Approval to Teach Graduate Courses Policy
INTRODUCTION
While there is no Graduate Faculty designation at Winston-Salem State University, many faculty
members teach courses in our graduate programs. Several factors including previous experience
teaching graduate students are used to determine the suitability of a faculty member for teaching
in a graduate program. This policy offers a set of criteria by which to make this judgment.
A. Authority, Responsibilities and Functions:
Consistent with professional and academic accrediting agencies, the policies of the Board of
Governors, the University of North Carolina Code, and the Constitution of the General Faculty
of Winston–Salem State University (WSSU), only faculty members who have been approved to
teach in graduate programs may exercise the authority for the development of general policies
and procedures for graduate courses and programs within the university.
These faculty members shall assume primary policy-making responsibility for the following
functions:
1. Planning and implementation of Curriculum matters within specific graduate programs,
including:
a. The planning and establishment of all new graduate degree programs and
certifications including online programs;
b. Developing, evaluating, and modifying existing and proposed courses, programs
and certifications;
c. The elimination or consolidation of graduate degree programs or departments
(except in cases of declared financial exigency);
d. Setting graduation requirements for each graduate program;
2. Setting additional minimum admission standards for individual graduate programs over
and above those mandated by the School of Graduate Studies and Research (SGSR);
3. Establishing standards for the granting of academic credit;
4. Setting goals and assigning student requirements toward fulfillment of graduate research
projects, including faculty service on research, clinical, and thesis projects and
committees;
5. Setting academic policies concerning withdrawal, probation, suspension, retention, and
repetition of courses;
6. Establishing grading systems pertinent to each graduate program;
7. Developing grade appeal policies for the SGSR;
8. Conducting the academic and professional advisement of students;
9. Recommending candidates for receipt of all graduate degrees, including honorary
degrees;
In addition, these faculty members may promulgate and modify these policies and procedures
through the consideration and approval of the Graduate Council.
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B. General Qualifications to Teach Graduate Courses
The following paragraphs address the general qualifications, duties and responsibilities, and the
method of initial approval of faculty members to teach graduate courses.
Any faculty member may be approved to teach graduate courses provided they meet the
following requirements.
B.1.
Full-time Members of the Faculty
B.1.a. Qualifications: All full-time faculty members holding the academic rank of Professor,
Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, or Instructor who meet the minimum qualifications
listed below, and who meet any additional qualifications that may be established by the faculty
members of the departmental graduate program are eligible to teach graduate courses. Full-time
faculty members must be approved by the department/program faculty, chairperson and dean of
the graduate program, and the Graduate Council. The minimum qualifications include:
The highest earned degree in the discipline or related discipline in which s/he is teaching.
Demonstrated evidence of success in research or creative activity.
Demonstrated evidence of successful teaching at the graduate level, if applicable.
Demonstrated evidence of successful supervision of graduate student research or creative
activity, if applicable.
In some instances as determined by the program/department, extensive professional or
clinical experience, high productivity, or successful competition for research/creative
activity support may substitute for the highest earned degree.
B.1.b. Duties and Responsibilities: Members of the full-time faculty who are approved to teach
graduate courses are also eligible to: serve on the Graduate Council; vote for approval of
members of their graduate department/program; vote for approval of members of the Graduate
Council; teach graduate courses; serve as chairperson or member of graduate student
research/creative committees; provide academic, professional and clinical advisement for
graduate students; participate in other graduate matters within their program/department, school,
and the university.
Once approved to teach graduate courses, a full-time faculty member can only lose approval
through the termination of approval process described below.
B2. Part-time Faculty Members
B.2.a. Qualifications: All part-time faculty members who provide instructional service who
may be on a non-tenure-track appointment at WSSU may be approved to teach graduate courses.
Such part-time appointments carry the title of Instructor, Lecturer or Assistant Professor and as
such must meet the minimum qualifications listed below and any additional qualifications that
may be established by the faculty members of the department/program. Part-time faculty
members who want to teach graduate courses must be approved by the department/program
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faculty, chairperson and dean of the graduate program, and the Graduate Council. The minimum
qualifications for part-time faculty to teach graduate courses are:
The highest earned degree in the discipline or related discipline in which s/he is teaching.
