4.1.2 - Graduate Faculty Status

Appointment to the Graduate Faculty carries approval to teach or otherwise academically supervise students at the post-baccalaureate level, eligibility to participate on graduate committees, and eligibility to elect representation for graduate committees. Members of the Graduate Faculty are expected to demonstrate a high level of scholarly activity and active professional involvement in their discipline and are required to demonstrate teaching expertise at advanced and specialized levels appropriate for graduate programs.

The Graduate College is responsible for providing leadership and oversight for graduate education at Kennesaw State University. The Graduate College dean is responsible for ensuring institutional standards for graduate programs, including establishing and reviewing institutional faculty qualifications for engaging in post-baccalaureate instruction, supervision of graduate students in Graduate Research (GRA) and Graduate Teaching (GTA) assistantships, as well as supervision of independent student work, e.g. thesis, dissertation, and graduate internship work.

Consistent with University policy and accreditation standards, instructors may not serve in a primary instructional role in any post-baccalaureate activity for which graduate hour credit is sought or awarded without prior or concurrent review and approval by the Graduate College. Appointment to the Graduate Faculty of Kennesaw State University is based upon a faculty member’s qualifications.

Membership in the Graduate Faculty does not create a right to a graduate instructional assignment. Under University policy, such assignments are made at the college and departmental level.

All applications for Graduate Faculty status must be submitted through the process identified by the Graduate College. 

Classifications of Graduate Faculty

Kennesaw State University supports three categories of Graduate Faculty status. The standard appointment is Full Graduate Faculty status. Associate Graduate Faculty status supports KSU employees who focus on graduate teaching rather than research. Affiliate Graduate Faculty status allows KSU to draw on members of local and academic communities to serve special purposes, such as teaching particular graduate courses or serving as external members on thesis/dissertation committees.

Full Graduate Faculty Status

With full graduate faculty status, members are eligible to:

• Teach graduate courses.
• Supervise graduate research assistants (GRAs) and graduate teaching assistants (GTAs).
• Serve as voting members and chairs of university graduate committees.
• Serve as chair, member, or reader for thesis and dissertation committees.

To be eligible for Full Graduate Faculty status, a faculty member must have the following qualifications:

• Teaching: demonstrate teaching expertise at advanced and specialized levels appropriate for graduate programs.
• Research: The faculty member must  EITHER

1. maintain an active record of research in the discipline; OR
2. have earned a terminal degree in the discipline in the last five years; OR
3. receive a special exemption based on professional qualifications; as determined by the academic department.

• Employment Status: The individual must hold a tenured or tenure-track position at KSU.

Term: Full graduate faculty status, once awarded is maintained throughout the faculty member’s time at KSU.

Associate Graduate Faculty Status

With associate graduate faculty status, members are eligible to:

• Teach graduate courses.
• Supervise graduate teaching assistants (GTAs).
• Serve as voting members of university graduate committees.
• Serve as member or reader for thesis and dissertation committees.

To be eligible for Associate Graduate Faculty status, a faculty member must have the following qualifications:

• Teaching: demonstrate teaching expertise at advanced and specialized levels appropriate for graduate programs.
• Employment Status: The individual must hold a tenured or tenure-track position at KSU.

Term: Associate Graduate Faculty Status, once awarded is maintained throughout the faculty member’s time at KSU.

Associate Graduate Faculty members may petition for Full Graduate Faculty Status.

Affiliate Graduate Faculty Status

Affiliate graduate faculty status is designed for non-tenured and non-tenure track faculty, e.g. KSU staff,  KSU lecturers, faculty members from other institutions, and those working in industry or business.

With affiliate graduate faculty status, members are eligible to:

• Teach graduate courses.
• Supervise graduate teaching assistants (GTAs).
• Serve as member or reader for thesis and dissertation committees.

To be eligible for Affiliate Graduate Faculty status, an individual must have the following qualifications:

• A terminal degree in the field in which they will teach; or
• demonstrate teaching expertise at advanced and specialized levels appropriate, or for graduate programs.
• Relevant (research) expertise related to the role (e.g. in line with the topic of thesis or dissertation committee) on which they will serve as a member.

Term: 3 years, renewable.

Process for Appointment

The Graduate College dean is responsible for approving membership in the Graduate Faculty. This process is initiated by the applicant and routes to their department chair.  The department chair will verify the applicant’s qualifications for Graduate Faculty status or provide a justification. The Graduate College dean may appoint a panel of graduate faculty to review applications. Instructions for requests for appointment to Graduate Faculty are available on the Graduate College  website (https://graduate.kennesaw.edu).

Approved status is effective as of the day of the award and expires after the period of time assigned to the status category.

The Graduate College dean may review and modify the award of Graduate Faculty status at any time.

Status of KSU Administrators

KSU faculty members who have already established Graduate Faculty status and who serve as President, vice presidents and associate vice presidents, vice provosts and associate vice provosts, academic deans and associate/assistant deans, and department chairs sustain their Graduate Faculty status for the duration of the time they are in administrative appointments.

Individuals hired into KSU simultaneously as faculty members and administrators must apply for Graduate Faculty status to be eligible to teach graduate courses, supervise GRAs/GTAs, or serve on thesis/dissertation committees.

Revocation of Membership in the Graduate Faculty

Revocation may occur for egregious acts or when a faculty member fails to fulfill the responsibilities of a member of the Graduate Faculty to teach graduate student(s) effectively, in a civil, professionally appropriate manner, to do scholarly research and creative work of high quality or remain active in the practice of the profession, and to direct the research/professional development of graduate student(s) so that they progress toward graduation in a timely manner appropriate to the field. Failure to teach graduate students effectively and/or to direct the research and professional development of graduate student(s) also includes, but is not limited to, abuse of power, intimidation and harassment, and violation of workplace violence policies. Revocation can be initiated by the dean of the college for which the faculty member is assigned or by the Graduate College dean.