How to become graduate faculty

The University of Nevada, Reno Bylaws establish the Graduate Council as the governing body for graduate education at the university. The Graduate Faculty Bylaws define the work of the graduate faculty. They include the following text on the composition of the graduate faculty:

Graduate Program Director/Department Chairs: Nominate a faculty member for Graduate Faculty status

Graduate Faculty Policy

I. Authorization for Graduate Faculty status

The Graduate Council Bylaws define graduate faculty as:

The Graduate Faculty shall consist of those members of the faculty (as faculty are defined in Section 2.3.2 of the University of Nevada, Reno Bylaws) or adjunct faculty and clinical faculty (as defined in Section 2.3.6 of the University of Nevada, Reno Bylaws) appointed to it by an instructional department or program. Each instructional department or program shall develop criteria for appointment to the Graduate Faculty and shall place the criteria on file with the program and with the Graduate School. Any subsequent changes in those criteria also should be placed on file with the program and with the Graduate School before they are put into use.

II. Eligibility

Graduate Faculty members may include:

1. Tenured and tenure-track faculty;
2. DRI faculty;
3. Clinical and research faculty;
4. Administrative faculty
5. University of Nevada, Reno Medical School faculty, and
6. Individuals who have been approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.

III. Appointments

In order to become graduate faculty, all eligible individuals must be appointed by a University department or graduate program for graduate faculty status in accordance with major unit bylaws.

For an individual covered by II (1)-(5), notices of appointment shall be submitted online to the Graduate School by a department or program to serve as Graduate Faculty pertaining to that department or program. For an individual not covered by II (1)-(5) to be approved, the individual must demonstrate the capability to contribute to graduate education as defined below. The Director of Graduate Studies for the department/program must upload the individual’s current CV for review and approval of the appointment by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Appointments to the Graduate Faculty shall be based on a capability to contribute to graduate education demonstrated through:

• receipt of a terminal degree considered appropriate by the department or program,
• research competence,
• ability to teach graduate students, and
• completion of a mentoring training for new members of the Graduate Faculty

Research competence may be demonstrated by scientific, creative, or other scholarly activities consistent with the department or program. These may include, but are not limited to, refereed national or regional publications, presentations, or other refereed creative accomplishments. Ability to teach graduate students individually or in groups may be demonstrated by peer and/or student evaluation of classroom, laboratory, or clinical instruction, or supervision of research or creative activity.

Members of the faculty who have not been appointed to the Graduate Faculty at the University of Nevada, Reno, shall be appointed to the Graduate Faculty on a provisional basis until the completion of the training for new members of the Graduate Faculty. The period to complete this training is two (2) years. If the training has not been completed within two years, the provisional Graduate Faculty status shall be revoked. The provisional status can be extended by up to one (1) year by the Graduate Dean if completion within the first two years is not possible or represents an undue hardship. During the provisional period, the faculty member is subject to all privileges and obligations of a member of the Graduate Faculty. The training requirement can be waived by the Graduate Dean if a first-time nominee has received equivalent training through a different institution or organization.

Members of the faculty who have not been appointed to the Graduate Faculty may, upon approval by the Graduate Dean, be permitted to teach specified graduate courses and serve on graduate advisory-examining committees. However, such persons shall not be permitted to chair graduate advisory-examining committees.

Regular faculty members at DRI can be appointed to Graduate Faculty status in the same manner as University of Nevada, Reno faculty. DRI faculty who are accorded Graduate Faculty status are subject to the same expectations and responsibilities as University Graduate Faculty except that they have no voting privileges on university-wide matters, though they may have such privileges on specific graduate program matters as outlined in program bylaws.

IV. Expectations and Responsibilities

Members of the Graduate Faculty are responsible for the training and education of graduate students in their respective programs. This occurs through teaching and mentoring in a variety of settings. Graduate Faculty share their knowledge and expertise with graduate students, provide advice and feedback that advance student learning, and serve as role models in terms of their professional conduct. Graduate Faculty shall treat graduate students with respect, fairness, and professionalism. When serving as advisors to students, members of the Graduate Faculty should strive to advance the academic success and professional preparation of their advisees. 

