Regular Graduate Faculty Status

Regular graduate faculty status is premised upon membership in the University’s Corps of Instruction as defined in Chapter 2, Section 2.1.2 of the Faculty Handbook which states, in relevant part: “The University’s Corps of Instruction consists of all full-time members of the faculty except for research and visiting professors (all ranks) and those clinical faculty who are not employed directly by the University.”

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

All regular 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 regular graduate faculty status (R1 – R3) are described below. Each level is commensurate with the faculty member’s established record of scholarly activity and productivity and guides the appropriate level of engagement that the faculty member may have in working with and supervising graduate students. Regular graduate faculty status will be reviewed for renewal every five (5) years by the Graduate School using information from Faculty Success (formerly Digital Measure).

Regular level 1 (R1) graduate faculty members may teach courses in their area of academic or professional specialization and serve on master’s or specialist degree and doctoral capstone, clinical, or practice project committees. They may not, however, chair such committees.

Regular level 2 (R2) graduate faculty status is achieved by demonstrating a developing program of research, creative scholarship, or clinical activity as appropriate to the individual’s academic discipline. R2 graduate faculty may teach courses in their area of academic or professional specialization, serve on or chair master’s, specialist, and doctoral project (e.g. capstone, clinical, or practice) committees. They may also serve on and co-chair doctoral dissertation committees within their academic discipline with a regular (R3) graduate faculty member. They may not, however, be the sole chair of a doctoral dissertation committee.

Regular level 3 (R3) graduate faculty members possess the highest level of graduate faculty status. R3 status is achieved by demonstrating current, consistent, and active engagement in research, creative scholarship, or clinical activity appropriate to the individual’s academic discipline. R3 graduate faculty members may teach courses in their area of specialization and serve on or chair master’s, specialist, and doctoral project or dissertation committees.

Email the completed Regular Graduate Faculty Form with supporting documents to: Desira Bailey (Desira.L.BaileyFREEMississippi.)