Graduate Faculty Status Policies
Philosophy Department Florida State University Effective August 1, 2009
Definition of GFS
Membership in the Graduate Faculty authorizes faculty to teach all graduate-level courses, to sit on all graduate-level committees, to chair all graduate student committees, and to participate fully in all components of graduate education, research, and service. Limitation or removal of any of these authorizations from individual GFS-faculty is delegated to the unit level authority where such assignments are made.
Expectations
Members of the Graduate Faculty are expected to engage actively in graduate education through teaching, mentoring and research supervision. They should be current in their fields and show evidence of research resulting in peer-reviewed publications or equivalent work.
Nomination Criteria
All tenure-earning and tenured members of the department are eligible to be nominated for Graduate Faculty Status provided they hold a Ph.D. or its equivalent and have proven expertise in the teaching area.
Nomination Procedures
Determination that the departmental criteria have been met requires a two-thirds majority vote of the departmental Graduate Faculty for nomination to GFS. In addition, appointment to the Graduate Faculty requires the approval of the Department Chair, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Graduate Faculty Status can be awardable upon arrival at FSU.
Limitations and Restrictions
Assistant Professors: Entering tenure-track (not tenured) assistant professors who have recently completed the Ph.D. and obtained GFS will be permitted to teach graduate classes, including graduate seminars, and to serve on M.A. and Ph.D. committees. They may serve as major professors for M.A. students only in exceptional circumstances and only with the approval of both the Department Chair and the Director of Graduate Studies. They may not chair doctoral special area committees or doctoral dissertation committees.
Entering tenure-track (not tenured) assistant professors with significant prior post-doctoral experience, and assistant professors who have successfully completed the third year review, may serve as major professors for M.A. students with Department Chair approval. They may also, in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of both the Department Chair and Director of Graduate Studies, chair doctoral special area and doctoral dissertation committees.