Marriage, Family and Human Development

MFHD Policy on Graduate Faculty Status

(Created Mar. 2000; Updated Feb. 2002; Aug. 28, 2003)

Minimal criteria and guidelines established by the graduate school at BYU for graduate faculty status are as follows (see 3/2000 Policy on Graduate Faculty Status; The Mission of Brigham Young University and The Aims of a BYU Education, p. 8):

1. Terminal degree (Highest awarded in within the discipline)
2. Commitment and availability to mentoring graduate students throughout their programs of study
3. Sustained, substantial, and consequential research effort or creative endeavor evidenced by regular publications or creative works in visible and influential peer reviewed or juried forums.
4. College or departmental criteria for graduate faculty status may exceed these criteria and may specify varying levels of responsibility.

The standard faculty load for faculty not involved in graduate programs is 3 small courses (50 or less) or 2 large courses (51-300) Fall, 3 small or 2 large courses Winter, and 2 small or 1 large class Spring or Summer. For MFHD Graduate Faculty Status, one must be involved in all areas outlined below in order to qualify for core graduate faculty status and a 1-course release per semester. Graduate faculty status entails 50% teaching/citizenship/committee work; 25% graduate student mentoring; 25% research -- see policies set in Graduate Faculty Mtg. Minutes of 1/3/94. A typical teaching load for graduate faculty on 10-month contracts is 5 courses per year regardless of class size (2/2/1). Exceptions are warranted by administrative, special research leaves, or other assignments that are approved by the MFHD Chair, Graduate Coordinator, and School/College administrators as needed on a case-by-case basis (see Clayne Pope memo on Expectations and Teaching Assignments dated Feb. 15, 1994). Specific guidelines for MFHD graduate faculty involvement are as follows:

Regularly attend graduate faculty meetings (for committee members only - except for extenuating circumstances cleared by coordinator; All members attend when a full graduate faculty meeting is called)

Help establish and implement policies for masters and doctoral program that are included in and updated regularly in the MFHD Graduate Program Handbook

Help oversee graduate coursework requirements and implementation

Chair masters and doctoral degree students (No more than 2-3 chair assignments per faculty - new asst. profs encouraged to co-chair first grad. student with senior faculty member).

Serve on graduate student committees (serve on or chair at least 3 graduate student committees). Faculty should serve on no more than 5 committees including chairmanships in order to spread the workload more evenly (approved 8/28/03 - current students not affected).

Maintain an ongoing program of scholarship that involves graduate students (minimum expectations are two professional publications every 3 years). Note that the college document requires 3 articles in 5 years plus international or national presentations (see FHSS 2002 Grad. Fac. Status document).

Participate in graduate student admissions

Participate in graduate student evaluations

Participate in the development and implementation of policies for doctoral exams (as needed)

Participate in recruitment and placement of graduate students

Serve on graduate program committees as assigned by coordinator

Individual faculty eligibility for graduate faculty status will be evaluated yearly by the PAR committee. Recommendations will be forwarded to the MFHD Program Chair for discussion in the yearly stewardship interview. Candidates for graduate faculty status and renewals are then recommended by the MFHD Program Chair to the SFL Director and the FHHS Dean who will then forward them onto the Dean of Graduate Studies in April of each year.