Approval Process for SEHD Special Graduate Faculty Appointments

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Appointment as Special Graduate Faculty is typically requested for a) part-time instructors who are not already full-time faculty (less than a .5 appointment) at CU Denver and SEHD to teach classes and for special appointments for dissertation or thesis committee membership, and b) for non-CU employees to serve on committees for masters or doctoral students for thesis/DRP/dissertation advising and defenses.

Special GFA for teaching classes

The process to obtain approval for a special appointment to Graduate Faculty to teach graduate classes remains the same and is handled through the SEHD Curriculum Committee.

Special GFA for Dissertation or Thesis Committee

The following procedure is for review and approval of Special Graduate Faculty status for committee members for doctoral or master’s advisory committees:

• Master’s programs for final defense of thesis or capstone, if program or concentration has one and allows Special Graduate Faculty to serve.
• Doctoral for dissertation or DRP committee for advising and defense of proposals and final defenses.

Requirements

• To serve on a PhD committee, Special Graduate Faculty appointment requires a terminal degree (PhD, EdD, MFA, MBA, JD, etc.).
• To serve on an EdD or PsyD committee, Special Graduate Faculty appointments are generally individuals with a terminal degree but must be individuals who have earned a master’s degree.
• Individuals with a master’s degree must have compelling expertise and/or experience aligned with the content area or research methodology, and/or serve in a compelling role with a research site that facilitates the proposed project.

Process

1. Primary advisors and students determine the proposed membership of advisory committees. The composition of the committee must meet the requirements of the degree program (PhD, EdD, and PsyD each have their own requirements).
2. For each individual proposed to serve on an advisory committee who does not already possess Graduate Faculty status:
   1. The student is responsible for inviting the proposed committee member to serve;
   2. The student and primary advisor provide the proposed committee member the SEHD Special Graduate Faculty Application form.
   3. The applicant completes the top portion and signs the form and returns the signed form along with a resume/c.v. to the student or advisor, who forwards bot the Carol Wahby for processing.

Approval is required before a defense for non-SEHD personnel and for SEHD faculty or staff who are not already Graduate Faculty members.

Duration of Appointment Special Faculty Status

SEHD faculty or staff should be reviewed for their initial appointment to an advisory committee, but do not need to repeat this review process for successive commitments (i.e., GFA does not expire so long as they remain employed by SEHD).

Non-SEHD employed individuals apply for and seek appointments to serve on a specific candidate’s committee; the appointment expires when the specific candidate completes or leaves their program.