Membership in the Graduate Faculty

Morgan State University is committed to recruiting, developing, and retaining the most qualified faculty to teach and to guide the research of students admitted to the School of Graduate Studies. Members of the graduate faculty are actively engaged in research, publication, teaching graduate courses, and guiding research for master's theses and/or doctoral dissertations. The classification of faculty at the University as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor, depicts different levels of professional achievement as reflected in their dossiers. Similarly, classification of faculty as tenure track, contractual, lecturer and adjunct reflects differences in their employment status at the University. These classifications also hold implications for preparation and selection for service as a member of the graduate faculty. Thus, the graduate faculty shall include full and associate memberships.

Full Membership
In order to hold full membership in the graduate faculty at Morgan, a faculty member must possess the terminal degree in the discipline, or a terminal degree in an appropriately related discipline, in which s/he is teaching in the graduate school. Additionally, full members shall be employed as tenure track faculty. Full members of the graduate faculty are expected to have distinguished themselves through teaching, research, and publication. Depending upon the discipline, full members may also be distinguished by professional practice or by artistic performance. Full members of the graduate faculty may teach master's and doctoral classes, and direct master's theses and doctoral dissertations.

Associate Membership
In order to hold an associate membership in the graduate faculty at Morgan, a faculty member is expected to possess the terminal degree in the discipline, or a terminal degree in an appropriately related discipline, in which s/he is teaching in the graduate school. Additionally, associate members of the graduate faculty may possess an adjunct, lecturer or contractual (i.e., fixed term) position. Associate members of the graduate faculty must, however, hold academic credentials sufficient to support an appointment at the University at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher. Associate members of the graduate faculty are expected to possess a documented record of teaching, research, and publication. Depending upon the discipline, associate members may also possess a documented record of professional practice or artistic performance.

Associate Members of the graduate faculty may teach graduate level courses. Associate members may chair master's theses and serve on doctoral committees but may not serve as chairpersons of doctoral/dissertation committees. Associate members may not vote on matters involving the Graduate Faculty. In cases where a graduate program would be without representation to the Graduate Council, an associate member may be appointed by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies to serve as a non-voting member until such time as the program employs faculty eligible for full membership.

Rights and Responsibilities of Graduate Faculty
Full membership entitles graduate faculty to all the rights and responsibilities specified in (a) through (e) below. Associate members have the rights and responsibilities in (a), (b), and (c), but not (d) and (e) below.

a. Teach graduate level courses. 
b. Serve on graduate students' committees. 
c. Chair master's committees and/or master's thesis research.
d. Chair doctoral committees and/or doctoral dissertation research. 
e. Vote on matters submitted to the graduate faculty except in special cases as specified above.

Procedures for Appointment to the Graduate Faculty

Full Membership. Faculty who meet the criteria are granted full membership in the graduate faculty by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies upon the recommendation of the College/School Dean with the concurrence of the Department Chairperson. The College/School Dean shall submit the form, "Nomination for Full Membership," to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for faculty members who are nominated and who meet the criteria for membership. The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies shall review the nomination and, if the criteria are met, sign and return a copy of the nomination form to the College/School Dean. If it is found that the criteria are not met, the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies reserves the right to deny the appointment of a nominee to the Graduate Faculty.

Associate Membership. Associate members of the Graduate Faculty must be recommended by the Chairperson of the graduate program where the faculty member teaches and/or chairs committees or directs the thesis research of students pursuing master's degrees. In addition to completing the form, "Recommendation for Associate Membership," the Chairperson is responsible for submitting documentation to support the faculty member's ability and experience in graduate teaching, research and supervising graduate students. The form and the supporting documentation are then submitted to the College/School Dean for review. If the recommendation of the Chairperson is approved, the College/School Dean shall submit the form, "Recommendation for Associate Membership," and supporting documentation to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for the recommended faculty members. The Dean of the Graduate School shall review the recommendation and, if the criteria are met, sign and return a copy of the "Recommendation for Associate Membership" form to the College/School Dean. If it is found that the criteria are not met, the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies reserves the right to deny the appointment of a person recommended for Associate Membership to the graduate faculty.

Removal of Graduate Faculty
A Full or Associate member may be removed from membership in the graduate faculty where, in the judgment of the Department Chairperson and/or the College/School Dean, the faculty member has failed to perform the duties expected of a member of the graduate faculty in good faith or has otherwise been derelict in teaching and/or graduate student committee work. The Chairperson of the Department, the College/School Dean, or the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies may initiate procedures to remove a member of the graduate faculty where there is evidence of inappropriate academic conduct and/or inappropriate professional ethics including, but not necessarily limited to, fraud, fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism.

Appeal Procedure
Appeals of the decision of the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies to deny the appointment of nominees to Full or Associate Membership in the graduate faculty, or appeals of the decision of the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies to remove those previously appointed to the graduate faculty shall be directed in writing by the College/School Dean to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Academic Affairs shall review the appeal and make a final recommendation to the President concerning the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies' decision regarding the denial of an appointment to or the removal of Graduate Faculty.

• Nomination for Full Membership in the Graduate Faculty
• Nomination for Associate Membership in the Graduate Faculty