Graduate Faculty
The Graduate Faculty at Texas A&M University consists of the President, the Provost and Vice President, the Associate Provosts, the Deans of all subject-matter colleges, selected Directors, and properly qualified academic groups.
Graduate Teaching Faculty
According to SACSCOC guidelines, faculty teaching graduate and post-baccalaureate course work should have an earned doctorate or terminal degree in the teaching discipline or a related discipline. Other factors that may be considered include- a master's degree or at least 18 semester credit hours of graduate-level coursework in the same or closely related field;
- professional licensure or certification in a related field or profession; or
- significant professional, research, or teaching experience in the same or closely related field.
Colleges/schools and departments are responsible for ensuring faculty and graduate assistants who serve as instructors of record have proper qualifications to teach the courses assigned. The Office of Faculty Affairs assumes responsibility for final verification of the teaching qualifications of all instructors of record.
For more information, please see the Graduate Faculty Guidelines or visit the Faculty Affairs website for instructional faculty guidelines.
Graduate Committee Faculty
Appointees to the Graduate Committee Faculty participate in the graduate degree programs of the University by serving on graduate student advisory committees.General Terms of Membership
Members of the Graduate Committee Faculty (GCF) are selected from qualified individuals of the faculty and professional staff of Texas A&M University; from employees of Texas A&M University System agencies such as Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI); from employees of affiliated research organizations (such as the USDA) located near Texas A&M campus sites; from affiliated hospitals and clinical organizations; and from other academic and professional institutions.Membership in the GCF is maintained only by participating in graduate programs by directing or administering graduate work, by doing research and publishing, or by other direct and substantial contributions to the graduate programs of the University, such as by service on a Graduate Instruction Committee (GIC) or by administrative assignments in graduate education.
Academic units submit nominations through the Graduate Committee Faculty Portal.
Withdrawal of Appointment
The Graduate and Professional Council expects that all Deans, Department Heads, and intercollegiate faculty Chairs will regularly review the GCF under their direction and will recommend withdrawal of the appointments of any members who no longer merit membership on the Graduate Committee Faculty on the basis of their lack of contribution to graduate education.The Department Head or intercollegiate faculty Chair must provide notification to any faculty member who is non-voluntarily removed from the roles of the Graduate Committee Faculty. Faculty members have the right to appeal their removal through University Rule 12.99.99.M0.01 (Faculty Grievances Procedures).
Membership during Leaves of Absence
If the chair of a student’s advisory committee is on an approved leave of absence, and the student is near completion of the degree and wants the chair to continue to serve in this role, a written request must be submitted to the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate and Professional School by the Department Head or Chair of intercollegiate faculty that the faculty member who is on an approved leave of absence be allowed to continue to serve as chair of the advisory committee – without a co-chair – for up to one year.Membership following Voluntary Separation from Texas A&M University
If a member of the GCF voluntarily separates from the university, the academic unit may may either end the individual’s membership upon departure or continue that individual’s membership indefinitely as an outside member of the GCF (OtherFPS). The academic unit should notify the Graduate Committee Faculty Office that the member will no longer be employed by the university and provide the individual’s new location, employer, and position/title (if applicable).If the departed member held the ability to serve as Chair, the member may not be added as Chair to any new student advisory committees, and that role must be removed (either by the academic unit or the Graduate Committee Faculty Office) upon voluntary termination from the university. Former TTF, APT, and TFPS members of the GCF are eligible to hold the Co-Chair and/or Member role only.
As the departed individual will then be considered an outside member of the GCF, the academic unit must maintain sponsored credentials for the duration of continued membership.
If the chair of a student’s advisory committee voluntarily separates from the university, and the student is nearing completion of the degree, at the student’s request that the Chair may continue to serve in this role for up to one year. Please refer to the Graduate Committee Faculty Guide for instructions on extending the NetID account and email beyond the termination date of the faculty member leaving Texas A&M University.
Membership Categories
The two categories of membership are: I) Regular Member, and II) Special Appointment.Regular Members
Required qualifications and eligibilities are based on the GCF member’s category (see the Faculty Affairs’ Guidelines to Faculty Titles) as defined in the GCF Guidelines.
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Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty (TTF) members of Texas A&M University are eligible to participate as members of the GCF under criteria and guidelines as established by each college/school, department, or interdisciplinary degree program. TTF members may serve as Chair, Co-Chair, or Member on advisory committees of master’s and doctoral students. Please note: TTF members of the GCF who relinquish their tenure and transition to Senior Associate Professor or Senior Professor positions (with appropriate college/school Dean, Department Head, or Program Chair approval) may continue to serve in the role of Chair if a student’s advisory committee was established through a degree plan approved prior to the individual’s transition to the Senior title. Senior Associate Professors and Senior Professors are ineligible to be selected for the Chair role during the degree plan or change in committee petition approval process after transition to these titles.
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Academic Professional Track (APT) Faculty members employed by Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) are eligible to participate as members of the GCF (if permitted by department or college/school guidelines). TAMUQ APT faculty may serve as Chair, Co-Chair, or Member with advisory committees for master’s and doctoral students.
