Graduate Faculty Status
(Proposal 10-19) (Faculty Handbook Section 1.5.3)(Proposal 17-25)
Senate Policy 711.1
A. Membership
The Graduate Faculty consists of members of the academic faculty holding the rank of ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, or PROFESSOR (either instructional or tenure track (T/TT)) who have been appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School. Faculty who are awarded EMERITUS status upon retirement remain members of the Graduate Faculty.
The Dean of the Graduate School may also grant Graduate Faculty Status to other people with an on‐ going professional relationship with Michigan Tech. Under special circumstances, the Graduate Dean may appoint qualified individuals with special technical expertise to Graduate Faculty Status for a specific term and purpose, such as serving as a member of a student's advisory committee.
B. Types of Appointments
There are two types of appointments to Graduate Faculty Status:
Full Appointment: Members with full appointment to Graduate Faculty Status are eligible to teach graduate courses (5000 level and above), serve as members on Master's and PhD committees, and supervise Master's and PhD students as sole or co‐advisor. Tenure track faculty are appointed with full status.
Associate Appointment: Persons with special technical expertise may be appointed to associate Graduate Faculty Status to serve as member of a student's advisory committee and/or to serve as a co‐ advisor for a graduate student and/or to teach 5000 and 6000 level courses.
Those with an associate appointment to Graduate Faculty Status are ineligible to serve as a graduate student’s sole advisor. Associate appointments are for a specific term and purpose. Eligibility and roles for the two types of Graduate Faculty Status appointments are summarized in Tables 1 and 2.
Table 1: Graduate Faculty Status eligibility based on University appointment.
|
University Appointment |
Full Appointment to Graduate Faculty Status [1] |
Associate Appointment to Graduate Faculty Status |
|
T/TT faculty [2] or academic administrators |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Emeriti faculty (maintain status at the time of retirement) |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Instructional track faculty [2] – with terminal degree |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Instructional track faculty [2] – without terminal degree |
Not generally eligible [3] |
Yes |
|
Michigan Tech employee engaged in scholarly activity – with terminal degree [3] |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Michigan Tech employee – without terminal degree [3] |
Not generally eligible [3] |
Yes |
|
No Michigan Tech employment |
Not eligible |
Yes |
|
1. Requires emeriti faculty appointment or 50% or greater regular Michigan Tech employment (regular = long term commitment at a minimum of 50%; not temporary) 2. See Faculty Handbook 1.5.1 3. The Dean of the Graduate School may, under special circumstances, consider a full appointment to Graduate Faculty Status when: a. The tested experience of the candidate is relevant to assigned teaching and scholarly duties, and b. The candidate is recognized by peers for distinguished professional accomplishments, and c. The candidate is considered an expert in the course(s) taught or the scholarly activity supervised. |
||
Table 2: Delineation of roles based on Graduate Faculty Status.
|
Role |
Full Appointment |
Associate Appointment |
|
Teach graduate courses |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Sole-advisor to graduate students |
Yes |
Not eligible |
|
Co-advisor to graduate students |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Serve on graduate advisory committees |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Term length of Graduate Faculty Status |
Eight years |
Eight years |
|
Renewal process |
Review by academic unit every eight years |
Review by academic unit every eight years |
- Qualifications of those with Graduate Faculty Status.
It is expected that all appointed to Graduate Faculty Status possess:
• a record of research, scholarship, or achievement appropriate for the graduate program
that nominates them;
• the necessary background for, and a continued interest in, teaching graduate courses;
and
• a commitment to effectively advise, mentor, and fund graduate students.
Evidence that a candidate meets the qualification requirements may include, but is not limited to, that:
• They regularly publish articles in recognized journals having national distribution,
author books/chapters related to their field of study, or are otherwise recognized
for their research and scholarship.
• They have earned the terminal degree in their field.
• They have a record of effectively advising, mentoring, and/or funding graduate students.
History:
Proposed to the Graduate Faculty Council on September 11, 2018.
Approved by the Graduate Faculty Council on September 25, 2018.
Dean’s Council on October 10, 2018
Introduced in Senate : February 20, 2019
Adopted by Senate: March 6, 2019
Approved by Administration: March 15, 2019
Proposal 17-25
Introduced in Senate : March 6, 2025
Adopted by Senate: March 13, 2025
Approved by Administration: March 20, 2025