1.   Each graduate program will have a graduate program director (hereinafter referred to as the GPD).

2.   The authority to appoint the GPD is vested in the dean of the academic college.  The dean will normally appoint the new GPD from nominations/recommendations received from the unit head.  Should the dean make an alternate appointment for GPD, the dean will provide a rationale to the unit head.  If the unit head is not able to make a nomination, the dean will make an appointment.

3.   Normally the appointment will be for a three-year period.  A GPD may be reappointed.

4.   Normally all GPD appointees will have graduate faculty status, or have the academic credentials to be awarded graduate faculty status, with the associated responsibilities and benefits of faculty rank.  Administrative personnel may also serve as a GPD when other tenure-line faculty are academically responsible for the program curricula and assessment.  Characteristically, GPDs will be senior faculty with tenure, chosen on the basis of their leadership and organizational ability.

5.   GPDs will be responsible for ensuring completion of the Graduate Program Management Responsibilities as identified by each graduate program and approved by the academic dean specified in a separate document to be kept on file in the Graduate School, the appointing academic dean’s office, the appropriate academic unit head’s office, and with the GPD.

6.   Normally the GPD will be evaluated annually as part of the Faculty Workload Plan (FWP) and Faculty Workload Report (FWR) process.  The unit head and/or Dean will provide a written performance summary of the GPD based on duties and responsibilities of the GPD position.  The Graduate Dean will provide written input to the performance summary of the GPD on a three-year rotation or more frequently if requested by the GPD, academic unit head, or academic dean.

June 29, 2022 - Changed Faculty Activity Plan to Faculty Workload Plan; Changed Faculty Activity Report to Faculty Workload Report