Graduate Faculty Status

 

Graduate Faculty Status for the Computer Science Department
Florida State University

 

Definition of GFS: Membership in the Graduate faculty of the Department of Computer Science authorizes faculty to teach all graduate-level courses, to sit on all graduate-level committees, to chair all graduate student dissertation committees, and to participate fully in all components of graduate education, research, and service. Limitation or removal of any of these authorizations from individual GFS-faculty is delegated to the unit level authority where such assignments are made.

GFS Nomination Criteria:The Faculty member under consideration for nomination to Graduate Faculty Status must, subject to consideration of special circumstances, have (1) completed the doctorate in Computer Science (or its equivalent) and (2) proven expertise in the teaching area.

GFS Limitations/Restrictions: Faculty holding GFS are expected to actively engage in graduate education through teaching, mentoring and research supervision. They should show evidence of research-based scholarship and/or creative work resulting in peer reviewed publications or equivalent work. A Computer Science faculty member may be restricted from any GFS responsibilities (e.g. the right to serve as the chair for a dissertation committee) if two-thirds of the faculty in the department who hold that responsibility vote to restrict that faculty member’s specific responsibilities.

Faculty not in the FSU Computer Science Department have the right to co-direct dissertations, theses, or projects provided that they have GFS in another FSU department or hold a courtesy faculty appointment in the FSU Computer Science Department with co-directive status. Such a faculty member may lose the right to co-direct Computer Science graduate students if two-thirds of the FSU Computer Science faculty with GFS vote to restrict it.

Specialized members of the Computer Science faculty and courtesy appointees may be nominated for Graduate Teaching Status (GTS) within the Computer Science Department. GTS allows a specialized faculty member or courtesy appointee to teach graduate courses. Persons in similar status may be nominated for Co-MDS and to be able to co-direct MS students on theses and projects. Non-tenure track faculty and courtesy appointees in the Computer Science Department are eligible for nomination to graduate teaching status (GTS) provided that they have received a PhD (or its equivalent), hold expertise in the teaching discipline, and have received a two-thirds majority vote in favor of appointment by the Computer Science faculty who currently have GFS or GTS within the department. Under exceptional circumstances specialized faculty members and courtesy appointees whose terminal academic degree is an MS, may be nominated for GTS to teach graduate courses within a specific area, on the basis of significant experience in that area and two-thirds of the Computer Science faculty with GFS or GTS vote to approve it. A Computer Science faculty member or courtesy appointee may lose individual GTS responsibilities (e.g. the right to teach graduate courses) if two-thirds of the faculty in the department who hold that responsibility vote to revoke it. All nominations must be approved by the Academic Dean and Dean of The Graduate School in accordance with university policy.

Specialized faculty members in the Computer Science Department are eligible for nomination to obtain masters directive status (MDS) to direct MS students on theses or projects provided that they have received a PhD (or its equivalent) and have received a two-thirds majority vote in favor of MDS by the Computer Science faculty who currently have GFS or MDS. Courtesy appointees in the Computer Science Department are eligible for nomination to obtain co-masters directive status (MDS) to direct MS students on theses or projects provided that they have received a PhD (or its equivalent) and have received a two-thirds majority vote in favor of CMDS by the Computer Science faculty who currently have GFS or MDS.

Approved and adopted by two-thirds majority vote of the faculty holding GFS in June 2009.
Revision of GTS policy approved by two-thirds majority vote of the faculty holding GFS/GTS in November 2012.
Revision of GTS policy approved by two-thirds majority vote of the faculty holding GFS in April 2015.