1.5.3 Graduate Faculty Status

Graduate Faculty Status

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.

Table 2: Delineation of roles based on Graduate Faculty Status.

1. 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.

Graduate Faculty Status Appointment Procedures

Graduate Faculty Status appointment and retention decisions are made by the Dean of the Graduate School with recommendations and advice from department chairs, deans of colleges and schools, and the Graduate Faculty Council.

Recommendation for Graduate Faculty Status is made in writing by the department chair of the appropriate academic unit or by the dean of the appropriate school. These recommendations are forwarded to the appropriate College Dean, and then to the Graduate Dean.

A. Review of Graduate Faculty Status

It is expected that department chairs/school deans will continually review the performance of all individuals holding Graduate Faculty Status in their respective units using criteria outlined in Section C above. A "procedure for review of graduate faculty status" every eight years and a suggested "Review Template" is maintained by the Graduate School.

When, in a department chair/school dean's professional judgement, an appointment to Graduate Faculty Status is no longer appropriate the chair/dean must recommend that the appointment in question be changed or terminated. The Dean of the Graduate School may also initiate the process that leads to the change or termination of Graduate Faculty Status in consultation with the appropriate chair/dean.

A person removed from full appointment to Graduate Faculty Status during a review will be eligible for future recommendation to full appointment to Graduate Faculty Status.

Appeals Process

1. An individual (the appellant) may appeal to the Dean of the Graduate School, in writing, the recommendation for change or termination of Graduate Faculty Status.
   1. Appeals must be made within 30 calendar days of being notified of the recommendation for Graduate Faculty Status change or termination.
   2. Appeals must specifically list the basis for the appeal, including the aspect of the policy or procedure that the candidate believes was violated or evidence that was not considered appropriately in evaluating their qualifications for the desired Graduate Faculty Status.
2. The Dean of the Graduate School will forward the appeal to a standing committee comprised of members selected from among faculty with full appointment to Graduate Faculty Status. The composition and functioning of the Graduate Faculty Status Appeals Committee (GFSAC, pronounced "gif‐sac") will be determined by the Dean of the Graduate School, with the advice and consent of the Graduate Faculty Council.
3. The GFSAC and the Dean of the Graduate School will forward their recommendations to the provost, who will make the final decision.
4. The provost will communicate the decision to the appellant, the Dean of the Graduate School, and to any affected recommending bodies, generally within 30 calendar days of receipt.

Revised:
05/27/2025 - Revised to contain the text from former Senate Policy 711.1 and Senate Procedure 711.1.1.
05/07/2019 - Removed text and referenced Senate Policy & Procedure
02/21/2017 - Annual Review: To reflect current practice addition of "It is expected that department chairs/school deans will continually review the performance of all individuals holding graduate faculty status in their respective units using criteria outlined in Section B above. A "procedure for review of graduate faculty" every eight years and a suggested "Review Template" was approved by the Graduate Faculty Council on April 7, 2015." to section "D".
12/08/2016 - Annual Review: Minor grammar change. Addition of comma, "...RESEARCH, PART-TIME, VISITING..."
01/22/2015 - Annual Review: To reflect current practice, the email address for questions is now policy@mtu.edu. Item A, third paragraph read "... the graduate dean may appoint individuals ...." now reads "... the Graduate Dean may appoint individuals ... ;" and the fourth paragraph read "... serve as examining members on Masters and PhD committees, and supervise Masters and PhD students" now reads "... serve as examining members on Master's and PhD committees, and supervise Master's and PhD students."
02/06/2014 - Updated Michigan Tech and Handbook banners, no changes made to content.
01/29/2014 - Updated Michigan Tech banner, no changes made to content.
01/08/2014 - 2013 Annual Review: Item C, second paragraph read ".... appropriate academic unit or by the deans of the appropriate School" now reads ".... appropriate academic unit or by the dean of the appropriate School"; and Item D, the last sentence in the second paragraph read ".... with the advice and consent of the Graduate Council" now reads ".... with the advice and consent of the Graduate Faculty Council."
03/12/2013 - Annual Review: The first and second paragraphs read: "The Graduate Faculty consists of members of the academic faculty holding the rank of ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, or PROFESSOR who have been appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dean of the Graduate School may also grant graduate faculty status to LECTURER, ADJUNCT and EMERITUS faculty and faculty holding a rank with a prefix of VISITING, but these appointments are for one year and must be reviewed and reappointed on an annual basis." now reads: "The Graduate Faculty consists of tenured and tenure-track members of the academic faculty holding the rank of ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, or PROFESSOR who have been appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School. Tenured and tenure-track 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 others with an on-going professional relationship with Michigan Tech, including RESEARCH, PART-TIME, VISITING, or ADJUNCT faculty members, LECTURERS and INSTRUCTORS, RESEARCH ENGINEERS, and RESEARCH SCIENTISTS." the fourth paragraph read "(500 level and above)" and now reads (5000 level and above)". Also added the fifth paragraph: "Persons who are not members of the Graduate Faculty may teach 5000 and 6000 level courses only after obtaining written approval from the Dean of the Graduate School." The first paragraph in item C. read: "... and the Graduate Council" and now reads: "... and the Graduate Faculty Council"
05/02/2011 - Annual Review: IN Item C. the sentence "Recommendation for Graduate Faculty status is made in writing by the department chair of the appropriate academic unit or by the deans of the Schools of Business and Forestry" now reads "Recommendation for Graduate Faculty status is made in writing by the department chair of the appropriate academic unit or by the deans of the appropriate School."