Faculty Handbook
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Graduate and Doctoral Faculty Requirements

DOCTORAL FACULTY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Members of the doctoral faculty serve as scholars, teacher/exemplars, advisors and mentors to doctoral students, and have an essential role in the recruitment of students.

Members of the doctoral faculty are expected to be creative and productive scholars whose contributions to the body of knowledge in their disciplines are consistent with the foci of the individual doctoral programs at Montclair State. Doctoral faculty members shall demonstrate their commitment to increasing the body of knowledge in their respective disciplines as evidenced by such achievements as national/international peer-reviewed scholarly publications, externally funded research projects, successful grant acquisition and invited lectures. As an extension of their scholarship and as a demonstration of their disciplinary strengths, doctoral faculty members bear a major responsibility for developing and maintaining a curriculum that is intellectually coherent, rigorous and timely.

Teaching at the doctoral level should seek to instill in doctoral students an excitement for inquiry and learning undertaken with the highest level of intellectual rigor. Doctoral faculty members will also balance their responsibilities in the doctoral program with continued participation in research and teaching with baccalaureate and master’s students and with service to the institution and profession. Doctoral faculty members should also be available for summer teaching assignment to doctoral-level courses.

Effective and regular advising is critical at the doctoral level and shall encompass:  initial orientation and guidance about coursework, doctoral-related examinations and research, and dissertation proposals; monitoring progress on dissertations and progress toward timely degree completion; and making recommendations about a student’s continuation in the program and advancement to candidacy.  Doctoral faculty members chair and/or service on dissertation committees and, consequently, must be reasonably available either in person, telephonically, or electronically during all academic terms including summer sessions.

Furthermore, doctoral faculty members are required to participate in the recruitment of well qualified students, recognizing that the quality and viability of a doctoral program is dependent on the quality and number of its students and the reputation of its graduates.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF DOCTORAL FACULTY STATUS

Appointment to the doctoral faculty of a specific doctoral program is reserved for those faculty members who have the credentials to fulfill the roles and responsibilities set forth above and who:

  1. hold a doctoral degree appropriate to the program in which the appointment is made;
  2. are active scholars who regularly engage in significant and high quality work within a clearly defined program of research in the field. The quality of their scholarship and research must be demonstrated by its dissemination in national/international peer-reviewed scholarly publications and conferences, by the acquisition of competitive external funds to support the work, and other equivalent forms of professional recognition appropriate to the discipline;
  3. are effective in their interaction with students and exercise well the full responsibilities associated with mentoring doctoral students;
  4. are excellent teachers.

TERM OF APPOINTMENT

The term of appointment to the doctoral faculty shall normally be for a period of four years. Once designated as a member of the doctoral faculty, continuation in this role and any subsequent reappointment will require full and rigorous engagement in all of the responsibilities set forth above.

DOCTORAL FACULTY ASSIGNMENTS

Members of the doctoral faculty who are actively engaged in mentoring doctoral students may apply to their dean for reassigned time in recognition of those instructional and dissertation advisement efforts.  The dean will determine the extent of any such reassigned time on an annual basis in consultation with the doctoral program director.  The dean will base his/her judgment as to reassigned time, and the amount of any such time, on such factors as the faculty member’s: overall instructional and other assignments; number and stage of doctoral students being supervised; service as chair or member of dissertation committees; success in moving doctoral students to completion in a timely way; participation in the successful recruitment of well-qualified doctoral students; nature of the student’s research activity and the extent of supervision required; the availability of grant or other externally funded personnel to assist in supervision of the student; and other relevant factors.

TEACHING IN A DOCTORAL PROGRAM

Any member of the University faculty with the appropriate scholarly credentials may be assigned to teach a doctoral course when such an assignment is deemed to be in the best interest of the program.

SELECTION AND REAPPOINTMENT PROCESS

A candidate for doctoral faculty status shall prepare an application that includes a current curriculum vitae. For appointments to the doctoral faculty under this agreement to begin in Fall 2015 and thereafter, the following procedures shall apply:

Submission of Application

By April 1st, each candidate shall prepare an application addressing the established criteria for selection and forward it to the Doctoral Program Coordinator of the doctoral program in which the faculty member will hold the appointment and the faculty member’s home department.

Doctoral Program Coordinator Review (DPC)

  • The DPC shall share a copy of the application and all materials submitted by the candidate with all members of the doctoral faculty within the program for their review.
  • Within five (5) working days of receipt of those materials, each member of the doctoral faculty within the program will provide his/her advice to the DPC as to whether the candidate meets the criteria to be recommended for doctoral faculty status.
  • Simultaneously with the doctoral faculty review, the DPC shall review the application and all materials submitted by the candidate in order to determine whether, in his/her judgment, the candidate meets the criteria to be recommended for doctoral faculty status.
  • Within five (5) working days of receiving the advice from doctoral faculty within the program, the DPC shall prepare a brief written evaluation and recommendation and forward it to the candidate.
  • Within five (5) working days of receiving the evaluation and recommendation, the candidate may send a written response to the DPC.
  • The DPC shall simultaneously forward the candidate’s application, associated documents, the written evaluation and recommendation, and any responses to the Dean of the School/College in which the applicant will hold his/her appointment to the doctoral faculty and the Graduate Dean.

Dean and Graduate Dean Review

  • The Dean and the Graduate Dean shall simultaneously review the application and associated materials submitted by each candidate and the evaluation and recommendation of the DPC and confer with one another in order to determine whether the candidate meets the criteria for appointment to the doctoral faculty.
  • Within five (5) working days of receipt of the application, the Dean and Graduate Dean shall forward their written evaluation and recommendation to the candidate and to the DPC.
  • Within five (5) working days of receiving the evaluation and recommendation, the candidate may make a written response.
  • The Graduate Dean shall forward to the Provost the candidate’s application, associated documents, the written evaluation and recommendation and any responses.

Provost Review

  • The Provost shall review the entire application and associated documents.
    • Within seven (7) working days of receiving the application and associated materials, the Provost will notify each candidate, DPC, Dean and Graduate Dean of his/her decision regarding appointment to the doctoral faculty.
    • Within five (5) working days of receipt of a negative decision by the Provost, a candidate may make a written request for reconsideration and indicate the basis for the appeal.
    • Within five (5) working days of receipt of the request, the Provost shall notify the candidate whether or not the appeal has been granted.

APPOINTMENT TO THE DOCTORAL FACULTY UPON INITIAL HIRE

Appointment to the doctoral faculty may be made concurrently with an individual’s initial appointment to the faculty of Montclair State University.  Before making such a recommendation to the provost, the appropriate dean will consult with the doctoral program director, the faculty in the doctoral program, and the dean of The Graduate School.  Appointments to the doctoral faculty during the probationary period shall be concurrent with the term of the individual’s appointment to the faculty of the University.