Named faculty positions provide an opportunity to honor the academic achievements of selected faculty candidates while recognizing the generosity of donors to the academic enterprise. Named faculty positions include endowed deanships, chairs and professorships, as well as named professorships that are supported by temporary funds. Nominations for named faculty appointments must be submitted by the dean of the college to the executive vice president and provost.
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Guidelines for Named Faculty Positions at the University of Iowa
Updated April 21, 2026
Contents
II. Appointment Terms & Eligibility
VI. Appointments Managed by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
VII. Named Faculty Fellowships & Collegiate Appointments
VIII. Renewal/Review of Named Faculty Positions
IX. Hiring into an Endowed Position
I. Definitions and scope
A. “Named faculty positions” include endowed deanships, directorships, chairs, professorships, fellowships, and temporary funded positions.
B. These guidelines apply to endowments managed by the University of Iowa Center for Advancement (UICA), the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and those housed in the UI Treasury.
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II. Appointment Terms & Eligibility
- Named faculty positions are term-based and require provost approval.
- Nominations must be submitted by the collegiate dean to the provost via the Named Positions Portal.
- Typical terms: Chair (5-7 years); Professorships (3-5 years). Endowed deanships are coterminous with the dean's appointment, normally based on five-year terms.
- Positions designated for an administrative appointment may be coterminous with that appointment.
- Renewals require review to ensure continued alignment with donor intent and appointment criteria (see section VIII).
- Appointments made prior to June 27, 2007, that are non-term-limited remain in force unless review criteria are not met (see section VIII).
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III. Appointment Types
- Directorship or Chair Appointment: The directorship and chair are the highest honor bestowed by the university on an outstanding faculty member. Endowment income is used as deemed appropriate based on donor intent and the dean of the college to support or supplement the salary of the faculty member and/or to support the academic pursuits and endeavors of the holder.
- Requires the university-wide minimum endowment, unless grandfathered in or minimum guaranteed funding stream per UICA agreement.
- Fixed term appointment as specified in the appointment letter. Reappointment is possible but not required; and contingent on review as described in section VIII, to ensure the holder continues to meet the appointment criteria and donor intent.
- Reserved for faculty at the rank of full professor.
- Professorship Appointment: Recognizes distinguished faculty. Endowment income is used as deemed appropriate based on donor intent and the dean of the college to support or supplement the salary of the faculty member and/or to support the academic pursuits and endeavors of the holder.
- Requires the university-wide minimum endowment, unless grandfathered in or minimum guaranteed funding stream per UICA agreement.
- Fixed-term appointment as specified in the appointment letter. Reappointment is possible but not required; and contingent on review as described in section VIII, to ensure the holder continues to meet the appointment criteria and donor intent.
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IV. Criteria for Appointment
Primary qualifications (scholarship, teaching, or clinical practice) follow donor intent. All appointees must demonstrate a satisfactory record of accomplishment in all the missions relevant to their specific rank and track (i.e., teaching, service, creative work/scholarship, and/or clinical practice).
- Appointment Based Primarily on Scholarship Nominee must have:
- Stimulated or substantially altered the field through scholarly or artistic work.
- Received international recognition by peers within the field, as relevant.
- Appointment in tenure or clinical track.
- Appointment Based Primarily on Teaching Nominee must have:
- Demonstrated truly exceptional contributions to the teaching mission of the institution defined as being of the caliber recognized by the President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence, and beyond those recognized by collegiate teaching awards.
- Received local, national, and/or international recognition within the educational field, as relevant.
- Appointment in tenure, clinical, or instructional track.
- Appointment Based Primarily on Clinical Practice Nominee must have:
- Demonstrated truly exceptional contributions to the clinical service mission of the institution.
- Received local, national, and/or international recognition for clinical accomplishments within the field, as relevant.
- Appointment in tenure or clinical track.
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V. Materials to be Submitted
Submit all required documentation through the Named Positions Portal (NPP).
