Special and Adjoint Members of the Graduate Faculty

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How do departments request special or adjoint membership for a faculty member?

1. An application for Special Membership or an application for Adjoint Membership must be filled out and current Vita must be attached.
2. The completed application must be submitted by department in which the applicant would like to be a Special or Adjoint member.

Approval Process

1. The application must be approved by the Graduate Program Chair, the Department Chair, and the Associate Dean of the college.
2. After all the signatures have been gathered at the department and college level, the form must be routed to the Graduate School.
3. The Graduate Council's Membership committee will vote on the application, and if it is approved by the majority of the committee, it will go before the council at the next Graduate Council meeting for final approval.
4. If the graduate council approves the application at their monthly meeting, the List of Approved Special and Adjoint Members is updated with the new membership.

• Additional Resources
• Applications for Membership
  Application for Graduate Faculty Special Membership Application for Adjoint Faculty
• List of Approved Specials and Adjoint Members
• Request Info Visit Apply

Application Deadlines

For the September Meeting:
August 15

For the October Meeting:
September 15 (Deadline for Fall Graduates)

For the November Meeting:
October 15

For the December Meeting:
November 15

For the February Meeting:
January 15

For the March Meeting:
February 15 (Deadline for Spring Graduates)

For the April Meeting:
March 15

For the May Meeting:
April 15 (Deadline for Summer Graduates)

All applications must be turned in by the deadline.

Late applications will not be reviewed until the following month.

Dates of Graduate Council Meetings

FAQs on Special Members of the Graduate Faculty

Who are special members?

University of Texas at San Antonio faculty members who do not hold a full-time tenured or tenure-track appointment (including visiting, adjunct or part-time faculty members or individuals outside the university) are eligible for appointment as Special Members of the Graduate Faculty.

UTSA Faculty Titles
Does not need a special membership	Tenure/Tenure-Track (TT) Academic Titles Professor Associate Professor Assistant Professor
Needs a special membership	Fixed-Term Track (FTT) Academic Titles Professor of Instruction Professor for Research Professor of Practice Lecturer Clinical Professor Full list of Fixed-Term Track Titles People outside UTSA or retired UTSA faculty

What is a special membership appointment?

With a special membership appointment you may teach graduate courses or serve on graduate committees.

How are special members appointed?

Upon recommendation by (1) the Graduate Faculty of the department where they serve and/or the appropriate Graduate Program Committee, (2) recommendation by the Chair of the appropriate Graduate Program Committee, (3) recommendation by the appropriate Department Chair, (4) recommendation by the appropriate College Dean, and (5) approval by the Graduate Council.

How long is a special membership appointment?

Appointments will be for three years.

Can a special member chair a thesis and/or dissertation committee?

A special member may only co-chair a thesis and/or dissertation committees however under special circumstance, a Special Member may serve as the sole chair of thesis via petition to the Graduate Council and approval of the Graduate Council and Dean of the Graduate School.

If a special member in one department, can you also be a special member in another department?

Yes, however special membership does not transfer between departments. Separate applications must be submitted for each requesting department.

Can a department shorten the appointment or limit the duties of the special member?

Yes, the requesting department and the Graduate Council may delimit the term of service to a period of less than three years and/or may delimit duties of special members in regards to teaching and service on thesis and dissertation committees to correspond to extraordinary department or program need or to special circumstances (for example, if the applicant for Special Membership does not possess the terminal degree in a discipline or field of inquiry directly associated with the requesting department).

FAQs on Adjoint Members of the Graduate Faculty

Who are adjoint members?

Joint programs and programs with Memorandum of Understanding with faculty from another institution are eligible to be Members of the Graduate Faculty. Adjoint faculty members are eligible for appointments as Members of the Graduate Faculty upon recommendation by the Graduate Faculty of the department where they serve and/or the appropriate Graduate Program Committee and approval by the Graduate Council.

What is an adjoint membership appointment?

With an adjoint membership appointment you may teach graduate courses, serve on graduate committees, and chair thesis and dissertation committees.

How long is an adjoint membership appointment?

Adjoint Members of the Graduate Faculty are appointed for five year terms.

For more information about this process, please email gradschooladmin@utsa.edu.