Communication Appointment Procedures

Appointment and reappointment procedures for Graduate Students

Graduate students in the Department of Communication who seek funding in the form of teaching assistantships, or teaching associateships should so inform the Director of Graduate Studies in one of two ways: For new students this is done by checking the appropriate box on the application form; for returning students the request should appear in writing. All students who are new to a degree program in the department may, if they desire, be considered for a graduate appointment. (Students who want to continue from our M.A. to the Ph.D. degree are considered a new student for purposes of these appointments.) Initial appointments to these positions are based upon a student's application to the graduate program.

Specific considerations in these appointments are based upon a holistic assessment of the following: GRE scores; letters of recommendation; personal statement of student; prior gradepoint-average; and student's prior teaching experiences, course work, and areas of interest. For international students, TOEFL scores are also examined as an additional consideration for an appointment. Recommendations for initial appointments are made by the Graduate Admissions Committee to the Director of the Graduate Program. In consultation with the Admissions Committee, the Director makes the final appointments.

In the special case of Continuing Education Appointments, the criteria applied are, in addition to the above (reappointment criteria): a) being in good standing in the program; b) record of teaching effectiveness: c) training in course matter to be taught; and d) rotation (to the extent possible, appointments are rotated among qualified students). These appointments are made by the Director of Undergraduate Studies in consultation with the Director of the Graduate Program and/or the Department Chair.

Reappointment to positions are based upon the following criteria: a) the student's maintaining satisfactory progress in their graduate degree program (satisfactory progress being decided by the graduate faculty and director); and b) the student's satisfactory fulfillment of prior duties in the appointed position. The decision to reappoint students to a position is made each semester by the Director of the Graduate program in consultation with others (e.g., Course Directors).

Students who are appointed to funded positions will be so notified in writing by the Director of the Graduate Program. The specific nature of the assignments will also be conveyed to students by the Director of the Graduate Program. Students who receive departmental funding, and remain in good standing both as a student and in their funded position, can expect either two years (4 semesters for MA) or four years (8 semesters for Ph.D.) of funding. The relationship of other extra-departmental appointments (e.g., in Continuing Education, Fellowships, and other means) to departmental funding will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Decisions in this regard will be made by the Director of Graduate Studies in consultation with the student, student's advisor, and other relevant parties.

Students moving from the MA to the Ph.D. degree are not guaranteed funding and are, thus, considered anew for funding. Information concerning various job possibilities that are available to graduate students both within and outside the department will be posted by the Director of the Graduate Program in appropriate places (e.g., the mail room, graduate student lounge, via e-mail, etc.).