Distinguished Professors - Guidelines

Required documentation to be included with distinguished professor nominations:

Files forwarded to the Provost’s office for review by the University Committee on Distinguished Professorship must include, at a minimum, the following items:

1. A letter of nomination which places the nominee’s achievements within the context of the criteria for appointment to a distinguished professorship noted in the Handbook for Faculty and Other Unclassified Staff (see below);
2. The nominee’s comprehensive curriculum vitae;
3. Letters from three distinguished external scholars evaluating the nominee’s research contributions to the discipline, confirming his/her stature in the field, and, as appropriate, speaking to the other criteria for a distinguished professorship;
4. Brief biographical paragraphs about the external scholars;
5. A letter of support from the nominee’s department chair (if the chair has not written the nomination letter);
6. A letter of endorsement from the nominee’s dean (if the dean has not written the nomination letter);
7. Additional documentation sufficient to establish that the candidate meets the standards in teaching, research, and service as specified in the criteria for a distinguished professorship (e.g., letters from former students or other evidence of teaching excellence, etc.)

Excerpt from the Handbook for Faculty and Other Unclassified Staff (Section C.2.d.):

The major criteria for selecting named and University distinguished professors are:

Nominees must be truly distinguished as scholars in appropriate fields. Although this criterion is highly dependent on the breadth of an area, nominees generally should rank among the most distinguished scholars in their fields in this country and usually should possess an international reputation.

Nominees should have a proven record of interest in and concern for the growth and success of their students, colleagues, and institutions.

Nominees should demonstrate some breadth of interest in activities in other fields and departments related to their own and in participation in University affairs generally.

Nominees must expect to identify themselves with the community and the state, and their appointment should serve the needs of the community and state in special ways perhaps not generally accomplished with regular professional appointments.

Nominees may be selected from current University faculty or from other institutions, agencies, organizations, or careers. In the former instance, it is particularly important that the same high standards for selection be adhered to as in the latter. Appointment must not be made merely as a reward for service, however long or devoted.

For professorships restricted to a school, department or program, nominees must meet the general standards set for all named and University professorships and, in addition, those set by the school, department or program as appropriate to the field.