Graduate Instruction Certification

All faculty (full- and part-time instructional faculty and faculty administrators) assigned to teach graduate courses or supervise graduate student research must be certified according to the provisions of the Certification of Faculty for Graduate Instruction policy, located in the Faculty Handbook.

1. All faculty assigned to teach graduate courses and/or supervise graduate student research must be certified using the University's Certification of Faculty for Graduate Instruction form. Faculty are to be certified for graduate instruction in their field of specialization based on their college's published criteria of required scholarly, creative, and/or professional accomplishments; satisfactory teaching performance; and necessary terminal degree. All faculty may be approved for periods of up to five years. At the end of the approval period, a review is made by the appropriate department/school and college graduate committee for renewal of the certification for graduate instruction.

   For those faculty who do not possess a terminal degree, but who have been appointed in recognition of their exceptional scholarly or creative activity or their professional expertise, the department chair or relevant supervisor must submit the Exceptional Certification of Faculty for Graduate Instruction form to the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in accordance with the policy on Academic and Professional Preparation Requirements for Faculty, located in the Faculty Handbook.

   Each college's graduate certification standards shall ordinarily be recognized reciprocally by the other academic colleges.

2. Process for Certification

   Faculty must be certified for graduate instruction every five years. At the end of the initial approval period, a review is made by the appropriate department/school and college graduate committee for renewal of the certification. Specific certification standards at Levels I, II, and III are to be set by the individual college. After reviewing the candidate's qualifications, the appropriate department/school submits the Certification of Faculty for Graduate Instruction form and the necessary documents (C.V., transcripts, licensures/certifications, letter of justification, if relevant) to its college graduate committee for evaluation and recommendation for approval.

   The college graduate committee submits to the dean or designee the completed Certification of Faculty for Graduate Instruction form and required documentation of qualifications of those faculty deemed eligible for certification and informs the department of its decision.

   The dean or designee either approves or disapproves the recommendation and informs the college committee and the department of the decision. The dean or designee forwards a copy of Certification of Faculty for Graduate Instruction form and required documents to the provost or designee.

   If questions arise concerning the qualifications of faculty for certification, these must be addressed to the prior level of recommendation for approval. Attempts should be made to resolve them among the recommending and approving authorities. An appeal may be made to the provost or designee if these efforts fail to resolve the problem.

3. Exceptions and Termination

   1. Exceptions to this policy, for example duration of certification and/or substitution of equivalent qualifications, will be granted only in extraordinary circumstances that can be documented in writing by the program and/or department/school. Such exceptions require the approval of the appropriate department/school committee, the college graduate committee, the dean or designee, and the provost or designee.

   2. Failure to maintain the required level of creative, scholarly and/or professional activity and satisfactory teaching performance will result in termination of certification for graduate instruction.

4. Assignment of Graduate Faculty

   The deans of the academic colleges are responsible for ensuring that all faculty are certified prior to assuming their graduate assignments. Faculty who are not graduate certified may not participate in any aspect of graduate education.