Title:	Endowed Professorship Appointment and Renewal Process
Policy Owner:	Office of the Provost
Applies to:	Faculty, Staff
Campus Applicability:	All Schools and Colleges at All Campuses
Effective Date:	April 16, 2015
For More Information, Contact	The Office of the Provost
Contact Information:	(860) 486-4037
Official Website:

 

Endowed Chairs and Endowed Professorships

Full-time academic staff appointed to endowed chairs or endowed professorships at the University of Connecticut are selected based on a distinguished record of scholarly or creative accomplishment, a strong record of teaching, and exemplary leadership and service to their school or college, the University, and the academic community.

Criteria for Appointment and Renewal

Individual schools and colleges may develop more specific criteria for appointment to and renewal of endowed chairs and endowed professorships, but all recommendations to the Provost must describe how the candidate meets the conditions associated with the endowment using one or more of the following criteria.

Scholarly or creative accomplishment

• Distinguished and sustained record of achievement as evidenced by scholarly or creative publication in high quality outlets or by artistic performances or exhibitions in prestigious institutions.
• University-wide, national, or international awards recognizing scholarly or creative contributions.

Teaching

• Development of innovative teaching activities.
• Successful mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students.
• University-wide, national, or international awards recognizing teaching contributions.

Leadership, service, or public engagement

• School, college, or University-wide level service.
• Senior editorial positions in high quality scholarly journals.
• Creative leadership in prestigious arts or creative organizations.
• Significant leadership positions in national or international scholarly associations or societies.
• Significant engagement with international, national, state, or local organizations (including government agencies).

Appointment and Renewal Process

• Appointment to an endowed chair or an endowed professorship and renewal of an appointment requires a recommendation from the Dean of the school or college with which the professorship is associated to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, who will decide whether to endorse the recommendation and forward it to the Board of Trustees for approval.
• In making a recommendation to the Provost the Dean will solicit advice from a committee established and documented according to practices appropriate within the particular school or college. In particular, the committee might consist of (a) outstanding full professors within the school or college (a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor from outside the school or college can be included where appropriate), (b) full professors on the Dean’s Promotion, Tenure, and Review Committee, or (c) appropriate department heads and Associate Deans.Appointments will ordinarily be for a fixed term, with the possibility of renewal. In the case of an initial appointment, the committee may, when appropriate, solicit external letters to inform their recommendation. The Provost will consider exceptions to the ordinary procedures on a case by case basis.  The term associated with an endowed chair or endowed professorship will be determined at the discretion of the dean up to a maximum of 5 years.
• The holder of an endowed chair or endowed professorship is ordinarily considered for a renewal appointment at the end of her/his appointment.
• In the event that an endowed chair or endowed professorship becomes vacant, the dean may at her/his discretion appoint an individual to the position for the remainder of the term associated with the appointment.
• Retired or emeritus faculty are ineligible for appointment or reappointment to an endowed chair or professorship. Faculty who retire while serving in an endowed position vacate the position upon retirement.

 

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