4. GRADUATE FACULTY

4.1. Eligibility for Membership

The graduate faculty in the NGSP may include regular tenure track, research track and adjunct members of the University faculty at the rank of Assistant Professor or above whose skills and educational qualifications could be supportive of the NGSP’s mission. Emeritus members of the University faculty who are members of the NGSP at the time of retirement may continue to act as advisors for their advisees in progress at the time of retirement with the approval of the NGSP Committee and notification to the Graduate School. For these faculty emeriti to engage in graduate teaching or advising activities not in progress at the time of retirement, approval of both the NGSP Committee and the Dean of the Graduate School is required.

4.2. Application for Membership

Faculty who wish to be appointed to the graduate faculty in the NGSP must submit a formal written request to the Director(s) of the NGSP, accompanied by a current CV, and a statement of purpose indicating how they will contribute to the mission of the NGSP. This material will be evaluated by the NGSP Committee, which will decide on the disposition of the application. During their deliberations, the committee will consider explicitly the potential of the applicant to meet the review criteria described below. If the decision of the Committee is favorable, the Director(s) will submit a nomination for appointment with Category P status to the Graduate School.

4.3. Functions and Responsibilities

NGSP graduate faculty with Category P status are eligible to serve as thesis advisors to doctoral students, to participate in the governance of graduate education at all levels within the University, to serve on doctoral examination committees, and to serve as a Graduate Faculty Representative on Candidacy and Final Oral Examinations, as specified in the Graduate School Handbook. All NGSP graduate faculty are responsible for following the guidelines specified in the NGSP Handbook of Policies and Procedures.

4.4. Review of Faculty

Every four (4) years, the NGSP Committee will review each faculty member to determine whether or not they are qualified to continue in the NGSP. The purpose of this periodic review is to maintain the highest standard of quality in the categories of scholarship, training, and productivity. This is important not only for the quality of the graduate training that we provide, but also to maximize our National Research Council (NRC) rankings when compared to other neuroscience programs across the nation. An active and productive faculty is necessary in order to recruit the highest quality student applicants and in order to ensure that the Program remains competitive for national, state and intramural funding. Nevertheless, the NGSP explicitly recognizes that there are multiple ways in which faculty members can contribute to the success of the Program. To this end, continued membership in the NGSP requires that faculty satisfy at least one (1) of the following three criteria during the four (4)-year review period. 

1. Receive extramural grant support for neuroscience-related research. To satisfy this criterion, a faculty member must have been a PI or Co-PI on an extramural grant in a neuroscience-related research area active during any part of the four (4)-year review period.

2. Make specific contributions to graduate training in the NGSP. To satisfy this criterion, a faculty member must engage in at least one of the following activities during any part of the four (4)-year review period: 1) serve as thesis advisor to an NGSP student, 2) direct or teach one or more lectures in an NGSP core course (723, 724, 725, 726, or 824), 3) direct an NGSP seminar series (NEUROGSP 797), 4) serve on an NGSP candidacy/dissertation committee, or 5) serve on the NGSP Committee.

3. Conduct a productive neuroscience-related research program.   To satisfy this criterion, a faculty member must publish at least eight (8) peer reviewed research articles on neuroscience-related topics during the four (4)-year review period. 

Materials necessary for the review will be requested by the NGSP Director(s). The individual faculty members are responsible for providing the requested materials. If the NGSP Committee determines that a faculty member has satisfied the review criteria, that faculty member will continue as a member of the Graduate Faculty of the NGSP for an additional four years. If the Committee determines that a faculty member has not satisfied the review criteria, then the committee will recommend to the Dean of the Graduate School that Category P status in the NGSP be revoked. These faculty may re-apply for membership at a later date.

4.5. Annual NGSP Meetings

An annual meeting of the faculty and students in the NGSP will be called each year to discuss programmatic issues. The Director(s) of the NGSP will chair the meetings. Robert’s Rules of Order will prevail. The number of faculty in attendance at this meeting will be considered a quorum. Graduate student attendance and participation at this meeting is required. Although students cannot vote at this meeting, their input is considered critical. Additional faculty meetings may be called from time to time, at the discretion of the Director(s) of the NGSP. The graduate faculty may also conduct its business by E-mail ballot, at the discretion of the Director(s).