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Purpose

The purpose of the Distinguished University Professor Award is to recognize, reward, and encourage ÑÇÉ«Ó°¿â faculty who demonstrate outstanding records of teaching, research/scholarly activities, and service.

Qualifications

To earn a Distinguished University Professor Award, a faculty member must:

• Hold the rank of full professor
• Hold a doctorate or other terminal degree
• Completed 10 years of employment at ÑÇÉ«Ó°¿â
• Have a record of outstanding teaching, quality research/scholarly activities, and university service
• Be active and demonstrably engaged in research/scholarly activity which advances the faculty member's discipline or the teaching of his/her discipline

Benefits

A faculty member who is honored with the DistinguishedUniversity Professor Award receives:

1. A $5,000 grant, through Foundation funding, to support his/her research/scholarly activities;
2. A reduced teaching load (three hours release time) for each semester of the year for which the Distinguished University Professorship is awarded;
3. A six-hour summer contract for professional activity;
4. Designated parking spot for the year serving as Distinguished University Professor;
5. His/her name inscribed upon a plaque honoring all Distinguished University Professors;
6. A news release announcing the name and activities of the year's Distinguished University Professor; and
7. The lifetime title of Distinguished University Professor.

Time Frame

The position of Distinguished University Professor will be for one calendar year commencing at the beginning of the Fall semester. It can be held one time only, as it is a lifetime designation. The Distinguished University Professor must be in residence during the year for which the award is given (i.e., he/she must not be on sabbatical or other forms of leave).

Distinguished University Professor Award Committee

The Distinguished University Professor Award Committee shall consist of two administrators (selected by the Provost) and all prior Distinguished University Professor awardees. If a college (Arts, Humanities, Media, and Public Affairs; Education and Human Services; Health Sciences; Eberly College of Business; and Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics) is not represented by a prior Distinguished University Professor awardee, then a representative will be appointed by the appropriate Dean. All faculty members serving on the committee must hold the rank of full professor. 

Selection Process

The process whereby a Distinguished University Professor is awarded shall consist of four phases: Committee nomination, phase one application, phase two review, and award.

A call for nominations is made to the university community. The application process is in two phases. The committee will then evaluate each applicant with respect to the quality of prior work at phase one, and at phase two both the quality of prior work along with that of the work proposed for the time period of the Distinguished University Professorship is reviewed.

The committee's recommended candidate will be provided through the Provost to the President for a final decision.