4.21 Appointment, Operation, and Continuation of Endowed Academic Positions
4.21.1 Endowed Chairs and Professorships
Endowed Chairs and Professorships are supported by an endowment from which distributions are dedicated to salary supplementation, research support, or other professional needs. The position holder will normally be a faculty member who has had a distinguished career. A holder will be named to an endowed academic position for a term of years, and the position may be renewable or non-renewable.
4.21.1.1 As established by Regents’ Rule 60202, there are six (6) categories of endowed and named academic positions: Distinguished University Chair, Distinguished Chair, Chair, Distinguished Professorship, Professorship, and Fellowship.
4.21.1.2 An individual becomes an endowed chair or professorship holder upon the approval of the President.
4.21.1.3 Faculty members appointed to endowed positions require prior approval from the President for proposed expenditures of endowment revenue. Said approval and reporting structure shall be through their College or School Dean and the Provost. Holders are expected to be responsible stewards and be accountable to the spirit and purposes of the endowment.
4.21.1.4 Subject to the terms of the endowment agreement and all applicable laws, rules, and regulations and as approved by the President, endowment income may be used to provide professional support and salary supplement for the holder of the endowed academic position. Endowment income may not be used to permanently substitute for any other source of funds for the base salary of a holder who is performing regular faculty duties.
4.21.2 Appointment to Endowed Academic Positions
Recommendations for initial selection of a holder of an endowed academic position and the continuation of the holder in an endowed academic position must be supported by a record of exemplary performance as well as the expectations delineated in the endowment agreement.4.21.2.1 Selection Criteria
Endowed academic positions are conferred on faculty members who have sustained high levels of accomplishment. Nominees for an endowed academic position must meet the specific criteria established in the endowment agreement and would be expected to be qualified to hold a tenured position at the University unless otherwise specified in the endowment agreement.
4.21.2.2 Selection Process
When a newly endowed academic position is established or when an existing position becomes available, the College or School Dean, in consultation with appropriate faculty members as allowed by the endowment agreement, Department Chair and the Provost, will nominate a current faculty member or use the endowed academic position to recruit a distinguished faculty member to the University. The same selection criteria will be applied in evaluating both internal and external nominees. The Provost will review the Dean’s recommendation and forward it with his/her independent recommendation to the President for a decision.
4.21.2.3 Term of Appointment
When no specific instructions about the length of an appointment are specified in an endowment agreement, the Dean of the College or School in which the endowed academic position resides will recommend the length of appointment to the Provost, who will provide a recommendation to the President. The maximum length of an endowed appointment is five (5) years, with formal review required for reappointment.
4.21.2.4 Endowment Holder Orientation
The Office of Institutional Advancement, University Development, will schedule a meeting with each Endowed Academic Position holder within thirty (30) days of initial appointment to provide the faculty member with a copy of the endowment agreement, donor/contact information, compliance training, and any additional information as appropriate.
4.21.3 Use of Endowment Revenue and Annual Operation of Position
Endowed academic position holders may draw from revenue generated by the endowment provided they have submitted all reports required by the terms of the endowment agreement and that all performance evaluations required by University policy have been completed and approved.
4.21.3.1 Salary Supplement and Professional Support
Endowed Academic Position holders may use endowment funds for any professional purpose that is supported by the terms of the endowment agreement.
Endowed Academic Position holders may apply to use endowment income for a salary supplement under the following conditions:
4.21.3.1.1 The salary supplement for any given fiscal year may not exceed the amount approved in the official appointment letter.
4.21.3.1.2 Requests of any salary supplement should be submitted to the Dean as part of the annual work plan and expenditure budget no later than August 1 of each year; for any faculty member appointed mid-year to an endowed academic position, the request must be submitted no later than thirty (30) days after appointment.
4.21.3.1.3 Salary supplements may be distributed over a nine (9)-month or twelve (12) month period at the request of the position holder.
4.21.3.1.4 The employee benefits associated with an endowment salary supplement must be drawn from the same source as the salary supplement itself. The total amount of salary requested plus associated benefits must not exceed the annual projected income from the endowment from the fiscal year in question.
