Foundational Principles for Graduate Faculty Criteria

Minimum criteria: The Graduate School Criteria Statement summarizes the minimum criteria required for appointment to Graduate Faculty. Units may include additional criteria.

Research and scholarship productivity indicators: Quality research/scholarship is foundational to graduate education. Although research productivity may be evidenced in various ways, publication in refereed professional journals, books, and monographs, juried/reviewed performance in the arts, and receipt of external grants are nationally accepted indicators for most disciplines. It is also a nationally accepted principle that faculty members should themselves have demonstrated research proficiency and be at the forefront of their fields in order to direct Ph.D. dissertation research.

Peer review: The best measure of a faculty member's research/scholarship proficiency and the mastery of current methodology is for his/her work to be accepted for publication or funding, having successfully undergone peer-review.

Currency of research and scholarship: Since the knowledge base and research methodology within a discipline are subject to continual expansion, currency in research involvement is also required of faculty engaged in directing graduate student research. Faculty whose own work is on the frontiers of research can lead the student into productive and publishable areas of discovery. It is understood that the frequency of publication will vary among disciplines; however, an active research program should result in at least one refereed publication every three to four years.

Purpose of Criteria Statements: The Dean of the Graduate School is ultimately responsible for appointments to Graduate Faculty, and the Academic Standards Committee (formerly Credentials Committee) of the Graduate Council serves as the primary advisory body to the Dean on Graduate Faculty issues. The purpose of the Criteria Statement is to provide guidance in the decision-making process.

Clarity of Standards: The Criteria Statement should be viewed as a clear expression of expectations for faculty interested in attaining Graduate Faculty appointments and does not attempt to accommodate every possible contingency. It is recognized that on occasion some exceptions to policy may be appropriate, including considerations related to tenure and promotion practices, and with suitable documentation, such exceptions may be granted.