University Professor

Purpose:

The University Professorship recognizes faculty members whose professional work has focused upon effecting positive, significant institutional change at Iowa State University.

Eligibility:

Nominees should hold the rank of professor (tenured or term) and should have served for at least ten (10) years on the Iowa State University faculty prior to the beginning of the academic year in which they are nominated. The nominees must be individuals whose contributions extend well beyond a one-time impact. Having held an administrative position in and of itself is insufficient for consideration for this recognition. Faculty who have served as administrators (e.g., department chairs, deans, vice president, provost, or staff members in those offices) may be nominated only after they have been out of their administrative roles and functioning as faculty members for at least three years. Recipients must be Iowa State employees at the time of the University Awards Ceremony.

Nature of the award:

A permanent increase of $7,650 in base salary and the title of University Professor for the remainder of career at Iowa State.

Number of awards:

Up to five

Criteria:

A University Professor must above all else have acted as a change agent by having made significant contributions that have improved the university. This professional work must go beyond excellence in teaching or research. In addition to the area of these contributions, a University Professor must have demonstrated outstanding performance in at least one other area of faculty responsibility: (1) research and/or creative activities, (2) teaching and advising, or (3) extension/professional practice.

Selection Process:

Nominations should be made to the appropriate college awards committee. 

The University Professor Nomination Review Committee is appointed by the Senior Vice President and Provost following procedures established by the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate Committee on Committees nominates faculty to the Senior Vice President and Provost for membership on the University Professor Nomination Review Committee. Faculty at the rank of Professor and/or University Professor will be nominated for seven positions, one representing each college. The Senior Vice President and Provost will appoint three additional members. All members will serve three-year, staggered terms. The University Professor Nomination Review Committee receives nominations from the colleges, meets at least once, and makes recommendations to the Faculty Senate Executive Board, which will meet in executive session to consider these recommendations. The Executive Board forwards recommendations to the Senior Vice President and Provost.

Guidelines for Submitting Nominations for University Professor

1. Completed nomination cover page for faculty: 
   • Faculty University Award Nomination Cover Page [PDF, 117KB | DOC, 23KB]
2. Nomination statement of no more than three (3) pages that includes the following:
   • How the nominee's qualifications relate to the award criteria and why the nominee is deserving of the award
   • Specific examples that demonstrate nominee's accomplishments as a change agent at the university
   • Explicitly identify the nominee's demonstrated outstanding performance in at least one other area of faculty responsibility: (1) research and/or creative activities, (2) teaching and advising, or (3) extension/professional practice.
3. Three (3) letters of support from individuals (faculty or staff) at Iowa State but outside the nominee's department who can provide a critical evaluation of the nominee's contributions to the university as an agent of change
4. Current PRS
5. Updated curriculum vita of no more than twenty-five (25) pages
6. When the file is prepared, nominators must submit their nominations to their college by the college deadline. When the college is ready to submit their nominations, the college awards coordinator must upload the nominations to the appropriate college folder on CyBox. If you do not have access to your college's folder on CyBox, please contact Kati Gorman, kati@iastate.edu.

Nominations are reviewed by the college before submission to the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost. Award recipients and their nominator, department chair, dean, or supervisor are notified by May 1. Colleges receive feedback on unsuccessful nominations by July 1.