Professorship Guidelines for Selection and Appointment

Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of Nebraska

January 2012

INTRODUCTION

Professorships are among the most prestigious recognitions awarded by the institution. They reflect the following major criteria:

  • An extraordinary level of scholarly or creative achievement and clear potential for continuing major accomplishments that enhance the reputation of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
  • Documented excellence in various aspects of teaching and outreach and demonstrated commitment to the welfare of traditional and non-traditional learners.
  • Extensive involvement and service in furtherance of the several missions of the University (which includes activities in national and international organizations in the candidate’s field), significantly above the normal level of campus citizenship.

Please note, individuals may hold only named professorship or chair with an associated stipend and may need to relinquish a professorship designation (e.g., college professorship) to accept another professorship. Holders of professorships will upon retirement carry the Professorship designation as part of their emeritus title (unless stated otherwise in the Fund Agreement).

SELECTION PROCESS

  1. At the appropriate time, the responsible Unit Administrator will send a request for nominations to all faculty in the Unit. Faculty members may nominate others within the Unit or themselves. All applicants will be screened by the Promotion and Tenure Committee of the Unit (or designated screening committee defined in the Fund Agreement) based on the application (Appendix 1) and evaluated on the criteria (Item 2).
  2. Recipients shall be chosen based upon the following criteria:
    1. Eligibility as defined in the Fund Agreement supporting the Professorship. Recipients hereunder shall be employed as a full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member of the University of Nebraska. Basic salary support of the recipients shall come from state and/or federal appropriations.

    2. Teaching ability and accomplishments.
    3. Research ability and accomplishments.
    4. Extension education ability and accomplishments.
    5. Service to profession.
  3. The recommended candidate will then be submitted to the Unit Administrator, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who in consultation with the relevant Deans will nominate the individual to the Vice Chancellor, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The nomination, if approved by the Vice Chancellor, shall then be submitted by the Vice Chancellor, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources to the Chancellor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln for his or her final review. Final approval shall be given by the University of Nebraska, in accordance with such University policies as are in place at the time of each appointment.
  4. Subject to continued employment with the University of Nebraska, recipients shall receive a five (5) year appointment. This appointment may be renewable (depending on the Fund Agreement) for an additional five (5) year term upon satisfactory performance and evaluation (Item 5).
  5. After five years, the Promotion and Tenure Committee of the Unit (or designated screening committee defined in the Fund Agreement) will assess the continuing accomplishments of the recipient [based on an application (Appendix 1) for renewal provided by the incumbent documenting the last 5 years and evaluated on the criteria (Item 2)]. The Committee will either recommend continuation of the appointment or the initiation of the solicitation process for another recipient to the Unit Administrator.
    • If continuation of the incumbent is recommended and supported by the Unit Administrator, the Unit Administrator in consultation with the relevant Deans will recommend renewal of the individual to the Vice Chancellor, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The renewal, if approved by the Vice Chancellor, shall then be submitted by the Vice Chancellor, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources to the Chancellor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln for his or her final review. Final approval shall be given by the University of Nebraska, in accordance with such University policies as are in place at the time of each appointment hereunder.
    • If the recommendation is for selection of another recipient, the Unit Administrator will call for nominations and initiate the selection process outlined above (Items 1, 2, and 3).

APPENDIX 1

Application Material:

  • Abbreviated curriculum vitae (maximum 5 pages)
  • Nomination letter from the nominee's Unit Administrator, outlining why the individual should be awarded the named professorship (maximum 3 pages)
  • Nomination letter from the nominee's appropriate dean(s), in support of the individual's nomination (maximum 3 pages)
  • Professorship External Reference Form (Appendix 2) : Please provide contact information for two external references and sign the waiver for confidentiality of external review responses. In the selection of outside reviewers, nominees are asked to read the guidelines provided in section VI.D.5 of the " Guidelines for the Evaluation of Faculty: Annual Evaluations, Promotion, and Tenure ". In particular, nominees should choose referees that represent an appropriate set of peers with whom they do not have a conflict of interest such as ongoing professional collaboration or an advisor or advisee relationship.

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