Graduate faculty membership is aligned with University hiring, evaluation, and assessment procedures, which comply with regional accreditation and state guidelines. Departmental and college standards for hiring and reviewing graduate faculty are comprehensive and meet regulations of The Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Departments meet additional requirements related to discipline-specific accrediting agencies.
The assigned privileges in each graduate faculty membership category described below are minimums. It is recognized that departments have varying needs and expectations for faculty concerning graduate faculty membership. Departments and colleges may choose to assign: a) all privileges, b) a selection of privileges, or c) add privileges through an endorsement. This process provides flexibility, through endorsements, so that departments can meet the needs of their graduate enterprise and align faculty expectations with departmental tenure and evaluation processes.
Graduate faculty membership privileges may include the ability to:
- Conduct graduate classes and seminars that stimulate creativity and contribute to the growth and development of independent scholarly attitudes and performance;
- Be productive, creative scholars devoted to discovery, development, and refinement of knowledge and techniques in one’s field of expertise, usually resulting in publication for evaluation and criticism by peers;
- Encourage among students informal activities that can lead to scholarly or artistic production;
- Seek out undergraduate students of outstanding ability and encourage them to pursue graduate study at West Texas A&M University;
- Maintain standards of student performance that will prepare graduates who can carry professional and scholarly responsibilities of an educated person in a free society;
- Periodically review curricular offerings and program requirements of the graduate program in their department or division.
Faculty seeking to serve a graduate role in a department outside of their own discipline must request and receive approval by the associated department and college through the endorsement process outlined on this page.
Removal of graduate faculty membership status is determined by department and college or by employment termination.
Types of Graduate Faculty Appointment Membership
The graduate faculty shall include the president of the university, the provost / vice president for academic affairs, the dean of the graduate school, the deans of the colleges, and all academic heads of departments and divisions that have a graduate program, as ex officio members with voting privileges.
Levels of Membership
There are three levels of graduate faculty membership at West Texas A&M University: Graduate Faculty-Fellow, Graduate Faculty-Tenured, and Graduate Faculty-Affiliate. Each membership level has corresponding privileges, but all appointments require approval as outlined in each subsequent section below.
Graduate Program and Faculty Review
A yearly review of graduate faculty and programs is completed through a required WTAMU annual review. Additionally, the tenure and promotion process reviews progress and credentials for graduate faculty. With the support of the graduate school, a periodic review of all graduate programs is completed as according to THECB’s Academic Affairs and Research Division.
The following are responsible for the approval signatures and process of graduate faculty membership:
- Department or School: Direct Supervisor or Department Head;
- College: Dean or Associate Dean;
- Graduate School: Graduate School Dean or Associate Dean.
The provost/vice president for academic affairs will notify the dean of the graduate school of personnel changes which relate to graduate faculty status. Direct supervisors may also recommend membership withdrawal or abeyance through appropriate administrative channels.
Graduate Faculty Membership AppealsA faculty member may appeal membership decisions through the Graduate Council. The faculty member must file a declaration of intention to appeal, in writing, with the dean of the graduate school at least two days before the Graduate Council meets. A department/division head or another faculty member may appeal on the faculty member’s behalf. If the appeal is unsuccessful, further appeal may be made to the dean of the graduate school and provost/vice president for academic affairs.