Each of these people has made a commitment to the interdisciplinary study of American culture and is available to advise American Studies graduate students. Officers of the program are usually selected from the core and adjunct faculty. From the point of view of the student, whether a faculty member is core or adjunct is irrelevant. Full members usually are tenured faculty who have demonstrated a strong scholarly and teaching commitment to the field of American Studies.
Full members can serve as program and thesis advisers to PhD graduate students.
Associate members may serve as co-advisers in conjunction with full members or as sole adviser for MA programs. Full and associate members of the graduate faculty may serve as committee members and dissertation reviewers. Full or associate status is determined by the Graduate School on recommendation of the American Studies Assembly. Adjunct faculty members who have full advising status in their home departments are usually given full advising status in American Studies.