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Academic Professional Track (APT) Faculty (see the Faculty Affairs’ Guidelines to Faculty Titles) employed by TAMU, designated TAMUS agencies, or affiliated hospitals and clinical organizations are eligible to participate as a member of the GCF (if permitted by department or college/school guidelines). APT faculty may serve as Chair, Co-Chair, or Member of advisory committees of master’s and doctoral students with appropriate approval.
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Temporary or Part-Time Faculty (except Senior Associate Professors and Senior Professors – see above) and Professional Staff employed by Texas A&M, designated TAMUS agencies, or affiliated hospitals and clinical organizations (TFPS) are eligible to participate as a member of the GCF (if permitted by department or college/school guidelines). TFPS may serve as Co-Chair or Member of advisory committees of master’s and doctoral students with appropriate approval. TFPS are ineligible to serve on advisory committees in the Chair role.
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Faculty and Professionals who are not employed by TAMU, TAMUQ, TAMUS agencies, or affiliated hospitals and clinical organizations (OtherFPS) are eligible to participate as outside members of the GCF (if permitted by college/school, department, or interdisciplinary degree program guidelines). OtherFPS may serve as Co-Chair or Member of advisory committees of master’s and doctoral students with appropriate approval. OtherFPS are ineligible to serve on advisory committees in the Chair role.
For details on required qualifications and nomination procedures, please see the Graduate Faculty Guidelines or the Graduate Committee Faculty Guide.
Special Appointments
There may be times when the head of an academic department or chair of intercollegiate faculty wishes to have qualified individuals (from government, industry, or another university) serve with student advisory committees without being full members of the GCF as a Special Appointment (SA).
SAs are not full members of the GCF and are ineligible for the roles of Chair, Co-Chair, or Member. An individual serving as an SA on a student’s advisory committee does not count toward the minimum number of GCF members necessary to form the advisory committee, does not appear on the student’s degree plan, and does not approve student documents.
SAs are able to advise students and may be listed on a thesis, dissertation, or record of study with the regular members of a student’s advisory committee.
For details on required qualifications and nomination procedures, please see the Graduate Faculty Guidelines or the Graduate Committee Faculty Guide.
Graduate Committee Faculty Members on Student Advisory Committees
The advisory committee as a group – and as individual members – are responsible for advising the student on academic matters. The duties include• responsibility for approving the student’s proposed degree plan;
• development of the student’s research proposal (if applicable);
• reviewing and revising the student’s thesis, dissertation, or record of study (if applicable); and
• conducting examinations (if required).
Each college/school, department, and interdisciplinary degree program should create, and provide the members of their Graduate Committee Faculty (GCF) with guidance regarding the policies and standards for advisory committee members.
Chair Requirements and Responsibilities
After receiving admission to graduate studies, students will consult with the graduate program concerning selection of a Chair and members (if applicable) for an advisory committee representative of the student’s field(s) of study and research. Academic units and individual graduate programs will determine the processes by which students will either select or receive an advisory committee Chair.Only Tenured/Tenure-Track faculty (TTF) and Academic Professional Track (APT) faculty members of the GCF located on Texas A&M University campuses may serve as Chair of a student’s advisory committee.
If the graduate degree program requires the student advisory committee to include more than one member, the Chair – in consultation with the student – will select the remainder of the advisory committee. For specific advisory committee requirements, check the Program Requirements section in the Graduate and Professional Catalog for the degree the student is pursuing.
The Chair of the advisory committee, who usually has immediate supervision of the student’s degree program, has the responsibility for calling meetings at any time considered desirable.
Additional Chair duties and specific details of how graduate students should be advised will be governed by each academic unit.
Other Member Responsibilities
It is expected that those who serve on graduate student advisory committees- contribute to graduate education at Texas A&M University;
- maintain active membership with the GCF;
- develop good standing with their academic units and the university;
- direct or administer graduate work by doing research and publishing, or by other direct and substantial contributions to the graduate programs of the university; and
- provide adequate academic and professional support to the students whom they advise.
Outside Member Duties
Outside members of the GCF (see OtherFPS above) are expected to- maintain active Texas A&M credentials;
- provide appropriate support for advisees through
- sharing of expertise,
- effective communications with the student and other advisory committee members,
- timely review and decisions on student degree plans and petitions, requests, or other documents;
- participate in examinations and other conferences as needed and able; and
- all other responsibilities expected of all GCF members employed by Texas A&M.
Faculty Affairs
Jack K. Williams Administration BuildingTAMU 1126
400 Bizzell Street, Ste. 112
College Station, Texas 77843-1126
FacultyAffairs@tamu.edu
979-845-4274
Graduate Committee Faculty Office
Graduate and Professional SchoolNagle Hall 205
GradCom@tamu.edu
979-845-3631
Graduate Faculty Resources
[ GRADUATE FACULTY GUIDELINES (2024) ]
[ GRADUATE CIMMITTEE FACULTY PORTAL]
[ GRADUATE COMMITTEE FACULTY GUIDE (2025) ]