Section 4: Tenure-Track & Tenured Faculty Policies

4.4 Special Faculty Titles

Special titles may be awarded to tenure-track or tenured faculty who have earned national and/or international recognition for educational, creative, research and/or scholarly contributions in their field. Special titles do not indicate an increase in a faculty member’s rank.

Emeritus Professor

The honorary title of professor emeritus may be awarded by the provost to faculty members who retire with the rank of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor, who have completed ten years of service to the university, and who are recommended by the chair or a faculty member within the department. Recommendations for emeritus status should be based upon a solid record of teaching, scholarship, and service.

Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, & Eminent Scholar

Outstanding faculty are appointed to fill endowed Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, and Eminent Scholar positions. Faculty holding an appointment as a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar are considered to be academic leaders, and as such, often will be consulted by the provost and their deans regarding development and implementation of academic policy. Although a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar reports to the chair of their home department regarding departmental matters, they often interact directly with the deans and the provost in many matters concerning academic governance. A faculty member appointed to a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar position will also hold a tenured or tenure-track appointment in the faculty member's department or academic unit. Faculty members holding an appointment as a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar remain subject to the same rules and conditions applicable to all tenure-track and tenured appointments.

Faculty holding an appointment as a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar are expected to perform at levels exceeding those for the professor rank within their units, to mentor and graduate doctoral students, and to lead within their faculty. As such, they may receive salary supplements and various forms of fiscal and staff support. Faculty holding a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar position are expected to continue to perform at the same level of research and/or scholarly excellence that led to their appointment as a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar. In STEM areas, a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar is expected to support research students, labs, and post-docs, and to lead colleagues in programmatic developments at federal levels.

Faculty members holding a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar position will be evaluated annually by their department chair or the dean. In addition to the annual review, the provost will form a committee to conduct a more comprehensive review of the work of a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar every seven (7) years. The committee will include the provost, Executive Vice President of Research & Innovation, dean, and department chair, and two faculty members holding a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar position. Documents submitted for review of a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar should include the original contract, copies of annual performance evaluations, an updated curriculum vitae, and a brief status report. This report should summarize the professional work of the Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar over the previous seven (7) years with respect to the expectations stipulated in their appointment as a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar, including any revisions which had been made in those plans over the intervening years. The report should also include the direction(s) a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar plans to take over the upcoming years in his or her professional work.

Each member of the committee should review the documents submitted by the Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar individually and then submit written feedback to the provost. The provost will meet with the Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar to discuss the planning and review feedback. The provost will have responsibility for making the final assessment of the prior performance and future plans of the Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar based upon his/her consultation with the other committee members. Failure to continue to perform at a high level of research and scholarly excellence could lead to removal from a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar, and the loss of the associated benefits accruing to the faculty member in his or her status as the holder of a Chair of Excellence, Endowed Chair, or Eminent Scholar.

Endowed/Named Professors

The university has received endowments to fund professorships and fellowships. Nominations for these positions are made in accordance with the terms set by the endowments. Additional criteria for the terms and conditions for awarding endowed/named professorships/fellowships, which do not conflict with the terms set forth by the endowment, may be specified by individual academic units and departments. These positions may provide a salary supplement, additional research funds, administrative support, graduate student funding, and/or release time to pursue research and/or creative projects. Faculty holding endowed/named professorships/fellowships for a period which exceeds seven (7) years are subject to the comprehensive review process, described for Chairs of Excellence, every seven (7) years.

Distinguished University Professor

This title may be awarded to faculty at the rank of professor who have displayed an exceptional record of teaching, research and/or creative activities, and service. The title is awarded by the president upon the recommendation of the department chair, dean, and provost.