Associate Graduate Faculty Status

Associate graduate faculty status is extended to part-time, visiting, adjunct, research and those clinical faculty who are not members of the University’s Corps of Instruction. All may teach graduate courses within their area of specialization. Non-USM employees may be granted associate graduate faculty status on an as-needed basis in order to serve on specific student committees.

Initial appointments for R1 status are handled through the faculty qualifications process for new hires. Changes in Associate Graduate Faculty members are approved by the Graduate Council following review of relevant credentials.

All associate graduate faculty must have:

Completed an earned doctorate or other terminal degree in the teaching/academic discipline.

A record of scholarly activity / productivity as described for each of the three status levels.

Documented integrity assurance program training (CITI certification).

Documented and sustained evidence of successful mentorship of advanced undergraduate or graduate students. In the absence of such past experience, this criterion may be satisfied through appropriate and relevant mentorship training.

Demonstrated and sustained quality of instruction appropriate to the individual’s academic discipline.

Three levels of associate graduate faculty status (A1 – A3) are described below. Each level is commensurate with the faculty member’s established record of clinical or scholarly activity and productivity and guides the appropriate level of engagement that the faculty member may have in working with and supervising graduate students. Associate graduate faculty status will be reviewed for renewal every three (3) years by the Graduate School using information from Faculty Success (formerly Digital Measure).

Associate level 1 (A1) graduate faculty members may teach graduate courses in their area of academic or professional specialization.

Associate level 2 (A2) graduate faculty status is achieved by demonstrating a developing program in research, creative scholarship, or clinical activity as appropriate to the individual’s academic discipline. A2 graduate faculty may teach graduate courses in their area of academic or professional specialization and serve on master's and specialist committees. They may not, however, chair such committees.

Associate level 3 (A3) graduate faculty status is achieved by demonstrating current, consistent, and active engagement in research, creative scholarship, or clinical activity appropriate to the individual’s academic discipline. A3 graduate faculty members may teach graduate courses in their area of academic or professional specialization and serve on master's, specialist, and doctoral project or dissertation committees. Research faculty at USM possessing A3 status may teach in their area of academic or professional specialization and co-chair master’s, specialist, and doctoral project or dissertation committees with a regular (R3) graduate faculty member.

Email the completed Associate Graduate Faculty Form with supporting documents to:

Desira Bailey (Desira.L.BaileyFREEMississippi.)