Guidelines for Exceptions Concerning Faculty Degrees

Policy

University of Connecticut faculty members who hold tenure or a rank higher than instructor leading to tenure ordinarily may not earn a graduate degree at this institution. Exceptions to this policy may be made by the dean of the Graduate School with the advice of the Executive Committee, who must be satisfied that the intended program is in the best interests of the University.

Rationale

In its deliberations during the development of this policy, the Executive Committee faced a dilemma. The committee recognized the desirability of continued professional development of the faculty and wanted to encourage it, particularly for those who, for one reason or another, had not earned the terminal doctoral degree before assuming their faculty positions. These cases would be expected to occur almost exclusively in those Fields of Study which at the time did not require (or did not have readily available) a doctoral degree.
On the other hand, the committee did not wish to place the Graduate Faculty in the position of awarding degrees to itself when there exists a real or apparent conflict of interest. In such a situation, faculty members would be placed in the position of judging the efforts and performance of people who are formally their colleagues and peers in one capacity and their students in another.
Equally important was the long term interests of the University itself. It was felt that a university that educates and hires its own graduates puts itself at risk of becoming unhealthfully introverted, and such an institution does not become intellectually richer by cloning its own faculty. The mission of the University is in teaching, research, and service, with research being the predominant activity at the graduate level. The faculty at this institution, especially at the doctoral level, must be able to do research, that is, to create new knowledge. This new knowledge is obtained by asking original questions, composing hypotheses, testing those hypotheses, drawing conclusions from those results, and exploring new areas of human endeavor. The University is best served by the presence of faculty who have outlooks and ideas gained from working with others in the international academic community - others with varying points of view and different areas of expertise. The fresh ideas and viewpoints brought by those educated externally add life and viability to a Field of Study and serve to stimulate its research productivity. Without this, the Field is in danger of stagnation and loss of creativity.

Procedure for Appeal

The Executive Committee has attempted to balance the needs of both the University and the individual faculty member by developing a policy that permits exception on a case by case basis. To request such an exception, the interested faculty member must present a written case to the dean of the Graduate School containing at a minimum:

1. A statement of the objective for obtaining the graduate degree being sought.
2. A statement detailing (insofar as possible) an academic plan of study and a timetable for its completion.
3. A statement addressing the steps that have been (and will be) taken to eliminate any real or apparent conflicts of interest that may arise between the faculty member and the academic program and its graduate faculty.
4. A statement of the reasons why other institutions are unsuitable for the degree being sought.
5. Statements of support from (a) the faculty member's department head, (b) the faculty member's dean, and (c) the faculty of the intended Field of Study, as represented by its Coordinator of Graduate Studies. The letters from the department head and dean should contain statements reflecting how they will help the faculty member complete the degree. Factors such as teaching and service load reductions and financial support should be discussed.

The dean of the Graduate School may choose to meet personally with the faculty member and other interested individuals to provide guidance during the preparation of the request. The dean will present the completed material to the Executive Committee for its advice, then make a decision on the case. The faculty member and the appropriate administrators will be informed of the decision in writing.
If the dean acts favorably on the appeal, he or she will then notify the Graduate Records Office of the decision. To safeguard all parties from conflict of interest, the dean will appoint a member of the graduate faculty to serve as a member of the student's advisory committee.