- For All Appointments:
- Funding agreement (populated via NPP nomination form)
The provost must approve and confirm appropriate funding level and/or stream(s) has been established for the position and conforms to UICA naming guidelines and donor intent. - Letter from the dean specifically addressing the nominee's qualifications for the appointment and a brief description of the process for selection.
- The nominee’s current curriculum vitae.
- Nominee's draft offer letter specifically addressing the committed amount(s) and usage parameters. (currently optional)
- Funding agreement (populated via NPP nomination form)
- Materials for Scholarship-Based Appointments:
- Materials listed for all appointments (see section V.A), plus:
- A minimum of three letters from external peer reviewers analyzing in detail the quality of the nominee’s scholarly or artistic work, with specific reference to its impact on the field; include either a bio-sketch of each referee from a federal grant or a current curriculum vitae; and explain personal or professional relationship of each referee to the nominee.
Three to five samples of the nominee’s major publications or samples/records of artistic work; include published reviews, if available.
Note: Exemptions require pre-approval from the Office of the Provost.
- Materials for Teaching-Based Appointments:
Because teaching at the University of Iowa takes place in a variety of settings and is documented in many ways, it is possible that nominations will not include all the materials in 5 through 7 below. A nomination will be judged complete if the materials submitted provide compelling evidence of truly exceptional contributions to the teaching mission of the institution.- Materials listed for all appointments (see section V.A), plus:
- A letter from the DEO describing the nominee’s teaching accomplishments, including descriptions of instructional innovations and curriculum development as appropriate.
- A personal statement by the nominee describing their teaching philosophy and practice.
- A minimum of three letters from referees familiar with the nominee’s teaching. Letters from external peer reviewers are preferred in establishing national and international recognition.
- Three to five letters from former students.
- Summaries of student evaluations of teaching.
Three to five exemplary syllabi, assignments, tests, or other documents demonstrating the nominee’s approach to teaching.
Note: Exemptions require pre-approval from the Office of the Provost.
- Materials for Clinical Practice-Based Appointments:
Because clinical practice at the University of Iowa takes place in a variety of settings and is documented in many ways, it is possible that nominations may not include material described in 5 below. A nomination will be judged complete if the materials submitted provide compelling evidence of truly exceptional contributions to the clinical service of the institution.
These appointments are generally made as professorships, and not at the chair level.- Materials listed for all appointments (see section V.A), plus:
- A letter from the DEO describing the nominee’s clinical practice accomplishments.
- A personal statement by the nominee describing their clinical practice philosophy and practice.
- A minimum of three letters from referees familiar with the nominee’s clinical practice. Because the best judges of clinical practice are peer clinicians, letters supporting appointments in this category may be from referees of equal rank either internal or external to the University of Iowa.
Outcome data, client evaluations, or other quality data related to the specific area of clinical practice may be submitted.
Note: Exemptions require pre-approval from the Office of the Provost.
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VI. Appointments Managed by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost
- Deanship or University Librarian Chair
Provide flexible resources for a dean or university librarian to meet collegiate needs and opportunities.- Appointment and/or nomination letter initiated in the provost office.
- Requires the university-wide minimum endowment, unless grandfathered in or minimum guaranteed funding stream per UICA agreement.
- Coterminous with administrative appointment. Renewal occurs automatically with renewal of the position of Dean or University Librarian.
- Roy J. Carver Professorships and Lottery Chairs
Designed to support recruitment and retention on a case-by-case basis, consistent with the donor intent. Funding oversight and review is provided by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.- Appointment initiated by the provost office.
- Colleges must submit materials listed for all appointments (see section V.A)
- A minimum of three letters from external peer reviewers analyzing in detail the quality of the nominee’s scholarly or artistic work, with specific reference to its impact on the field; include either a bio-sketch of each referee from a federal grant or a current curriculum vitae; and an explanation of the personal or professional relationship of each referee to the nominee.
- Three to five samples of the nominee’s major publications or samples/records of artistic work; include published reviews, if available.
