Appointment to Graduate School Faculty

Policy Statement

Appointment to Graduate School Faculty

The University Graduate School grants graduate research degrees (Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.A.T.) and the Master of Fine Arts degree, whereas various schools award professional degrees such as the M.B.A. and Ed.D. Membership in the Graduate Faculty is relevant for faculty working with students pursuing degrees offered by the University Graduate School and carries with it automatic approval of specific privileges for serving on the dissertation committees of those students. Membership in the Graduate Faculty is not required for teaching graduate courses or serving on Ph.D. qualifying examination or advisory committees.

Graduate Faculty Membership

All tenure-track faculty are granted graduate faculty status at the time of appointment; departments notify the University Graduate School each fall of their new tenure-track appointments so an authoritative master list of graduate faculty members can be maintained. Non-tenure-track faculty or other appointees (such as research scientists) can also be appointed to graduate faculty status for a term not to exceed their employment contract; the nominating department sends a brief memo and a copy of the faculty member’s vita.

An endorsement to chair doctoral dissertation committees is granted separately from graduate faculty status by a vote of a departmental advisory or steering committee, or by a majority vote of the departmental graduate faculty, or by some other review process appropriate for the unit. Faculty who receive this endorsement must hold a regular faculty appointment at Indiana University, but do not necessarily have to hold that appointment within the unit conferring the endorsement. However, if the faculty member holds a regular appointment in a unit other than the one conferring the endorsement, s/he must participate substantially in doctoral education within the department or program authorized to offer the Ph.D. The program director or chair shall notify the Dean of the University Graduate School of the election of the faculty to this status.

In addition, graduate faculty status with or without endorsement to chair Ph.D. dissertation committees may be granted by the Dean of the University Graduate School upon successful petition by the head of the faculty member’s unit. The head sends a brief memo explaining the request with a copy of the vita.

Current associate members of the graduate faculty will automatically become members of the graduate faculty; current full members will become members with endorsement to direct dissertations.

Graduate faculty status can be revoked for egregious behavior or scholarly or scientific misconduct by the Dean of the University Graduate School upon the recommendation of the Graduate School Council.

(University Graduate School Council, October 4, 2004)

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History

University Graduate School Council, October 4, 2004

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