CBAPPS 5.07 Criteria for Faculty Qualifications

CBAPPS 5.07 
Effective Date: 01/01/2024 
Last Review Date: 10/25/2023 
Next Review Date: 10/25/2028 
Sr. Reviewer: Dean, McCoy College 

McCOY COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

CBAPPS 5.07: Criteria for Faculty Qualifications

POLICY STATEMENT

The College maintains and deploys participating and supporting faculty who support the McCoy College mission, expected outcomes, and strategies, including teaching, scholarship, and other mission components.

This policy states criteria for classifying a faculty member as Scholarly Academic (SA), Practice Academic (PA), Scholarly Practitioner (SP), Instructional Practitioner (IP), and Additional (A) per AACSB accreditation standards.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1.  Definitions

A.  A participating faculty member actively and deeply engages in the activities of the college in matters beyond direct teaching responsibilities. The McCoy College of Business considers participating faculty members to be ongoing members of the faculty, regardless of whether their appointments are full-time or part-time, whether their positions with the college are considered their principal employment, and whether the college has tenure policies.

B.  A supporting faculty member does not participate in the intellectual or operational life of the college beyond the direct performance of teaching responsibilities.  

C.  Research master’s degrees are degrees that focus heavily on research methods and independent research projects as the primary program content.

D.  Faculty qualifications status refers to one of four categories designated to demonstrate current and relevant intellectual capital or professional engagement in the area of teaching to support the college’s mission and related activities. Categories for specifying faculty qualifications are based on both the initial academic preparation or professional experience and sustained academic and professional engagement within the area of teaching.

E.  Scholarly Academics (SA) are faculty who have attained a terminal degree in a field related to the area of teaching and who sustain currency and relevancy through scholarship and activities related to their field of teaching. SA faculty are expected to produce peer-reviewed publications related to their field of teaching as part of their portfolio of scholarship. In addition to publications related to their field of teaching, SA faculty may produce other publications outside their field of teaching in support of other mission-related components of the college and reflective of the faculty member’s role at the college.

F.  Practice Academics (PA) are faculty who have attained a terminal degree in a field related to their area of teaching and who sustain currency and relevancy through professional engagement, interaction, and activities related to their field of teaching.

G.  Scholarly Practitioners (SP) are faculty who have attained a master’s degree related to their field of teaching; have professional experience substantial in duration and responsibility at the time of hire; and who sustain currency and relevancy through scholarship related to their professional background and experience in their field of teaching.

H.  Instructional Practitioners (IP) are faculty who have attained a master’s degree related to their field of teaching; have professional experience substantial in duration and responsibility at the time of hire; and who sustain currency and relevancy through continued professional experience and engagement related to their professional background and experience in their field of teaching.

I.  Additional Faculty (A) are faculty who do not meet the college’s criteria for SA, PA, SP, or IP.

J.  Other Intellectual Contributions (OIC) are required based upon the individual faculty member’s qualification status. For a complete list of OIC, see Appendix A.

2.  Faculty Qualification Assignments

A.  Faculty members can be Scholarly Academic (SA), Practice Academic (PA), Scholarly Practitioner (SP), or Instructional Practitioner (IP). Faculty members should be assigned one of these designations based on the college’s criteria for initial qualifications and sustained engagement activities that support currency and relevancy in their teaching field. Faculty whose qualifications do not meet the criteria established by the college for SA, PA, SP, or IP status will be classified as “Additional” Faculty.  

B.  Criteria for Scholarly Academic (SA)

i.  For initial classification of SA, a terminal degree related to their field of teaching is appropriate. Note that a faculty member can be considered SA for five years from the date of conferral of the terminal degree. Doctoral students with teaching responsibilities who have attained all-but-dissertation (“ABD”) status will be considered SA for three years from the commencement of ABD status. A variety of terminal degrees may be appropriate where the terminal degree is related to the faculty member’s field of teaching.

ii.  Examples of commonly accepted terminal degrees in business include:

• doctoral degrees in business or a closely related business discipline (PhD or DBA);
•  a graduate degree in law (LLM) and/or taxation (MST) for those teaching taxation
•  a law degree (LLM, or JD) for those teaching courses or modules related to law or aspects related to the legal environment of business (e.g., ethics, sustainability, etc.).

