Guidelines for Distinguished Research Professorship or Distinguished Professor of the Arts

The Research Professorship was established in 1982 by the Board of Trustees. This honor, named in 1986 as the Distinguished Research or Distinguished Professor of the Arts, is conferred upon select members of the faculty who hold the rank of professor and who have established outstanding national and international recognition through research and publication or creative/artistic achievement in their disciplines.

Distinguished Research Professors/Distinguished Professors of the Arts will receive a $1,000 increase to base salary compensation starting with the subsequent academic year. In addition, the faculty member will receive $1,000 professional development funds annually until retirement or separation of employment. Faculty members who currently hold a recognition from BGSU/College/Department that provides them with additional funding and was awarded based upon excellence of teaching, research and/or service, shall not be eligible for this professorship.

Nomination procedures

• Nominations for Distinguished Research Professor or Distinguished Professor of the Arts may originate with any faculty member or department/school and shall be made to the Provost/VPAA. Nominations shall carry the endorsement of the faculty member’s dean.
• For nominations for the Distinguished Research Professor or Distinguished Professor of the Arts, the Provost/VPAA shall solicit from internal and external sources a list of names with national and international reputations as specialists in the nominee’s academic field.

Components of a complete packet

• Nomination cover letter (maximum three pages)
• Curriculum vitae
• Dean endorsement letter
• List of three to five names of external reviewers provided by Dean or Chair (see nomination procedures)

Criteria of research/artistic excellence

The basis for review will be the nominee’s comprehensive record of original substantive and influential research or artistic accomplishments as measured by such factors as:

• Quality and quantity of publications or creative works
• Frequency of citations in scholarly literature and or artistic exhibits/performances
• Quality and quantity of graduate students mentored by the nominee
• Active membership in national and international organizations
• Participation in national and international scholarly or creative activities
• Peer selected awards and prizes
• Externally funded, peer-reviewed research or artistic awards
• Support of prominent scholars/artists in the field/discipline
• Demonstrable impact upon the way discipline views subject matter

Committee assessment

• The Provost/VPAA shall then appoint a faculty committee to receive and review the nominations. This committee shall solicit the opinions of the listed persons with national or international reputations, consult additional appropriate references, and make a recommendation to the Provost/VPAA on each nomination.
  

Award recommendations

• The VPAA shall consult with the Council of Deans regarding the recommendation of the committee and forward a recommendation to the President and Board of Trustees for action.
• Award of the title of Distinguished Research Professor or Distinguished Professor of the Arts shall be by special resolution of the Board of Trustees. No more than two such awards should be made in any year, but none need be made in any year.
• The title of Distinguished Research Professor or Distinguished Professor of the Arts is awarded by special resolution of the Board of Trustees. No more than one or two awards should be made in any given year, but none must be made each year.
• The title is conferred by the President at one of the regular University commencement exercises or at a special convocation.
• Distinguished Research Professors and Distinguished Professor of the Arts are given special recognition and accorded other honors and privileges the President and the Board of Trustees deem appropriate.

Nominations/Applications

Nominations/applications and supporting documentation must be submitted to the Office of the Provost, Kim Caris, assistant to the vice provost for faculty affairs, at kcaris@bgsu.edu.