Senate Bill No. 0203-12
UNIVERSITY SENATE
UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Introduced by:
GAC
Date:
April 2, 2003
CHANGES IN POLICY ON FACULTY ELIGIBILITY TO TEACH GRADUATE
COURSES
IT IS HEREBY PROPOSED THAT THE FOLLOWING BE ADOPTED:
1.
1. Changes to the Policy on Faculty Eligibility to Teach Graduate Courses.
2.
2. That the revised policy becomes effective immediately upon final
approval.
3.
3. That the bill be referred to the President for approval and implementation.
PROPOSAL FOR THE REVISION OF UNIVERSITY POLICY ON FACULTY ELIGIBILITY TO
TEACH GRADUATE COURSES:
FACULTY ELIGIBILITY TO TEACH GRADUATE COURSES
Graduate instruction may only be given by:
1.
1. Faculty members who hold an earned doctorate or the Master of Fine Arts (MFA); or
2.
2. Faculty members who hold the rank of associate professor or higher or;
Exceptions to allow other faculty to provide graduate instruction shall be considered within each
school/college, with action on such requests by the respective school/college dean to be reported (with
rationale for decision) to the Graduate Academic Council & Graduate Dean, and (without rationale) to the
Registrar. It is expected that all requests for exception shall minimally contain (1) Instructor’s CV or
résumé (2) duration of proposed authorization (not to exceed five years), (3) course syllabus, (4) support
correspondence from Chair or Program Director explaining why the exception is warranted, summarizing
qualifications in relation to course content, audience, enrollment, and need. Schools/colleges may develop
policy/procedures that require additional information. The Graduate Academic Council retains final
authority regarding any exception to graduate instruction policy.
Rationale:
The proposed changes indicated recognize:
1.
1. The MFA as an appropriate alternate credential for graduate instruction in the Arts.
2.
2. That variation from the default qualifying criteria is best considered in the schools and
colleges since
In many of the professional and/or applied masters degree programs, accreditation
quality assurance standards may require instruction by individuals who do not possess an
earned doctorate.
Expedient review of requests for exception in consideration of accreditation or other
professional standards is best handled in the academic units.
Expedient review of requests for exception in consideration of emergency
instructional situations is best facilitated by individual academic deans.
3.
3. That requests for exception to the default criteria should always contain certain
information.
4.
4. That while the operational consideration of exceptions is best coordinated within each
college or school, the Graduate Academic Council recognizes the desirability of uniform cross-
campus quality standards and remains the University governance body ultimately responsible for
graduate instructional quality assurance and does not relinquish that responsibility.
