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Statement of Policy

The practice of appointing distinguished and named professors emphasizes the University’s commitment to excellence in discovery, learning, and engagement.

Distinguished professors should be outstandingly original, creative, and productive individuals whose achievements in discovery and learning have been internationally recognized or who have made a unique contribution to the University through discovery, learning, or engagement.

Reason for Policy

This policy establishes guidelines for appointing distinguished professors, named professors, named University professors, and University faculty scholars emphasizing the University’s commitment to excellence in discovery, learning, and engagement.

This policy will apply to all new appointments of distinguished professors, named professors, named University professors, and University faculty scholars. The purpose of these appointments is to enrich the intellectual environment by retaining and attracting truly exceptional individuals on the faculty.

Who Should Know This Policy

Related Documents

Discretionary Allocations and Salary Supplements for Distinguished Professors, Named University Professors, Named Professors, and University Faculty Scholars (University Policy IV.5.3)

Approved Proposal to Establish a University Faculty Scholars Recognition Program

Guidelines for Naming Opportunities and Endowed Funds for the West Lafayette Campus (University Policy IX.4.1)

Contacts

Table of Contents

Statement of Policy

Reason for Policy

Who Should Know This Policy

Related Documents

Contacts

Table of Contents

Definitions

Procedures

Special Situations

History

Definitions

Procedures

Distinguished Professorships

Guidelines

• The designation “distinguished” is an academic recognition. It is not a fourth professorial rank, but a special recognition that can be bestowed on a select few professors of outstanding accomplishment who have achieved national and international prominence.
• Conferring the title of distinguished requires a rigorous academic review and approval by the Board of Trustees.
• A nominee can be designated as a distinguished professor without a name being associated with the designation.
• A name should be associated with the distinguished title only if there is a source of funds sufficient to name the position in accordance with the University policy on naming opportunities.
• A faculty member designated as a distinguished professor will carry that title throughout the balance of his or her Purdue career. Emeritus professors may continue to carry the title distinguished professor emeritus, but without compensation.
• An allocation of discretionary funds will be provided with a distinguished professorship in accordance with University policy. The commitment of a discretionary allocation should continue so long as the distinguished professor’s academic productivity and scholarly performance merit such funding. The dean and department head are responsible for appropriate, periodic reviews.
• A PRF distinguished professor salary allocation is provided annually to distinguished professors. In addition, the salary of a distinguished professor may be supplemented from the discretionary allocation in accordance with University policy so long as the distinguished professor's academic productivity and scholarly performance merit such funding. The supplement is determined annually and can be up to the equivalent of one month’s salary including the PRF allocation.

Process

• The school’s primary committee and/or area committee(s) review the candidate’s credentials and vote on his or her suitability for a distinguished professorship.
• If the committee(s) recommend(s) approval, the dean, or the chancellor of a regional campus, writes a memo to the provost with results of the vote and proposes a special committee composed of five distinguished professors. The list should include at least one member from outside the candidate’s school.
• After the provost approves the committee members, the dean convenes the committee.
• If after examination and deliberation the committee votes to recommend the candidate, a letter signed by all committee members outlining their support is sent to the dean. Letters of endorsement solicited from well-known national and international peers should be attached to the committee’s endorsement letter.
• The dean then sends a cover memo to the provost along with the entire document package from the distinguished professor committee, a President’s Office Form 36 (Nomination for Promotion), a two to three page condensed vita, and a complete vita.
• The provost then reviews the materials and, if appropriate, recommends approval to the president. If the president approves, the signed document is streamlined and sent to the Board of Trustees for their approval.

Named Professorships

Guidelines

• A named professorship is not an academic designation. While it is expected that holders of named professorships would be individuals of high accomplishment, it should be possible to hold a named position as an associate professor, perhaps even as an assistant professor.
• The primary purpose in naming is to attract and retain top quality faculty. A named professorship is not a prerequisite for becoming a distinguished professor.
• A position can be named only when there is a source of funds sufficient to name the position in accordance with the University policy on naming opportunities.
• An allocation of discretionary funds will be provided with a named professorship in accordance with University policy. The commitment of a discretionary allocation should continue as long as the named professor’s academic productivity and scholarly performance merit such funding. The dean and department head are responsible for appropriate, periodic reviews.
• The salary of a named professor can be supplemented from the discretionary allocation in accordance with University policy. The supplement is determined annually and can be up to the equivalent of one month’s salary.
• The term for a named professorship should be specified in writing to the candidate with copies to the department, dean, and provost.

Process

• The process for designating a named professorship should be a school-level process. It should not require an extraordinary academic review and, if the named position is being used in recruiting, should be an expeditious process.
• The document package sent to the provost should contain a memo from the dean or chancellor outlining the review team’s recommendation, a two-to-three-page condensed curriculum vitae, as well as a full vitae, and letters of support. This completes the process for named assistant or associate professors.
• For all individuals named at the professor rank, the provost reviews the materials and, if appropriate, recommends approval to the president. If the president approves, the signed document is streamlined and sent to the Board of Trustees for their approval.

Named University Professorships

Guidelines

• Those faculty who received named professor appointments under the prior University policy that bestowed this title as an academic recognition similar to distinguished professorships will carry the title of named University professor.
• The arrangements, including term, funding, and other privileges provided with the named professorship bestowed as an academic recognition, will continue with the named University professorship in accordance with University policy.
• The salary of a named University professor can be supplemented from a discretionary allocation, if available, in accordance with University policy. The supplement is determined annually and can be up to the equivalent of one month’s salary.

Process

• The title for named professors who received the title as an academic recognition will change automatically to the title of named University professor. No new appointments will be made with the title of named University professor.

University Faculty Scholars

Guidelines

• The University faculty scholar designation is to recognize faculty members who hold the rank of tenured associate professor or professor who have been in that rank for no more than five years at the time of the designation.
• The term of appointment will be five years. A limited number of scholar positions will be available to each school and will be apportioned among schools by the provost.
• University faculty scholars will receive a discretionary allocation in accordance with University policy.
• The salary of a University faculty scholar can be supplemented from the discretionary allocation in accordance with University policy. The supplement is determined annually and can be up to the equivalent of one month’s salary not to exceed one half of the discretionary allocation.
• A share of each school’s allotment of scholar positions will be funded half by the provost and half by the school. The balance of the allotted appointments will be fully supported by the school.

Process

• Each school will establish procedures for nominating University faculty scholars.
• School nomination processes will include significant faculty input.

Special Situations

Any deviation from this policy requires approval by the provost.

History

This policy is the first to formalize guidelines for the appointing of distinguished and named professors and faculty scholars. Previous documents that addressed these types of appointments are as follows:

University Senate Document 74-19 (dated April 21, 1975)
Subject: Policy for Distinguished Professorships

Memorandum from Felix Haas, Provost (dated July 1, 1975)
Subject: Appointment of Distinguished Professors

Letter from Robert L. Ringel, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
(dated August 23, 1994)
Subject: Appointment of Distinguished Professors

Letter from Robert L. Ringel, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
(dated August 28, 1998)
Subject: Proposal to Establish a University Faculty Scholars Recognition Program