Policy 2.7 - Policy on Appointment to Graduate Faculty Status
The official version of this policy is housed with the University Secretariat. In the event of a discrepancy, the official version will prevail. Click here for a printable version of this policy.
Approving Authority: Senate
Responsible Office: Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
Responsible Officer: Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
Original Approval Date: June 4, 2012
Most Recent Revision Date: June 3, 2024
Previous Revisions: amended December 5, 2012, amended February 11, 2013, amended June 6, 2022
1. Preamble
1.1. The University of Guelph is committed to its mission as a research-intensive, learner-centred University, which includes commitment to the highest standards of graduate teaching and advising.
1.2. The University recognizes the importance of graduate faculty to the development of graduate students.
2. Purpose
2.1. The purpose of this Policy is to provide a framework to guide the University in approving individuals requesting the opportunity to engage in various aspects of graduate education.
2.2. The Policy is intended to ensure an appropriate and accurate accounting of those who have been approved to engage in the various aspects of graduate education, and also to ensure a clear articulation of the University’s expectations for an individual’s engagement in graduate education.
3. Jurisdiction/Scope
3.1. This Policy applies to individuals who have applied for and been approved for the opportunity to engage in the various aspects of graduate education.
3.2. This Policy ensures a clear articulation of the University’s expectations for an individual’s engagement in graduate education.
4. Definitions
4.1. Active Status means an means an individual has the rights and responsibilities of the Graduate Faculty category for which they have been approved.
4.2. Associated Graduate Faculty are individuals who are Professor Emeritus/Emerita, University Professor Emeritus/Emerita, or hold a senior academic degree in their particular area of expertise and have appropriate research experience who have been nominated and approved by the Board of Graduate Studies for Associated Graduate Faculty status. Associate Graduate Faculty are not normally tenure-track faculty at the University of Guelph.
4.3. Contractually Limited Faculty are faculty hired/appointed for a fixed period of time.
4.4. Elders are individuals in Indigenous communities who have been recognized for their longstanding commitment, knowledge, and contribution to the community.
4.5. Knowledge Holders are individuals in Indigenous communities who carry knowledge and skills and act as teachers.
4.6. Non-active Status means the rights and responsibilities of Graduate Faculty have been revoked from an individual.
4.7. Regular Graduate Faculty are tenured and tenure-track faculty at the University of Guelph who have been nominated and approved by the Board of Graduate Studies for Regular Graduate Faculty status.
4.8. Special Graduate Faculty are individuals nominated and appointed for specific tasks in support of graduate programs.
5. Policy
5.1. There are three categories of Graduate Faculty at the University of Guelph: Regular, Associated and Special.
5.2. Each category of Graduate Faculty contributes to graduate education.
5.3. The particular category of Graduate Faculty status recognizes the University’s expectations for, and the individual’s opportunity for, participation, and contribution to graduate education at the University of Guelph.
5.4. The University recognizes and acknowledges that there will be times when an individual is meeting all other performance expectations and, through no fault of their own, may not be able to participate in some or all aspects of graduate education. In these circumstances, to ensure the continued appropriate and accurate accounting of the institutional capacity for engagement in graduate education, the status will not be revoked but may be placed in non-active status for a period of time. Such status, as detailed in the Procedures for this Policy, may be reactivated once the expectations and/or opportunities to engage in graduate education are re-established.
5.5. Regular Graduate Faculty
5.5.1. Regular Graduate Faculty are tenured and tenure-track faculty at the University of Guelph (Contractually Limited appointments are not included in this category — see Associated and Special Graduate Faculty.)
5.5.2. In most cases, Regular Graduate Faculty are expected to hold a PhD or the most senior degree in their particular area of expertise with an appropriate level of scholarship.
5.5.2.1. Exceptions to this expectation must be accompanied by justification to the Board of Graduate Studies outlining the nature and extent of the experience or other training that equips the nominee for membership of Regular Graduate Faculty.
5.5.3. To retain active status, individuals nominated to Regular Graduate Faculty must be involved on a regular basis with aspects of graduate education including advising students (as primary advisor or as co-advisor) and examining students and teaching graduate courses.
5.5.4. Departments, programs and schools are expected to provide support in the form of mentoring for faculty newly appointed to the University, especially individuals who do not possess previous experience advising students.
5.5.4.1. As part of the commitment to mentoring, a newly appointed Faculty Member may be required to serve as co-advisor linked in the early part of their career with a more experienced Faculty Member.
5.5.4.1.1. Such a decision shall normally not extend beyond three years from the date of appointment and shall be reviewed by the Dean in their annual meeting with the Faculty Member.
5.5.4.1.2. The dean shall decide, in consultation with the Faculty Member, when the Faculty Member may commence serving as primary advisor.
5.5.5. It is expected that the performance of Regular Graduate Faculty will be assessed as an integral part of the Promotion and Tenure process.
5.5.6 Where there are substantiated concerns in the Faculty Member’s performance of aspects of graduate education, the Faculty Member may continue to hold active Regular Graduate Faculty status; however, restriction(s) may be placed on some or all of their graduate education activities.
5.6. Associated Graduate Faculty
5.6.1. Associated Graduate Faculty status is not normally for tenure-track faculty at the University of Guelph, but rather for individuals who are Professor Emeritus/Emerita, University Professor Emeritus/Emerita, or hold a senior academic degree in their particular area of expertise and have appropriate research experience.
5.6.2. Associated Graduate Faculty should have experience serving on graduate student advisory committees. Departments, programs, and schools are expected to provide support for Associated Graduate faculty that is appropriate to their particular situation, graduate student advisory experience, and role(s) in the graduate program.
5.6.3. Associated Graduate Faculty are typically appointed to serve as co-advisors and may participate in all other aspects of graduate education.
5.6.4. Associated Graduate Faculty may not serve as primary advisors.
5.6.5. Tenure-track Faculty Members who are not engaged in all aspects of graduate education may hold this status if they continue to be involved in some aspect of graduate education.
5.6.6. Appointments are for a four-year term, or in the case of Contractually Limited Faculty, a length of time commensurate with their appointment, renewable upon application and a satisfactory performance review conducted by the host program, department, or school.
5.7. Special Graduate Faculty
5.7.1. Special Graduate Faculty are appointed for specific tasks in support of graduate programs, such as teaching graduate courses and serving as a member of advisory and/or examination committees.
5.7.2. The roles and responsibilities of the nominee must be defined at the time of nomination, and each revision of the roles and responsibilities must be submitted for approval by the Board of Graduate Studies.
5.7.3. Special Graduate Faculty may not serve as primary advisors or co-advisors.
5.7.4. Senior academic qualification and/or relevant experience, including that held by Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Holders, is expected for Special Graduate Faculty.
5.7.5. The term will be consistent with the nature of the appointment.
5.7.6. With rare exception, graduate students are not permitted to serve as graduate course instructors. Graduate students are also not permitted to serve as members on either the advisory or examination committees of another graduate student.
5.7.7. To avoid conflicts of interest, research associates and postdoctoral scholars may not be nominated as advisory committee members for students supervised by their own faculty supervisor and/or advisor.
6. Related Policies, Procedures & Documents
6.1. Procedure for Policy 2.7 Policy on Appointment to Graduate Faculty Status
6.2. Policy on Responsibilities of Advisors, Advisory Committees and Graduate Students and Graduate Student-Advisor Mediation Procedures, Graduate Calendar