriate memo describing credentials to be forwarded to the college dean for approval. This memo must then be approved by the executive director of the Graduate School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Graduate faculty membership applications require applicants to present highlights of their work in three performance areas: research or creative scholarship, professional activities, and University service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Research or creative scholarship is considered the purest example of scholarly activity. It involves a faculty member engaging themselves, as appropriate within the discipline, in investigation of a phenomenon or creation of an authentic work and then presenting the results of that effort in an appropriate forum. Examples of this include but are not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professional activities are regarded as critical responsibilities of faculty to maintain active roles within the trends, issues, and events of their disciplines. Examples of this include but are not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n University service is expected of all faculty as it enhances the quality of services the institution provides its students and facilitates collaboration among all members of the University community. Examples of this include but are not limited to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 <\/sup>One semester of an administrative assignment (e.g., dean, department head, director, coordinator, etc.) for which release time is awarded is equal to one University service activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All faculty should engage in their disciplines through scholarship and service. When applying for membership renewal or elevation, an applicant must document (per the application) activities related to graduate study to which they contributed during their current term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Renewal of Temporary Member status is contingent upon the applicant\u2019s satisfactory performance during their current term. A current Temporary Member\u2019s status may be renewed for an additional one-year term upon recommendation by the department head and academic dean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Elevation to or renewal of Associate Member status requires that an applicant document at least five activities, including at least one in each of the three performance areas. An Associate Member is appointed for a three-year term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Elevation to or renewal of Full Member status requires that an applicant document 10 or more activities, including at least one in each of the three performance areas. A Full Member is appointed for a five-year term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Extraordinary circumstances may create a situation where a current Associate Member or Full Member does not meet the performance expectations for renewal or elevation. To provide that faculty member additional time to meet the performance expectations, they may be reappointed as graduate faculty with a distinction different from that for which they applied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following table outlines this reappointment decision model.<\/p>\n\n\nTemporary Member<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Performance Expectations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Research or Creative Scholarship<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Professional Activities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
University Service<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Membership Renewal or Elevation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Renewal of Temporary Member Status<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Elevation to or Renewal of Associate Member Status<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Elevation to or Renewal of Full Member Status<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reappointment with Different Status<\/h3>\n\n\n\n