Austin Peay State University Graduate Faculty Status and Criteria

Last revised January 16, 2019

Graduate Faculty Status Criteria by Graduate Degree

Purpose Statement

To provide the most qualified faculty for graduate education and in accordance with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission’s The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement 2018 Edition, Section 6: Faculty (shown below), herein outlines the minimum criteria needed for faculty to have Graduate Faculty Status set by Austin Peay State University. APSU considers Graduate Faculty Status as meeting the minimum criteria needed to instruct, participate in thesis/field studies/dissertation committees, and mentor graduate students as these criteria relate to a specific graduate program at the Masters or Doctoral level.

The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement 2018 Edition, Section 6: Faculty

“Achievement of the institution’s mission with respect to teaching, research, and service requires a critical mass of full-time qualified faculty to provide direction and oversight of the academic programs. Due to this significant role, it is imperative that an effective system of evaluation be in place for all faculty members that takes into account the institution’s obligations to foster intellectual freedom of faculty to teach, serve, research, and publish.”

APSU Graduate Faculty Work and Responsibilities

Faculty who meet or exceed the criteria herein, are considered qualified to instruct specific graduate courses and/or mentor graduate students within a specific graduate program. The criteria are designed and routinely vetted by the graduate faculty of the graduate program to ensure each student receives the best education, training, and mentorship as appropriate for the discipline. It is the responsibility of each graduate faculty member to support graduate student learning, thesis/field studies/dissertation work, and/or mentorship to the highest standards appropriate to the discipline.

APSU Graduate Faculty Status Criteria

For APSU faculty to be recognized as having graduate faculty status, those faculty must have earned a terminal degree* in the teaching discipline or a related discipline to the graduate degree program that they are assigned to teach. Also, faculty seeking and/or maintaining graduate faculty status must meet or exceed minimums set by each graduate program for scholarly activities related to the graduate program’s discipline and/or course content within the graduate program.

*Exceptions to the APSU Graduate Faculty Status Criteria terminal degree requirements may occur if the faculty member has professional experiences in the field relevant to the assigned graduate course or program. All exceptions must be approved by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, APSU’s SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Exception for Faculty Credentials Form).

Procedure for attaining Graduate Faculty Status for Fulltime, Tenured and Tenure-track Faculty

APSU faculty interested in attaining graduate faculty status must have their credentials verified by the department chair of the graduate program by completing Graduate Faculty Status Form and updating the Graduate Faculty Roster. The Graduate Faculty Status Form and the Graduate Faculty Roster are submitted to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies for approval then sent to the APSU’s SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for approval. If an exception to the APSU Graduate Faculty Status Criteria is sought, then the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies will request additional materials from the department chair. Exceptions will be reviewed by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, the APSU’s SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Exception for Faculty Credentials Form).

Procedure for attaining Graduate Faculty Status for Adjuncts and Temporary Faculty

APSU adjuncts and temporary faculty may attain APSU Graduate Faculty Status by completing the Graduate Faculty Status Form in consultation with the graduate program department chair. The graduate program department chair will update the Graduate Faculty Roster and submit the Graduate Faculty Status Form and the Graduate Faculty Roster to the Dean for the College of Graduate Studies approval then sent to the APSU’s SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for approval. If an exception to the APSU Graduate Faculty Status Criteria is sought, then the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies will request additional materials from the department chair. Exceptions will be reviewed by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, the APSU’s SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Exception for Faculty Credentials Form).

Procedure for attaining Graduate Faculty Status for Non-APSU Employed Professionals

Non-APSU employed professionals may attain APSU Graduate Faculty Status by completing the Graduate Faculty Status Form in consultation with the graduate program department chair. The graduate program department chair will update the Graduate Faculty Roster and submit the Graduate Faculty Status Form and the Graduate Faculty Roster to the Dean for the College of Graduate Studies approval then sent to the APSU’s SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for approval. If an exception to the APSU Graduate Faculty Status Criteria is sought, then the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies will request additional materials from the department chair. Exceptions will be reviewed by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, the APSU’s SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Exception for Faculty Credentials Form).

Maintaining Graduate Faculty Status

Every five (5) years*, those with Graduate Faculty Status, in consultation with the department chair, must reapply to maintain Graduate Faculty Status by completing the Graduate Faculty Status Form which updates the Graduate Faculty Roster maintained by the College of Graduate Studies and the Office of Academic Affairs.

*As of August 13, 2018, graduate faculty whose last names begin with the letters “A-F” will renew membership. In the next three sequential years, those graduate faculty with last names that begin with the letters “G-L” will renew membership in 2019, followed by those faculty with last names beginning with the letters “M-T” in 2020 and finally, those faculty with last names beginning with the letters “U-Z” in 2021. This is to allow a staggering of graduate faculty renewals. Thereafter, this process will allow graduate faculty membership to be renewed every five (5) years.