iii.  Additional terminal degrees may also be appropriate for SA status when the degree is closely related to the faculty member’s field of teaching and the faculty member sustains currency through scholarly activities in that field consistent with this standard.

iv.  Subsequent to initial SA classification, there must be ongoing, sustained, and substantive academic activities supporting qualification status.

v.  Maintenance of SA status: Scholarly Academic status is maintained by continuing scholarship and related activities that sustain academic qualifications. The faculty member must produce two peer-reviewed journal articles. In addition, a third peer-reviewed journal article or three other intellectual contributions within the last five years. All academic and professional engagement activities must be substantive and sustained at levels that support currency and relevance in the discipline.

vi.  Other Intellectual Contributions to maintain SA status include: 

• Ad hoc reviewer for a journal, or academic conference,
• Book chapters,
• Conference review of paper and participation as a discussant in the track,
• Editorial board membership in peer-reviewed journals,
• Externally funded research grants of $50,000 or more,
• National media citations
• Non-peer- reviewed journal articles,
• Peer-reviewed case publications with instructional materials not already in a peer-reviewed journal,
• Peer-reviewed journal articles in a revise and resubmit status,
• Peer-reviewed paper presentations at academic/professional meetings,
• Peer-reviewed publications in academic meeting proceedings,
• Scholarly monographs,
• Scholarly or academic books,
• Textbooks.

C.  Criteria for Practice Academic (PA)

i.  For initial classification of PA, a terminal degree related to their field of teaching is appropriate. Note that a faculty member can be considered PA for five years from the date of conferral of the terminal degree. Doctoral students with teaching responsibilities who have attained all-but-dissertation (“ABD”) status will be considered PA for three years from the commencement of ABD status. A variety of terminal degrees may be appropriate where the terminal degree is related to the faculty member’s field of teaching.

ii.  Examples of commonly accepted terminal degrees in business include:

• doctoral degrees in business or a closely related business discipline (PhD or DBA);
• a graduate degree in law (LLM) and/or taxation (MST) for those teaching taxation
• a law degree (LLM, or JD) for those teaching courses or modules related to law or aspects related to the legal environment of business (e.g., ethics, sustainability, etc.).

iii.  Additional terminal degrees may also be appropriate for PA status when the degree is closely related to the faculty member’s field of teaching and the faculty member sustains currency through scholarly activities in that field consistent with this standard.

iv.  Subsequent to initial PA classification, there must be ongoing, sustained, and substantive academic activities supporting qualification status.

v.  Maintenance of PA status: Practice Academic (PA) status is maintained by undertaking a variety of academic and professional engagement activities that sustain academic qualifications. The faculty member must produce five or more engagement activities, results of which are publicly available, within the last five years. All engagement activities must be substantive and sustained at levels that support currency and relevance in the discipline as well as involve meaningful interaction with professional and business communities.

vi.  Engagement activities to maintain PA status: In addition to the list of other intellectual contributions for SA status, examples of engagement activities to maintain PA status include:

• Continuing professional education engagement,
• Consulting engagement that is material in terms of time and substance,
• Developing and presenting executive education programs,
• Faculty externships,
• Relevant and active service on professional boards of directors,
• Significant documented continuing professional education experiences, i.e. annual maintenance of professional licensure per year equals one engagement activity,
• Significant participation as an officer in business or professional organizations which result in sharing of expert knowledge,
• Substantial involvement at an appropriate level of managerial responsibility in a public, private, or not-for- profit enterprise, 
• Presentations at professional conferences that focus on the practice of business disciplines.

