Faculty Policy Series #44

Methods Of Selecting Distinguished Professors And Distinguished University Service Professorships

Structure Of Screening Committees

A Distinguished Professor is an individual who has a distinguished national or international record of scholarship.  The term “distinguished professorship” shall be applied only to individuals who have full-time faculty rank.  If a distinguished professorship is attached to a particular administrative position, and the current holder of that position does not have faculty rank, the professorship for that individual shall be designated “Distinguished University Service Professorship.”

The President, or the Provost as authorized by the President, will send an announcement of the availability of the Distinguished Professorship to the faculty and academic administrators inviting all those interested to submit their candidacy and/or nominations.  Candidates suggested by donors will also be given serious consideration. The committee shall select three or more candidates in ranked order and may also forward the names of not more than three unranked nominees.  The committee will present its recommendation of candidates to the Dean of the appropriate school.  This recommendation along with that of the Dean will be forwarded to the Provost.  The Provost will make a recommendation to the President, who will in turn make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees for final approval.

Category I.

Distinguished Professorship in a specific department named by donor. A single committee does the searching and screening.  It will select its own chair. The committee will consist of:

1. The Chair of the department in which the distinguished professor is to be designated.
2. The Department Personnel Committee of the department in which the distinguished professor is to be designated.
3. One faculty member from another department who is to be chosen by the members of the department in which the distinguished professor is to be designated.

Category II.

Distinguished Professorship in a school or division without designation of a specific department.  The committee will consist of:

1. The Faculty Personnel Board(s) of the College or specific division.
2. The chairs (or representatives) of each of the department within the School or specific division. 

Category III.

University-wide Distinguished Professorship without designation of a specific       department, school, or division.  The Committee will consist of:

1. The Faculty Personnel Board Chairs.
2. One Chair elected from each unit.

FPS #44
(rev. 2002)