Graduate Faculty
Criteria for Faculty Appointments
Criteria for Appointment to Levels I and II
The graduate faculty includes only those members of the Southern University faculty appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School, by authorization of the Chancellor of the Baton Rouge campus, and upon the approval of the Graduate Council. Members of the faculty who hold the rank of assistant professor or above at Southern University- Baton Rouge may qualify for appointment to the graduate faculty upon the submission of an application with appropriate documentation of credentials and scholarly accomplishments attached. All applicants must meet the required established criteria in order to receive appointment in either category.
Faculty may receive appointment in two categories:
Graduate Studies Faculty Level I - eligible to serve as a member on theses and/or dissertation supervisory committees and direct (chair) master's theses.
Graduate Studies Faculty Level II - eligible to serve and direct (chair) master's theses and doctoral dissertations.
Maintenance of Graduate Faculty Status
Appointment to the graduate faculty may be made provisional or permanent. Provisional appointment is normally given to non- tenured faculty with the rank of Assistant Professor. Provisional appointment is for a maximum period of two years and requires a review of scholarly activity at the end of the provisional period by the Graduate Council for approval of permanent status.
Faculty granted permanent graduate faculty status must submit to the graduate council updated curriculum vita every five years. After review of the vita, the Council may revoke graduate faculty status if it is determined that there is insufficient scholarly activity.
*Faculty holding Graduate Studies Faculty I status, with an active record of research and scholarship, may petition the Graduate Council for permission to chair dissertation committees. The petition must include the following: current curriculum vita detailing research activity; endorsement letter from department's GSF Level II faculty; endorsement of Department Chair and College Dean. The Graduate Council, upon review of the petition, may approve the petition for a specific dissertation ONLY, or a temporary period until such time as the faculty member qualifies for GSF Level II status. No faculty shall teach graduate courses without receiving a graduate faulty status appointment.
Adjunct Graduate Faculty
Adjunct graduate status may be granted to individuals hired to teach graduate courses on a temporary and/or part-time basis and faculty form other accredited institutions seeking to serve on supervisory committees for master's theses and/or doctoral dissertations. Faculty from other institutions must submit evidence of graduate faculty status at their home institution.
Individuals hired by academic units as adjunct faculty to teach graduate courses must submit their credentials to the Graduate Council for approval prior to the start of the semester in which they will be instructing.