Membership of the Graduate Faculty

Individual members of the Graduate Faculty are approved for membership when they are included in successful applications for program approval through the OCGS. Also, admission of a new member to the Graduate Faculty will be determined by the Graduate Studies Council: nominations have to be recommended by the appropriate Dean, each graduate program having established its own process for nomination of new graduate faculty.

The criteria for full membership shall normally include:

  • an earned doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent or terminal degree in the discipline)
  • significant publications in the areas approved for offering graduate programs and a sustained and active record of research productivity and scholarly output. In the case of professional faculties, these should include both refereed publications and publications designed to reach a professional audience
  • graduate teaching or co-teaching experience and thesis/major paper supervision will also be taken into account when assessing full graduate faculty membership.
  • an on-going research program including training of High Qualified Personnel (HQP)
  • although holding an external research grant is not a general requirement, it is highly desirable and in certain programs (such as some science graduate programs) it may be required in order to be able to provide the necessary support to graduate students

Types of membership:

Full Graduate Faculty: members have full privileges to teach graduate courses, to supervise or co-supervise Theses/Major Research Papers. Full Graduate Faculty are ipso facto members of supervisory and examination committees

Associate Graduate Faculty: members have limited privileges to teach and co-supervise students in one or more graduate programs, and be members of supervisory and examination committees. Granted to faculty who are new to Nipissing or who have limited experience of teaching and supervising graduate students. Associate membership may also be granted to faculty who are outside of an approved graduate program but can contribute to the teaching, supervision, and examination of graduate students in the program.

Occasional Graduate Faculty: faculty members at Nipissing may be permitted to teach a graduate course at the request of the appropriate Graduate Advisor or Graduate Chair. This includes graduate and undergraduate courses that are cross-listed as a graduate course or have been approved as part of the formal Program of Studies for a graduate student.

Adjunct Graduate Faculty: individuals who are external to Nipissing may be appointed as Adjunct Graduate Faculty in order to contribute to a graduate program as a member of a supervisory or examination committee. Adjunct Graduate Faculty may also co-supervise graduate students with Full Graduate Faculty members.

Terms of membership:

Membership of the Graduate Faculty is reviewed during the regular cycle of OCGS program reviews. The status of any Graduate Faculty including faculty members participating in that program is subject to OCGS approval/ re-approval during the OCGS regular cycle review*. Membership could also be reviewed by the Graduate Studies Council.

If Full Graduate Faculty members retire, resign or leave the University to join another institution, they could be appointed as Adjunct Graduate Faculty by the Graduate Studies Council

Full and Associate Graduate Faculty members are appointed on a five year term, subject to the graduate program recommendation to the Graduate Studies Council.

Application Process
Individual members of from graduate programs are approved for membership to the Graduate Faculty when they are included in a successful application for program approval through the OCGS. Additions to the Graduate Faculty of a specific program may be made using the forms New Graduate Faculty Member Application and Recommendation. 

The applicant must complete the New Graduate Faculty Member Application form and forward it to the Advisor or Dean (Education only) of the applicable graduate program. Applicants to the Graduate Faculty must be recommended by the appropriate program Advisor/Dean of Education. Recommendation for membership to the Graduate Faculty is given using the New Graduate Faculty Member Recommendation form. Both forms are forwarded to the School of Graduate Studies for approval.

The Applicant and Graduate Advisor/Dean of Education will receive notification of appointment by official letter from the School of Graduate Studies. 

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