- UI Distinguished Chairs
Designed to recognize and reward exceptional UI scholars of national and international distinction.- Five-year non-renewable terms awarded via yearly competitive process.
- Material and eligibility requirements are listed at University of Iowa Distinguished Chair.
- F. Wendell Miller Professorships
Designed to support faculty members on a case-by-case basis.- Materials listed for all appointments (see section V.A).
- Reappointments require provost office pre-approval.
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VII. Named Faculty Fellowships & Collegiate Appointments (Non-endowed, Non-donor Named)
- Each college must have criteria and procedures approved by the provost.
- These positions may be added to the Named Position Portal to facilitate collegiate approval and documentation, including:
- Letter from the dean to the associate provost for faculty informing of the appointment.
- The nominee's current curriculum vitae.
- Provost approval is not required for these appointments.
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VIII. Renewal/Review of Named Faculty Positions
This section applies to reviews of current holders of named faculty positions approved by the provost and supported by an endowed fund.
- Review Process for renewals/reappointments, for appointments that are longer than the standard term, and for appointments that are non-term-limited:
- Reviews confirm that the holder continues to meet appointment criteria and donor intent (see section IV). Potential causes for non-renewal of an appointment would include: 1) dereliction of duty, 2) unproductive or ineffective scholarship, teaching or service, and/or 3) efforts that are no longer aligned with the donor intent and/or appointment criteria. Nothing in this section is intended to restrict the ability of the dean to rotate named faculty positions even if a holder continues to meet relevant criteria. Conditions for rotation will be established by the dean.
- Each college or institute shall develop a procedure to conduct a substantive review of each nominee, which assesses the factors listed in immediately preceding subsection. The collegiate or institute procedure shall be subject to the review and approval of the provost before implementation.
- The supervising dean or their designee notifies the nominee that they are scheduled for a review. This notification should be done at least three months in advance of the target review date.
- Required Materials for Renewal:
- Materials listed for all appointments (see section V.A), plus:
- A personal statement that includes a summary of accomplishments during the current appointment term.
- Lateral Moves (Professorship → Professorship; Chair →Chair):
- Holder must qualify for the newly designated position and a new NPP nomination must be executed.
- Submit materials listed for all appointments (see section V.A).
Advancements (Professorship → Chair; Fellowship → Professorship)
If funding permits, positions may be upgraded (i.e., a professorship may be upgraded to a chair or a fellowship to a professorship) upon consultation with UICA and provost approval. Holder must qualify for the newly designated position and a new NPP nomination must be executed.- Materials listed for all appointments (see section V.A), plus:
- At minimum three letters from external peer reviewers analyzing in detail the quality of the individual’s scholarly or artistic work, with specific reference to its impact on the field; include either a bio-sketch of each referee from a federal grant or a current curriculum vitae; and an explanation of the personal or professional relationship of each referee to the nominee.
- Three to five samples of the nominee’s major publications (or samples/records of artistic work); include published reviews, if available.
If advancement is based on promotion to higher rank, a new NPP nomination must be executed, plus:
- Materials listed for all appointments (see section V.A).
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IX. Hiring into an Endowed Position
If a recruitment includes the conferral of an endowed chair or professorship, the naming process for the named position is separate from the hiring process (see Sample Faculty Offer Letter text).
Materials required for review:
- Materials listed for all appointments (see section V.A), plus:
- A minimum of three nomination letters – letters received for the hire are required and should include language related to the appropriateness of recommending the individual to the endowed position. If letters were not received as part of the hiring process, they will need to be requested for the endowed position.
- Three to five examples of scholarly materials.
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X. Visiting Named Chairs and Professorships
Visiting named chairs and professorships are a special form of named faculty positions that are used to bring distinguished scholars to campus to enrich the academic environment for a specified period. (Note: The Ida Cordelia Beam Distinguished Visiting Professorships are governed by a separate set of guidelines.
