4.11     Status Appointments 

A.    Appointment of Graduate Faculty Status

1.      Membership Categories

a.         Full Members

1)     Appointment Criteria: They shall be full-time faculty who hold the rank of Full, associate, or assistant professor in the department of graduate program involvement.  They shall hold the terminal degree as defined in the departmental AFE document.  They shall have a record of demonstrated competence in such areas of graduate services as planning and directing graduate students’ programs and in servicing thesis and comprehensive committees.  They shall have a record of current scholarly activities and/or creative contributions to discipline recognized beyond the university, along with a record of involvement in institutional affairs.

2)     Responsibilities: They may teach and have full responsibilities for graduate level courses, direct and plan graduate students’ programs and direct and serve on thesis and comprehensive committees, participate in graduate curriculum development, and vote for election of members to the Graduate Council.  Tenure is required for membership on the Graduate Council.

3)     Term of Appointment:  Appointment may be for a three year term or a five year term depending upon the recommendation of the department and is renewable.

b.         Affiliate Members

 1)    Appointment criteria:  They shall be individuals who are not employed as full-time teaching faculty in the department of graduate program involvement.  They shall hold the terminal degree as defined in the departmental AFE document.  They shall have a record of demonstrated competence in serving on thesis and comprehensive committees or show clear potential for such service based on prior experience.  They shall have current scholarly activities and/or creative contributions to the discipline and recognized evidence of exemplary professional activity appropriate to the discipline and recognized beyond the university.

2)     Responsibilities:  They may teach and have full responsibilities for graduate level courses and serve as members of thesis and comprehensive committees.

3)     Term of Appointment:  Appointment may be for a three year term and is renewable.

c.         Temporary Members

1)     Appointment criteria: They shall hold the terminal degree as defined in the departmental AFE document.  They shall have a record of demonstrated competence in teach of graduate students or show clear potential for such based on prior teaching or other experience.  Temporary members shall show promise of development of a record of scholarship activities and/or creative contributions to the discipline.

2)     Responsibilities:  They may teach and have full responsibilities for graduate level courses and serve as members of thesis and comprehensive committees.

3)     Term of Appointment:  Appointment may be for a two year term and is renewable.

2.      Nominations, Approval, and Continuation as Graduate Faculty

a.   Nominations to all categories of graduate faculty membership are made by the department head following consultation with existing graduate faculty in the respective programs.  The nominations must include an assessment of the graduate teaching effectiveness of the faculty member.  Nominations are endorsed by the academic dean of the college, reviewed by the Graduate Council, and recommended by the Graduate Dean.  Following review and approval by the Provost and the chancellor, the applicant will be notified of appointment to the graduate faculty by the Graduate Dean.

b.   In order to continue as active graduate faculty members, individuals holding full, affiliate, or temporary appointments will be renominated and approved as indicated above prior to the expiration of their respective terms of appointment.  Individuals who are not renominated and approved will be placed on inactive status upon completion of their active terms of appointment and will remain in this status until such time as they are nominated and approved for active graduate faculty status.

B.    Emeritus Status

The Board of Trustees of Western Carolina University may confer the honorary title of Professor Emeritus or of Chancellor Emeritus in recognition of services to the university.  The title emeritus bestows full membership in the academic community, with all the rights and privileges of active rank except eligibility to hold elective faculty office or to vote in faculty elections or in open faculty meetings.  It is recognized also that the bearer of the emeritus title has knowledge and experience from which others in the university may benefit.

1.      The title Professor Emeritus may be conferred upon a member of the faculty at the time of, or subsequent to, retirement after at least ten years of distinctive service to Western Carolina University.

2.      The title Chancellor Emeritus may be conferred upon a chancellor at the time of, or subsequent to, retirement from active service at Western Carolina University.

3.      The title Retired Associate may be conferred by the chancellor of Western Carolina University upon any member of the faculty or administration at the time of, or subsequent to, retirement from the university.  The Retired Associate shall be considered a member of the academic community with the right to participate in social and cultural activities of the campus, with faculty library privileges, and with any other privileges granted by the chancellor.

C.    Emeritus Graduate Faculty

An emeritus graduate faculty member will have all the rights and privileges of a graduate faculty member.

1.      Rights and Privileges

Emeritus graduate faculty member status will be members of the graduate faculty and therefore:  “They may teach and have full responsibility for graduate level courses, serve on thesis and dissertation and comprehensive committees.”

2.      Term of Appointment

The appointment will be for a five year term and may be renewed upon recommendation of the department head.

3.      Policy and Procedure

Nominations are to be made by the department heads following consultation with existing graduate faculty in the respective programs.  The nominations must include an assessment of the graduate teaching effectiveness of the faculty member. Nominations are endorsed by the academic dean of the college, reviewed by the Graduate Council and recommended to the graduate dean.  Following a review and approval by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the nomination will be forwarded to the Chancellor. The Chancellor will then present recommendations to the Board of Trustees.

Individuals who receive approval for a Graduate Faculty Emeritus appointment from the Board of Trustees will receive a letter of notification of such action from the Chancellor.  The individual’s name will be listed in the Graduate Catalog.