Members of the Graduate Faculty may chair advisory-examining committees in the graduate programs in which they hold Graduate Faculty status. Graduate Faculty may serve as a member of advisory-examining committees in any graduate program at the University. Graduate Faculty may also serve as the Graduate School Representative on an advisory-examining committee in any graduate program if they do not have a primary appointment in the same department (or other appropriate major unit) as the chair of the committee. The bylaws of departments and interdisciplinary graduate programs may specify other expectations and responsibilities associated with Graduate Faculty status in the respective department or program.

Graduate Faculty status in one department or program does not entitle a person to receive Graduate Faculty status in another department or program. All individuals who hold Graduate Faculty status in at least one graduate program are considered members of the Graduate Faculty.

Individuals who have been approved by the Graduate Dean to serve on the advisory-examining committee in one graduate program (see II (6)) are not eligible to (a) chair student advisory-examining committees, (b) serve as an advisory-examining committee member in programs for which they do not have Graduate Faculty status, or (c) serve as Graduate School Representatives of advisory-examining committees. 

Being appointed to Graduate Faculty status is a privilege, not a right. Graduate Faculty status may be revoked if a member does not meet the expectations and carry out the responsibilities that come with this status.

V. Revocation of Graduate Faculty Status

Graduate programs should, on an annual basis, ensure that Graduate Faculty members in their program continue to meet the criteria for Graduate Faculty status in Sections II, III and IV.  Departments or graduate programs shall revoke the Graduate Faculty status for faculty member who

• no longer meet the program’s requirements for Graduate Faculty status;
• no longer meet the expectations and responsibilities of Graduate Faculty status;
• have left the institution and they are not currently serving on or chairing any advisor-examining committees within the program;
• are members of the Graduate Faculty from outside of the University and outside of DRI who no longer wish to co-chair or serve on any advisor-examining committees within the program; or
• are no longer responding to communications concerning their responsibilities as a member of the Graduate Faculty.

The Chair of the department or Director of the graduate program may request that the Graduate Faculty status of a faculty member be revoked even if the faculty member currently serves on or chairs advisor-examining committees within the program. Any such request for revocation of Graduate Faculty status must be supported in writing by the Dean of this faculty member and acknowledged by the Dean of the Graduate School. The Chair of the department or Director of the graduate program shall provide, in writing, specific reasons to the faculty member as to why their membership in the Graduate Faculty is being revoked. This shall include a statement as to what action may be taken in order for this faculty member to regain Graduate Faculty status in the program.

Revocation of Graduate Faculty status in one department or graduate program does not prevent a faculty member from maintaining their Graduate Faculty status which they may have obtained in any another department or graduate program.

VI. Appeal of Revocation of Graduate Faculty Status

A person who wishes to appeal the revocation of their Graduate Faculty status in a department or program may do so in writing to the Chair of the department or Director of the graduate program. The appeal will be reviewed by the Chair or Director in a meeting with the faculty member. Should the appeal include sufficient new information supporting the appointment of the faculty member to the Graduate Faculty, the Chair of the department or Director of the graduate program may reinstate the Graduate Faculty status.

VII. Exceptions for Emeriti faculty, faculty leaving the institution, and non-University/non-DRI faculty serving as chairs

1. Emeriti faculty have a one-year grace period during which they can serve as chair or as a member of the student's advisory/examining committee. If emeriti faculty chair a committee but the student does not complete the degree during that one-year grace period, then a co-chair from the program’s Graduate Faculty must be added to the committee. If emeriti faculty serve as committee members but the student does not complete the degree during that one-year grace period, then the committee chair must seek an extension from the Graduate School by submitting an Exception to Policy Request.
2. Non-continuing University/DRI faculty who leave the University or DRI faculty have a one-year grace period during which they will still be officially recognized as the chair of the student's advisory-examining committee and continue to act in that capacity. If the student does not complete the degree during that one-year grace period, a co-chair from the University graduate faculty must be added to the committee consistent with the guidelines for chairing advisory-examining committees noted above.
3. Non-University/non-DRI faculty may co-chair a committee with appropriate approval from the Graduate School. To obtain approval, the Director of Graduate Studies for the student's department/program would submit a memorandum of request with documentation, including a current CV, of the individual's ability to contribute to the student's graduate education as defined in section I of this document.

VIII. Graduate Faculty serving as Graduate School Representative on student advisory-examining committees.

Advisory-examining committees must include a Graduate School Representative as specified in the University catalog.