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Graduate Faculty Standing Eligibility

Level A Standing

Level A faculty must:

  1. Hold a full-time tenure-eligible or tenured position at Miami University, and
  2. Remain active scholars who regularly contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their disciplines.

Charged with interpreting those standards for the University, the Graduate School expects faculty with Level A standing to provide evidence of disciplinary contributions that represent meaningful achievements in scholarship at our University. The appointment and reappointment to Level A standing is described below.

Level A Standing Overview

Initial Level A Appointment

At the time of hiring, all probationary, tenure-track faculty members with terminal degrees will be appointed to Level A standing, Probationary, tenure-track faculty members without terminal degrees may request to be appointed Level A standing at the recommendation of the Chair/Program Director and Divisional Dean. Chairs and Deans will review each such request according to the criteria listed above, with final review and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Level A Standing at Time of Promotion and Tenure

Upon granting of promotion and tenure, a candidate whose research/scholarship criterion is one of the first two criteria in order of importance will retain Level A standing for six (6) years, pending final approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Upon granting of promotion and tenure, a candidate whose research/scholarship criterion is NOT one of the first two criteria in order of importance may submit a Level A application to the department for consideration by the Chair/Program Director and a committee of the department’s/program’s choosing; it is anticipated that many departments/programs will use the Promotion and Tenure Committee or a similar body for the adjudication. The committee’s and Chair’s/Program Director’s recommendations will be forwarded to the Divisional Dean and finally to the Dean of the Graduate School for review and approval. If Level A standing is granted by the Dean of the Graduate School, the faculty member will retain that standing for six (6) years.

Level A Standing for Associate Professors After Six Years

If the candidate does not request promotion to the rank of Professor within six (6) years of his/her initial promotion, he/she must apply for continuing Level A standing to retain that status. The candidate should submit a Level A application to the department/program for consideration by the Chair/Program Director and a committee of the department’s choosing. The committee’s and Chair’s/Program Director’s recommendations will be forwarded to the Divisional Dean and finally to the Dean of the Graduate School for review and approval. If Level A standing is granted by that body, the faculty member will retain that standing for six (6) years.

Level A Standing at Time of Promotion to Professor

For candidates for promotion to the rank of Professor for whom research/scholarship is one of the first two criteria in order of importance, the successful promotion will renew Level A standing for six (6) years, pending final approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Upon granting of promotion to the rank of Professor, a candidate whose research/scholarship criterion is NOT one of the first two criteria in order of importance may submit a Level A application to the department for consideration by the Chair/Program Director and a committee of the department’s/program’s choosing; it is anticipated that many departments/programs will use the Graduate Studies Committee, the Promotion and Tenure Committee, or a similar body for the adjudication. The committee’s and Chair’s/Program Director’s recommendations will be forwarded to the Divisional Dean and finally to the Dean of the Graduate School for review and approval. If Level A standing is granted by the Dean of the Graduate School, the faculty member will retain that standing for six (6) years.

Level A Standing for Professors After Six Years

Upon earning the rank of Professor, the candidate will serve for the subsequent six (6) years as a Level A faculty member. To retain that standing after six (6) years, the candidate should submit a Level A application to the department for consideration by the Chair/Program Director and a committee of the department’s/program’s choosing. The committee’s and Chair’s/Program Director’s recommendations will be forwarded to the Divisional Dean and finally to the Dean of the Graduate School for review and approval. If Level A standing is granted by the Dean of the Graduate School, the Professor will retain the standing during the remainder of his/her full-time teaching and research career at Miami University.

Level A Standing for Lecturers and Clinical Faculty Lecturers

Lecturers and Clinical Faculty are eligible for appointment for Level A Standing to serve as a thesis or dissertation director (major adviser or equivalent) for a specific student on a case-by-case basis.

Graduate Faculty Nomination Forms

Level B and Level C Standing

Except as noted in Limitations, faculty or staff must hold a full-time or adjunct appointment at Miami University to be appointed to Level B. Faculty or staff must at least have a part-time instructional appointment at Miami University to be appointed to Level C. For either Level B or Level C appointments, the nominee must have qualifications that meet at least one (1) of the following criteria:

  1. Criterion I: An approved terminal degree in the discipline.
  2. Criterion II: A master’s degree plus five (5) years of significant and relevant professional experience that meets the applicant’s departmental guidelines for the tested experience. A department wishing to grant graduate faculty standing under criterion II must submit and have approved by Graduate Council, criteria for evaluating “significant and relevant professional experience” that is equivalent to the terminal degree for the graduate programs offered by the department. The definition of tested experience must be approved prior to nominating an instructor for graduate faculty standing under criterion II.

Graduate Faculty Level B Nomination Form G-8

Graduate Faculty Level C Nomination Form G-9

Tested Experience

Departments wishing to nominate faculty under criterion II must have an approved definition of tested experience BEFORE submitting the nomination.  Departments should carefully consider what credentials or experiences are required for instructional staff who do not have a terminal degree.  Once a department has approved its definition of tested experience, the Department Chair should complete the Tested Experience Application.  Upon submission this form will be sent to the appropriate divisional dean for approval, and then forwarded to the Graduate School for review and approval by Graduate Council.

The Graduate School

The Graduate School is committed to advocating and supporting graduate programs dedicated to the pursuit of new knowledge and best teaching practices that promote diverse, globally aware graduate students and faculty.

Graduate Admission

Nellie Craig Walker Hall
301 S. Campus Avenue
Oxford, OH 45056
ApplyGrad@MiamiOH.edu
513-529-4723