Traditional named chair and professorship positions may be utilized for appointment of a visiting chair or professor in limited circumstances (e.g., where a nominee is not otherwise available nor expected within a reasonable timeframe to fill the traditional chair or professorship), subject to the criteria and approvals required for visiting named chairs or professorships and to any donor intent restrictions.
- Terms
- Nominations must be submitted by the collegiate dean; appointments approved by the provost office.
- Appointment term: minimum one semester; maximum three years.
- Criteria for Appointment
- Distinguished achievements in academia or other career pursuits.
- Received local, national, and/or international recognition in their field.
- Materials to be Submitted
- Materials listed for all appointments (see section V.A), plus:
- A statement from the dean/DEO detailing the responsibilities of the nominee while they hold the visiting chair or professorship and the expected length of appointment term.
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XI. Naming Protocols
- By law, donors are not permitted to designate a gift for a particular person as the holder of a named position.
- Name selection: The exact name applied to an endowment fund or named temporary fund for faculty support will be agreed upon by the donor(s), UICA, and the appropriate university dean/director.
- The named position title should remain standard but may be preceded by a name suggested by the donor and followed by a collegiate or department modifier (e.g., Jay Smith holds the Jane and John Doe Professorship in Chemistry).
- The holder's named title reflects the nominee's rank (e.g., Jay Smith is the Jane and John Doe Associate Professor of Chemistry).
- Where applicable, medallions should include the holder's name, named position title, department, and college.
- Avoid adding modifiers such as “distinguished” or “endowed” to titles.
- Some examples might include:
- For chair appointments
- Robert Smith Chair
- For professorship appointments
- John and Jane Doe Professor (John and Jane Doe Professorship)
- For positions based on scholarship:
- John and Jane Doe Chair in Psychology
- Robert Smith Chair in Economics
- John and Jane Doe Professor of Psychology (John and Jane Doe Professorship of Psychology)
- Robert Smith Associate Professor of Economics (Robert Smith Professorship of Economics)
- For Deanship or University Librarian Chair:
- Robert Smith Dean in the College of Engineering
- For Named Faculty Fellowships and Collegiate appointments
Holders of collegiate appointments will be designated in such a way that distinguishes them from donor-named university chairs and professors:- Jack Smith Fellow of Law
- Collegiate Fellow or Scholar
- College of Engineering Distinguished Professor
- For visiting named chairs and professorships
- Jane Smith Visiting Professor
- For chair appointments
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XII. Stewardship
- Deans and holders are asked to cooperate with UICA to ensure that donors receive updates on the holders’ activities at least annually.
- Coordinate with UICA annual or periodic collegiate and/or university events recognizing donors of named faculty positions. To ensure appropriate donor stewardship and adequate record keeping, copies of all documentation related to any named appointments, funding agreements, and related documentation will be kept on file with the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost through the Named Positions Portal (NPP). Correspondence with donors will be kept on file by the colleges in cooperation with UICA.
- UI Distinguished Chairs, Roy J. Carver Professorships, and lottery chair holders will be bestowed with a medallion by the president and provost at the annual campus-wide faculty and staff awards ceremony.
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XIII. Publicity
- The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost provides the collegiate dean and UICA with an electronic notification of the approval of a named faculty appointment. The dean should inform the appointee (copy UICA).
- After the provost has approved the appointment, publicity related to named faculty appointments should be coordinated with UICA by the collegiate dean, consulting with the provost as necessary. Issues related to donor wishes to remain anonymous, campaign recognition, timing, etc., will all be considered before publicity moves forward.
- Collegiate deans are responsible for communicating with collegiate staff about faculty appointments to named positions.
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XIV. Retirement
Upon retirement, the holder of an endowed appointment may continue to use the title with “emeritus” added at the discretion of the dean, donor, or provost. This is to be decided at the collegiate level in cooperation with UICA. All other appointment holders will no longer carry the designation but may continue to list the named faculty position on their curricula vitae with the term clearly stated.
Funding and discretionary resources associated with the endowed appointment do not continue beyond the active term of the appointment.
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Updated April 2026