Memo Regarding Nominations for Hilldale Professorships
October 21, 2005
TO: Academic Deans, Department Chairs, and Directors (Academic Units) FROM: Peter D. Spear, Provost RE: Nominations for Hilldale Professorships Deadlines: January 20, 2006 (Dean's Office) February 24, 2006 (Provost's Office)
I invite you to nominate outstanding faculty for one of three vacant Hilldale Professorships, which are available beginning July 1, 2006. In the past, we also have solicited nominations for Vilas and campus-wide UWF Chair (formerly John Bascom) Professorships in this competition, but there are no vacancies in those categories at present.
Hilldale Professorships are given to faculty who excel in scholarly activity. They have records of outstanding research or creative work and show promise of continued productivity. The appointments are for five years with the possibility of renewal until the individual leaves the university or retires. New appointees to the Hilldale Professorship will receive $15,000 per year for research support, which also may be used for teaching release during the academic year or for summer salary. In addition, each recipient will receive a temporary base adjustment of $7,500 for the term of the professorship.
An academic department or interdisciplinary center/institute may submit one or more nominations for a Hilldale Professorship. You may use the materials prepared for the WARF Named Professorship or similar competition in the current or previous year for this nomination, but do not include the file of publications. If you are re-nominating an individual, please update and submit the file as a new nomination. In cases of split appointments, endorsement of both deans/directors is required. Individuals will not be awarded two "in perpetuity" professorships (i.e., professorships that are renewable indefinitely) at the same time. Therefore, anyone who already holds such a professorship (e.g., a Bascom) and is awarded a new one (e.g., a Hilldale) must give up the other. This does not apply to limited-term professorships, such as WARF Professorships, Romnes Fellowships, etc.
Nominations should include six copies of:
- cover letter of endorsement from the dean/director(s)
- brief letter (1,000 words or less) of nomination from the department or center/institute
- executive committee(s) that explains how the nominee was selected and highlights the
- major features of his/her work. The primary criteria are the quality, significance, and
- productivity of the nominee's research or creative work, but indications of the quality
- and programmatic value of the nominee's teaching and service also are considered.
- up-to-date curriculum vitae
- letters of recommendation (no more than five of which two must be internal; 1,000 words or less)
All departmental nominations are due in the appropriate dean/director's office by Friday, January 20, 2006. The dean/director should then forward to the Provost all nominations (unranked) by Friday, February 24, 2006, for review by the Chancellor, Provost, and an ad hoc faculty committee of current holders of named professorships. A recommendation then is made to the Board of Regents for final approval. We anticipate announcing names of the recipients by early May.