Demonstrated evidence of success or the potential for success in research/creative
activity.
Demonstrated evidence of successful graduate teaching or the potential of such success.
Demonstrated evidence of successful supervision of graduate student research or creative
activity or the potential of such success.
Evidence of professional growth, (e.g., completion of continuing education, participation
in relevant seminars, or other professional activity).
In some instances as determined by the faculty members of the program/department,
extensive professional or clinical experience, high productivity, or successful competition
for research/creative activity support may substitute for the highest earned degree.
B.2.b. Duties and Responsibilities: Part-time faculty members approved to teach graduate
courses may be eligible to vote for approval of members of their graduate department/program;
vote for approval of members of the Graduate Council; teach graduate courses within the area of
their specific expertise; serve as a member of graduate student research committee; provide
academic, professional and clinical advisement for graduate students; participate in other
graduate matters within their program/department, school, and the university, as determined by
the full-time program faculty.
B.2.c. Terms of approval to teach graduate courses for part-time faculty members will be
renewable and limited to two (2) years.
C. Methods and Policies on the Initial Approval, Periodic Review, and Re-approval
Initial approval, periodic review, and re-approval of all faculty members who teach graduate
courses are as follows:
C1. Initial Approval: Requests for approval to teach graduate courses may be initiated by the
faculty member or by the chairperson of the graduate program/department in which the faculty
member is assigned. The process begins with the submission of an application packet, which will
include:
An application using the form, “Approval to Teach Graduate Course”, signed by the
applicant
A current Curriculum Vitae of the applicant, and
A summary of the applicant’s academic and professional record that lists the specific
qualifications including those established by the program in addition to the appropriate
minimal qualifications listed above.
Faculty members already approved to teach courses in the applicant’s graduate
program/department will advance the nomination process with a systematic review and
evaluation of the academic and professional record of the applicant based on either or both of the
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following: 1) the recognition of involvement with graduate programs at another academic
institution; 2) comparison of the applicants record with the minimum qualifications for the
appropriate membership described above and with any additional criteria having been approved
by the specific program/department faculty, chairperson of the program/department, dean of the
graduate program, and the Graduate Council.
An approved application packet for requests to teach graduate programs will bear three (3)
signatures:
A graduate program faculty member representing the majority vote of all faculty
members teaching in the program/department;
The program/department chairperson; and
The dean of the graduate program, who will submit the approved nomination packet to
the Chairperson of the Graduate Council via the Secretary of the Graduate Council.
Consideration of the nomination will be placed on the Council Agenda in a timely manner and
the packet reviewed by the members of the Graduate Council. The requests receiving a majority
vote for approval will be signed by the Chairperson of the Graduate Council, submitted to the
Dean of the SGSR, and the name added to the official roster of faculty members teaching in
graduate programs at WSSU at the appropriate faculty level. The Dean of the SGSR will be
responsible for notifying the candidate, in writing (with copies to the department/program
chairperson and dean of the graduate program), of the status of the application for membership.
C2. Reappointment Process: In order to maintain the quality of faculty teaching in graduate
programs, the specific qualifications of each individual approved will be reviewed periodically.
During the initial term and subsequent terms of approval, the scholarly activities and
qualifications of each faculty member will be reviewed by the department/program chairperson
during the scheduled annual performance evaluation (See Faculty Handbook). Since these
faculty appointments normally end on June 30th and begin on July 1 st, notification and timely
review for re-approval will begin during the spring semester of the:
Second year following approval of the initial and all subsequent applications for part-time
Faculty members.
The Dean of the SGSR will be responsible for direct notification of the academic
department/program chairperson on or before February 15 th of each year listing those members
of the faculty whose term of approval will expire at the end of the academic year. The faculty
member will be responsible for submitting an application for re-approval to their
department/program chair. The re-approval request may be submitted for consideration of the
same or another faculty category, depending on the applicant’s current qualifications. The reapproval packet will include:
An application using the form, “Re-approval to teach Graduate courses”, signed by the
applicant,
A current Curriculum Vitae of the applicant, and
A summary of the applicant’s specific academic and professional qualifications and
accomplishments since the last official approval to teach in graduate programs.
