Membership Regulations | Faculty Review | Membership Application/Renewal Form

Graduate Faculty Review Process
Membership on the graduate faculty is required for those 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 Vice President for Academic Affairs upon the recommendation of the department chair, academic dean, University Graduate Council, and Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research.

Membership on the graduate faculty carries with it the responsibility for active participation in the graduate program and for maintaining the highest possible level of professional competence in the member’s discipline. As a means of maintaining high standards, the university requires full and associate members to undergo a review of their performance every six and five years, respectively, starting from the date of their initial appointment or reappointment. The review procedure will be initiated by the Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research, who will ask each faculty member scheduled for review to prepare and present information pertinent to the review (see Graduate Faculty Membership Application form). First appointments will be initiated by the department and must include similar information.

Each faculty member reviewed shall be evaluated by all members of one’s academic department holding full or associate status on the graduate faculty. The evaluation shall be with regard to one’s contribution to graduate education at SFASU, professional and scholarly/creative activities, and the programmatic needs of the department. Each faculty member will submit a written recommendation to the department chair that the candidate be reappointed for a full term on the graduate faculty, be appointed to a two-year term, or be removed from the graduate faculty. For those being evaluated who are currently serving as associate members and who are recommended for reappointment, a recommendation will be submitted as to whether they should continue to serve as an associate member or as a full member on the graduate faculty. For departments with fewer than five associate or full members on the graduate faculty, the Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research shall appoint faculty from a closely related department or departments in order that information prepared by the faculty member is reviewed by at least five members of the graduate faculty.

In addition, the department chair, academic dean, University Graduate Council, and Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies will, in order, review the material and make recommendations to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, who will make the decision on renewal.

Recommendations may be for:

1. Appointment to a five- or six-year term (as appropriate) at the current level*;
2. Promotion of an Associate Member to Full Membership;
3. Appointment to a two-year term at the current level;
4. Non-reappointment to the graduate faculty.
   
   *Note: A faculty member may request reappointment to a level lower than the one currently held.

If a recommendation for a two-year appointment is made, this should serve as a probationary period and a warning that activity must be increased within this two-year period or membership on the graduate faculty may be withdrawn. Under normal circumstances, an individual will be granted one probationary period.

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 thirty days of notice of the decision to remove the faculty member and should follow the policy, Guarantees Relating to Matters Other Than Termination and Non Renewal of Contracts.

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

1. Omission of supporting evidence for review;
2. Lack of maintaining appropriate levels of professional or scholarly/creative activities in one’s discipline; or
3. Inactivity in graduate education. (Note: This criterion does not apply when opportunities to be active in graduate education at SFASU do not exist.)