Graduate Faculty Categories

The Graduate Faculty consists of those members of the teaching and research faculties who have been so designated by the President, upon recommendation of the Graduate Council acting on appropriate nominations. Such designations provide for classification as Members, Associate Members, or Affiliate Members (Research or Professional), according to their qualifications and experience. (The term, “Member,” when capitalized, denotes a Full Member of the Graduate Faculty.)

Faculty members who hold the rank of adjunct professor, adjunct associate professor or adjunct assistant professor in a department offering work for graduate credit are eligible for graduate faculty status as Full Members or Associate Members, depending upon their qualifications.

The purpose of the Professional Affiliate is to assist with teaching responsibilities within professional Masters degree programs. Thus, all Professional Affiliate Members must demonstrate a knowledge in and practice of the teaching discipline.

The purpose of the Research Affiliate is to enhance the research expertise within the LSU A&M campus. Thus, all Research Affiliate Members must demonstrate research at the level expected of new Assistant Professors on a tenure-track line. 

Privileges & Responsibilities

  • May engage in all graduate education activities.

  • May chair a thesis or dissertation committee.

  • May determine graduate policies and procedures.

  • May nominate faculty for membership on the Graduate Faculty.

Terms & Criteria

  • Associate Professors with tenure or tenure-track in units offering work for graduate credit are normally appointed as Full Members, and subject to annual review.

  • Full Members must possess the highest degree appropriate to the field or unquestionable evidence of comparable achievement in the field.

  • Full Members must demonstrate a current and sustained record of scholarly or creative activities indicated by publications in recognized journals in the field, books, and exhibitions or performances in order to maintain graduate faculty status.

Privileges & Responsibilities

  • May engage in all graduate education activities.

  • May chair a thesis or dissertation committee.

Terms & Criteria

  • Newly appointed tenure-track assistant professors in units offering work for graduate credit are normally appointed to a seven-year term, subject to annual review.   

  • Associate Members must possess the highest degree appropriate to the field or unquestionable evidence of comparable achievement in the field.   

  • Associate Members must demonstrate a current and sustained record of scholarly or creative activities indicated by publications in recognized journals in the field, books, and exhibitions or performances in order to maintain graduate faculty status.

  • Faculty members with at least seven years in rank as Associate Professor or Full Professor who do not maintain Full Membership may be eligible for a renewable, three-year Associate Member term in units offering work for graduate credit.

Privileges & Limitations

  • May teach courses for graduate credit.

  • May serve on Masters students’ theses committees, but may NOT Chair or serve as co-Chair of a thesis committee.

  • Does NOT count toward the minimum committee composition.

  • May NOT serve as a member on dissertation/doctoral committees.

  • May NOT be Instructor of Record for any 9000-level course.

Eligibility

  • Must hold a Rank that carries Faculty Status (refer to PM-23).

  • Must hold a Rank governed by PS-36NT.

  • Must demonstrate evidence of expertise or knowledge that is directly relevant and applicable to the professional Masters program in which the individual will be teaching.

    • Evidence would be the nominee holding the terminal (highest) degree offered by the unit in which the nominee would be teaching. (See the General Catalog for a current listing of the terminal (highest) degree offered under “All Degree Programs”)

    • If the nominee does not possess the terminal (highest) degree, then expertise is defined in terms of recent activities recognized by the teaching area as indicative of excellence.

      • Appropriate indicators may include but are not limited to terminal degrees in a related and relevant area; professional certification; licensure, diplomas, or record of professional practice; and demonstrated professional excellence through performances, exhibitions, presentations, professional publications, or national awards.

    • Evidence of teaching experience is required.

Terms: Individuals nominated for Professional Affiliate Membership may be appointed to a renewable, three-year term.

 

Nomination Package

  1. Materials from Nominee

    • The nominee must provide a letter in which the nominee clearly states how their efforts will enhance graduate education within the degree program.

    • Nominee must complete section 1 of the Title IX Sexual Harassment Authorization form and return that completed form to the nominating unit.

  2. Materials from Nominating Unit

    • The unit making the nominating must offer coursework for graduate credit.

    • The nominating unit must also provide a letter stating how the nominee’s role will enhance graduate education and summarizing the nominee’s qualifications to teach within the degree program. If the nominee does not hold the terminal (highest) degree, the justification should address the evidence of expertise of the nominee.

    • The nominee’s current CV must be provided as part of the nomination package and all nominations for renewal of appointment.

    • Nominee must have an 89-number either through employment at LSU OR through a Departmental appointment.

Privileges & Limitations

  • May teach courses for graduate credit.

  • May serve on Doctoral dissertation and Masters theses committees, but may NOT Chair or serve as co-Chair of a committee.

  • Does NOT count in the minimum number required for committee composition.

Eligibility

  • Must hold a Rank that carries Faculty Status (refer to PM-23).

  • Must hold a Rank governed by PS-36NT.

  • Must have evidence of scholarly research at the level of that of Assistant Professors (tenure track).

    • Evidence would be the nominee holding the terminal (highest) degree offered by the unit in which the nominee would be teaching. (See the General Catalog for a current listing of the terminal (highest) degree offered under “All Degree Programs”).

    • Evidence would be a current and sustained record of scholarly or creative activities indicated by publications in recognized journals in the field, books, and exhibitions or performances.

Terms: Individuals nominated for Research Affiliate Membership may be appointed to a renewable, three-year term.

Nomination Package

  1. Materials from Nominee

    • The nominee’s current CV must be provided as part of the nomination package and with all nominations for renewal of appointment.

    • The nominee must provide a letter in which the nominee clearly states how their efforts will enhance graduate research expertise within the degree program.

    • Nominee must complete section 1 of the Title IX Sexual Harassment Authorization form and return that completed form to the nominating unit.

  2. Materials from Nominating Unit

    • The unit making the nominating must offer course work for graduate credit.

    • The unit nominating must provide a letter stating how the nominee’s role will enhance graduate research and summarizing the nominee’s research qualifications. If the nominee does not hold the terminal (highest) degree, the justification should address the evidence of expertise of the nominee.

    • Nominee must have an 89-number either through employment at LSU OR through a Departmental appointment.

Upon approval through the LSU System, per PM-69 and PS-55, faculty members who retire from active duty under a retirement system in which they were enrolled as a function of employment at LSU retain many of the same rights and privileges that are accorded to active University graduate faculty members. Emeritus graduate faculty status allows these individuals to continue to work with graduate students on masters and doctoral committees as chairs and members.

Faculty members who retired as Full Members of the Graduate Faculty but who do not have emeritus status may serve on thesis or dissertation committees with administrative approval submitted by the department, and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. Faculty members serving on graduate students’ masters or doctoral committees as chair or co-chair may continue in the role after retiring from LSU.

Ex-Officio members may serve as members of students' thesis, dissertation, and examination committees but may not normally chair one of these committees or determine policies of the graduate faculty.