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The re-approval documents will be reviewed before April 1 st of the year of expiration of the
approval, and the approved application will bear the signatures of:
A graduate program faculty member representing the majority vote of all faculty teaching
in the program/department,
the program/department chairperson, and
The dean of the graduate program, who will submit the re-approval application to the
Chairperson of the Graduate Council via the Secretary of the Graduate Council.
Consideration of the nomination will be placed on the Council Agenda in a timely manner and
the packet reviewed by the members of the Graduate Council. Re-approvals receiving a majority
affirmative vote will be signed by the Chairperson of the Graduate Council and the packet
submitted to the Dean of the SGSR to be continued on the official Roster of Faculty Members
Teaching in Graduate Programs at WSSU at the appropriate faculty level for which the applicant
has been approved. The Dean of the SGSR will be responsible for notifying the faculty member,
in writing (with copies to the department/program chairperson and dean), of the status of the reapproval to teach in graduate programs (along with any specific comments or explanations
arising from the review process).
C3. Conditions and Processes for Termination of Approval
Approval may be terminated only by a vote of the Graduate Council in consultation with the
Dean of the SGSR.
Termination for Deficient Performance can be initiated following periodic review as outlined in
section C.2 above. If prior to the normal date of re-approval, the department/program
chairperson or dean of the graduate program may determine that the faculty member no longer
meets the minimum performance qualifications or the specific program qualifying criteria
approved for teaching in the program or both. The department/program chairperson or dean of
the graduate program may initiate the termination process by submitting specific documents to a
faculty peer group. This peer review group will consist of all faculty members approved to teach
graduate courses within the program to which the faculty member is assigned but will exclude
the faculty member under review and the department/program chairperson. The following
documents for termination of appointment must be submitted:
The SGSR form, “Initiation of Termination of Approval to Teach Graduate Courses”,
signed by the chairperson of the department/program or dean of the graduate program,
A current Curriculum Vitae of the faculty member under review,
A written explanation of the specific qualification or performance deficiency(ies) in
question or both, as determined by the chairperson of the department/program or dean of
the graduate program,
A written statement by the faculty member rebutting the specific qualification or
performance deficiency(ies) in question or both.
The next steps in this process by the program faculty peer group and program administrators are
to determine whether or not the faculty member actually meets the minimum qualifications, or
specific program criteria for membership or both. These steps include:
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A full review of the faculty member’s qualifications and performance based solely on the
written documents submitted for review. The peer review body may request additional
written clarification from any or all of the following individuals: the faculty member, the
department/program chairperson, or the dean of the graduate program, if necessary. A
vote of recommendation will be held on this issue by the peer review body.
Before submission of the documents to the Graduate Council, the “Initiation of Termination of
Approval to Teach Graduate Course” will attest to a set of reviews of the above documents by
bearing the following recommendation signatures:
A representative faculty member will sign for the majority opinion of the program faculty
peer group, recommending to the chairperson and dean of the graduate program and to
the Graduate Council, either termination of faculty members approval to teach in the
program or continued approval,
The department/program chairperson, recommending to the dean of the graduate program
and to the Graduate Council, either termination or continued approval for the faculty
member to teach in the program,
The dean of the graduate program, recommending either termination or continued
approval to teach in the program. The dean of the graduate program will submit the
completed packet of termination documents to the Chairperson of the Graduate Council
via the Secretary of the Graduate Council.
Consideration of the termination of approval will be placed on the Council Agenda in a timely
manner and the packet reviewed by the members of the Graduate Council. Termination
documents receiving a majority vote of approval will be signed by the Chairperson of the
Graduate Council and the packet submitted to the Dean of the SGSR to be removed from the
official Roster of Graduate Faculty Teaching in Graduate Programs at WSSU. The Dean of the
SGSR will be responsible for notifying the faculty member, in writing (with copies to the
department/program chairperson and dean of the graduate program), of the termination of the
graduate membership (along with specific written comments or explanations arising from the
review process).
Effective Date: This policy becomes effective upon adoption of Board of Trustees.
Adopted: This 11th day of December, 2009
F. Scott Bauer
Chairman, Board of Trustees
Winston-Salem State University
Martin B. Davis
Secretary, Board of Trustees
Winston-Salem State University
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