Graduate Faculty Membership

App State's graduate faculty teach graduate courses, mentor graduate students, serve on thesis and dissertation committees, and engage in scholarly activities to stay current in and advance their fields. Nearly 800 faculty are currently members of the graduate faculty.

There are two types of membership: Full graduate faculty and Affiliate graduate faculty. The timeline for Full graduate faculty review and membership renewal should be aligned with the P&T review process.

Qualifications for Graduate Faculty Membership

  • The highest degree (PhD, EdD, MFA) in the discipline
  • Evidence of engagement in graduate education and research, including:
    • Evidence that the faculty member is staying current in the discipline
    • Evidence of effective teaching and mentoring at the graduate level; new faculty may include evidence of potential for effective teaching and mentoring

Affiliate membership may be granted in circumstances where the faculty member's credentials do not meet the above requirements, for part-time or external faculty or members of thesis and dissertation committees, or when a more time-limited graduate faculty status is desired.

Current Graduate Faculty

The membership list can be searched by name, department, or college. External affiliate members are not included in this list.

Procedure for Requesting Full Membership

New Tenure-Track Hires

All tenure-track, terminal degree holding faculty serving in departments housing graduate programs can be approved for one year of affiliate membership upon hiring (resolution passed by Graduate Council, September 2012). This membership is awarded to provide the department an opportunity to get to know the faculty member before voting on graduate faculty membership. For this to happen, the department chair MUST request membership via completion of the process outlined below for continuing faculty or temporary faculty. However, the hiring department may choose to request a full three year affiliate appointment or full membership for a five year period and bypass affiliate membership altogether if criteria for graduate education engagement are met upon hire.

Continuing Tenure-Track Faculty

A faculty member should request consideration for graduate faculty membership at each formal review: reappointment, tenure, promotion, or post-tenure review. Include the following in the materials submitted for graduate faculty renewal:

  • The Application for Graduate Faculty Membership
  • A brief letter summarizing evidence of engagement in graduate education and research during the last five years, including evidence of staying current in the discipline and evidence of effective teaching and mentoring at the graduate level
  • A current curriculum vita

These materials should be combined into a single PDF file and submitted for review and approval by the appropriate departmental committee and the Dean of the home College/School. Upon approval, the Academic Dean will forward the application to Marty Hall, Business Officer (hallml4@appstate.edu) for consideration and final approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Upon appointment, the faculty member will hold membership on the graduate faculty until the next review, or for 5 years, whichever occurs first.

Note: Faculty who are exempt from post-tenure review due to administrative reassignment must apply to renew membership every five years.

Procedure for Requesting Affiliate Membership

Affiliate membership may be requested by a department in circumstances where the faculty member's credentials do not meet the above requirements (e.g., not in a department offering graduate courses on a regular basis, no terminal degree, visiting faculty, etc.), but professional or other academic experience equip the individual to teach a specific graduate class or classes or to serve on a thesis or dissertation committee.

The specific responsibility and timeline must be disclosed in the application. Affiliate membership may be requested for up to three years.

The application packet should include:

  • The Application for Graduate Faculty Membership
  • A brief letter summarizing evidence of engagement in graduate education and research during the last five years, including evidence of staying current in the discipline and evidence of, or the potential for, effective teaching and mentoring at the graduate level
  • A current vita or resume

The application should be combined into a single PDF document, signed by the Chair, and reviewed by the Academic Dean. Upon approval, the Academic Dean will forward the application to Marty Hall, Business Officer (hallml4@appstate.edu) for consideration by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Questions?

Contact Marty Hall: hallml4@appstate.edu