D.  Criteria for SP Status

i.  For initial classification of SP, a master’s degree in a discipline related to the faculty member’s field of teaching, along with significant and substantive professional experience is appropriate. In limited cases, SP status may be appropriate for individuals without master’s degrees if the depth, duration, sophistication, and complexity of their professional experience at the time of hiring outweighs their lack of master’s degree qualifications. 

ii.  Subsequent to initial classification, there must be ongoing, sustained professional engagement activities supporting qualification status. 

iii.  Maintenance of SP status: Scholarly Practitioner (SP) status is maintained by continuing a variety of professional development activities that sustain academic qualifications. The faculty member must produce five or more intellectual contributions including one or more publications in peer reviewed academic or editorial reviewed practitioner journals within the last five years. All academic and professional engagement activities must be substantive and sustained at levels that support currency and relevance in the discipline.

iv.  Intellectual Contributions to maintain SP status: In addition to the list of other intellectual contributions for SA status, examples of intellectual contributions to maintain SP status include:

• Developing and presenting continuing professional education activities or executive education programs,
• Business publication editorships or editorial board membership,
• Research awards, 
• Significant participation in professional and/or academic conferences, such as presenting a paper or participating in a panel discussion,
• Substantive roles and participation in academic/professional associations as an officer.

E.  Criteria for IP Status

i.  For initial classification of IP: Instructional Practitioner (IP) status at the time of initial hiring is established by satisfying both academic and professional requirements.

ii.  Subsequent to initial classification, there must be ongoing, sustained scholarly activities supporting qualification status. 

iii.  Maintenance of IP status: Instructional Practitioner (IP) status is maintained by undertaking a variety of professional, academic, and student engagement activities that sustain academic qualifications. The faculty member must produce three or more professional, academic or student engagement activities within the last five years. All professional, academic and student engagement activities must be substantive and sustained at levels that support currency and relevance in the discipline.

iv.  Professional, academic, and student engagement activities to maintain IP status: In addition to the list of engagement activities for PA status, examples to maintain IP status include:

• Consulting activities that are material in terms of time and substance,
• Developing and presenting continuing professional education activities,
• Documented continuing professional education experiences and engagement,
• Faculty externships,
• Mentoring student organizations and student competition teams at external events,
• Participation in professional events that focus on the practice of business and management of issues,
• Relevant and active service on boards of directors,
• Significant ownership/interest in an active business,
• Sustained professional work at an organization other than Texas State University.

F.  Criteria for Additional Faculty Status

• Faculty qualification status of SA, PA, SP, or IP is established at the time of hire. A faculty member who has not maintained his/her faculty qualification status will be assigned as “Additional.” The department chair and affected faculty member will develop a plan for the faculty member to regain his/her qualification status. Faculty classified as “Additional” shall be ineligible for annual merit increases.

3.  Process for Revising Faculty Qualification Status

A.  On rare occasions, transition to another faculty qualification status or classification may be warranted. The faculty member who wishes to transition to another appropriate faculty qualification status will indicate such an intention to the department chair. The faculty member is responsible for providing supporting documents demonstrating that the faculty member meets standards for the new classification. The department chair shall review and recommend faculty for transition to another appropriate faculty qualification classification, provided that they meet either initial or maintenance standards of the new classification. The McCoy College of Business Council (CBAC) will collectively review recommendations and supporting documents for all faculty reclassifications and submit its recommendations to the college dean. The college dean may approve, modify, or disapprove council recommendations. If the transition is approved, the new qualification status will take effect at the time of approval. If the transition is disapproved, the faculty member’s status will not be changed. If the transition to a different status is still desired, the faculty member may work with the department chair to develop a plan for the faculty member to make the transition in the future.

4.  Administrative Appointments

A.  Individuals holding faculty status and also holding a significant administrative appointment (e.g. dean, associate dean, or department chair) will carry their respective faculty qualification into the position. They are encouraged to maintain appropriate faculty qualification status based on annual calendar review by engaging in normal activities for their status. Additionally, administrators may also maintain appropriate faculty qualification status by engaging in sustained professional or scholarly activities and experiences consistent with a role in administration or by demonstration of currency in development activities relevant to the mission and strategic plan of the college. The college dean, in consultation with the administrator, will recommend an appropriate classification for an administrator returning to the faculty. Administrators who have served for three years or longer will have up to five years to meet appropriate maintenance standards for their recommended classification upon returning to the faculty.

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This CBAPPS has been approved by the reviewers listed below and represents the McCoy College of Business policy and procedure from the date of the document until superseded.

Last Update: 10/11/2023

Review Cycle: Sept. 1, E5Y

Review Date: 09/01/2028