4.21.3.1.5 Annual salary supplements may vary over the course of an appointment in an endowed academic position; all proposed changes in salary supplement must be approved in writing by the Dean as part of the annual work plan and expenditure budget.
4.21.3.1.6 In no event will endowment distributions be used to support any other source of funds used to pay the base salary of the position holder when the holder is performing his or her regular duties.
4.21.3.2 Accumulation of Funds
The terms for expending an endowment income balance accumulated must be specified in the appointment letter for the endowed academic position and must be followed in the annual work plan and expenditure budget request.
4.21.3.3 Annual Work Plan and Expenditure Budget
An endowed academic position holder must submit an annual work plan and expenditure budget to his/her dean by August 1 for approval by the beginning of the next fiscal year, describing proposed activities for the coming year and the anticipated expenditures form endowment income. The Dean will review for consistency with the conditions in the endowment agreement and the appointment letter for the position. Any substantive changes from those conditions will require further review by the Provost and recommendation to the President for approval.
4.21.3.4 Annual Stewardship Letter and Performance Report
Each endowed academic position holder is responsible for submitting two annual reports:
- An annual stewardship letter to University Development, summarizing the previous year’s activities; and
- An annual performance report to the Dean, summarizing the outcomes of the previous year’s work plan and expenditure budget.
4.21.4 Periodic Performance Review for Reappointment
Every endowed academic position holder must undergo a formal review for possible reappointment no later than the final year of the appointment. Moreover, no individual may serve more than five consecutive years in an endowed academic position without undergoing a formal performance review by the College or School Dean and the Provost. The Provost may conduct a review at any time if requested by the President.
4.21.4.1 Formal Review Process
4.21.4.1.1 Endowed academic position holders will compile all annual performance reports completed since the time of the last formal review and attach a cover letter not to exceed three pages, containing an appraisal of their:
- scholarly accomplishments during the current term of appointment,
- scholarly leadership in the discipline,
- leadership in the department and college,
- external funding support, and
- contributions to teaching.
4.21.4.1.2 An ad hoc advisory committee and endowed academic position holders representing each College and School will be formed by the Provost. The ad hoc advisory committee will review all those position holders due for five-year review and any others recommended for review. The chairperson will send the committee’s written evaluation of the endowed faculty member’s performance to each individual’s College or School Dean and to the Provost.
4.21.4.1.3 The College or School Dean will consider the advisory committee’s report and submit to the Provost an independent review and recommendation regarding continuation of the appointment.
4.21.4.1.4 The Provost will provide an independent recommendation to the President for approval.
4.21.4.1.5 The President will notify the faculty member of his/her decision.
4.21.5 Termination of Appointment to Endowed Positions
In the event that an endowed academic position holder’s performance does not comply with the standards contained in the Regents’ Rules or in the endowment agreement, the holder will be subject to a special formal review and possible termination of appointment to the endowed academic position. In such circumstances, the Provost will request that the Dean conduct a formal review. Following the review, the Dean and the Provost will determine whether any action should be taken. If termination of the endowed appointment is considered appropriate, such a recommendation will be made to the President. The President’s decision will be final.
4.21.6 Notification of Vacancy
The Dean of the corresponding College or School shall notify the Office of Institutional Advancement when a faculty member who holds an endowed academic position is no longer with the University. In the event of a Dean’s departure, the Provost shall notify the Office of Institutional Advancement.
4.21.7 Use of Endowment Revenue from Vacant Positions
Vacant endowed academic positions should be filled in a timely manner, not to exceed three years.
Income accruing to a vacant endowed academic position will be treated as specified in the endowment agreement. Where no specific instructions are provided, unused income may be accumulated. At the end of each academic year the Dean and Provost will recommend to the President the amount, if any, to be transferred to the principal.
The Dean of the College or School may use the earnings of a vacant endowed academic position to cover the costs of recruiting a faculty member to the position and of a start-up package to include relocation expenses, or the Dean may submit a plan to the Provost to fund other purposes permitted by the terms of the endowment agreement. The Provost shall provide a recommendation to the President for approval.
4.21.8 Exceptions
Requests for exceptions to these policies and procedures governing endowed faculty positions must be submitted through the College or School Dean and the Provost, and may be granted only upon approval by the President.