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.
Guidelines for Named Faculty Positions at the University of Iowa
A. “Named faculty positions” include endowed deanships, chairs and professorships, and named professorships that are supported by temporary funds.
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.
A. Nominations for named faculty positions must be submitted by the dean of the college to the provost via the Named Positions Portal.
B. The term of appointment for a chair is normally five to seven years, and for a professorship three to five years. Appointments may be renewed with the approval of the provost (see article IX). An endowed deanship is tied to the dean’s appointment, normally based on five-year terms.
C. If a named position is designated for an administrative appointment the term may be coterminous with the administrative appointment.
D. If an appointment is renewable, a review will be conducted prior to renewal. The review’s purpose is to ensure that the criteria for the initial selection of the position holder continue to be consistent with the donor’s intent, and that the position holder continues to meet the appointment criteria. The review procedures are described in article IX below.
E. A small number of appointments are not term-limited. Appointments that were not term-limited at the time of initial appointment or were made prior to June 27, 2007, will remain in force, unless review criteria are not met (see article IX).
This is the highest honor bestowed by the university on an outstanding member of the 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 of the chair.
A. Requires the university-wide minimum endowment, unless grandfathered in or minimum guaranteed funding stream per UICA agreement.
B. These are fixed term appointments as specified in the appointment letter. Reappointment would be subject to review as described in article IX, to ensure the holder continues to meet the criteria for appointment to the chair, including meeting donor intent.
C. Chair positions are reserved for faculty who have reached the level of full professor.
To recognize 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 of the professorship.
A. Requires the university-wide minimum endowment, unless grandfathered in or minimum guaranteed funding stream per UICA agreement.
B. Fixed term of appointment as specified in the appointment letter. Reappointment would be subject to review as described in article IX, to ensure the holder continues to meet the criteria for appointment to the professorship, including meeting donor intent.
The primary qualifications for the appointment (scholarship, teaching, or clinical practice) are determined by donor intent. However, all appointees to named positions are expected to have a satisfactory record of accomplishment in all the missions relevant to their specific rank and track, i.e., teaching, service, creative work/scholarship, or clinical practice.
A. For appointments based primarily on scholarship, the individual must have:
- Stimulated or substantially altered the field through scholarly or artistic work.
- Received international recognition by peers within the field, as relevant.
- An appointment in either the tenure or clinical track.
B. For appointments based primarily on teaching, the individual must have:
- Demonstrated truly exceptional contributions to the teaching mission of the institution defined as being of the caliber normally recognized by the President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence, and greater than those usually recognized by the Collegiate Teaching Awards.
- Received local, national, and/or international recognition within the educational field, as relevant.
- An appointment in either the tenure, clinical or instructional track.
C. For appointments based primarily on clinical practice, the individual 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.
- An appointment in either the tenure or clinical track.
All required documentation should be submitted via the Named Positions Portal (NPP).
A. For all appointments:
- Funding agreement (included in the NPP nomination form)
Before a faculty member can be appointed or reappointed to a named position, a funding agreement must be approved by the provost to confirm that an appropriate funding level and/or stream(s) has been established for the position and that the position conforms to UICA naming guidelines and donor intent. - Letter from the dean specifically addressing the individual’s qualifications for the appointment and a brief description of the process for selection.
- The nominee’s current curriculum vitae.
B. For appointments based primarily on scholarship:
- Materials listed for all appointments (see article VI.A), plus:
- A minimum of three letters from outside reviewers analyzing in detail the quality of the individual’s scholarly or artistic work, with specific reference to its impact on the field; 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 and published reviews, if any exist, of that work.
C. For appointments based primarily on teaching:
Because teaching at the University of Iowa takes place in such diverse settings and is documented in so many ways, it is possible that individual nominations will not include all of 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 article VI.A), plus:
- A letter from the DEO describing the candidate’s teaching accomplishments, including descriptions of instructional innovations and curriculum development as appropriate.
- A personal statement by the candidate describing their teaching philosophy and practice.
- A minimum of three letters from professionals familiar with the candidate’s teaching. Letters from professionals outside the University of Iowa 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 candidate’s approach to teaching.
D. For appointments based primarily on clinical practice:
Because clinical practice at the University of Iowa takes place in diverse settings and is documented in many ways, it is possible that individual 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 at the named professorship, and not at the chair level.
- Materials listed for all appointments (see article VI.A), plus:
- A letter from the DEO describing the candidate’s clinical practice accomplishments.
- A personal statement by the candidate describing their clinical practice philosophy and practice.
- A minimum of three letters from professionals familiar with the candidate’s clinical practice. Because the best judges of clinical practice are peer clinicians, letters supporting appointments in this category may be from professionals either inside or outside the University of Iowa.
- Outcome data, client evaluations, or other quality data related to the specific area of clinical practice may be submitted.
A. Deanship or University Librarian Chair
Endowment funds provide a flexible resource for a dean or university librarian to meet special needs and opportunities in their college.
- Appointment and/or nomination letter is 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.
B. Roy J. Carver Professorships, UI Foundation Distinguished Professorship, and Lottery Chairs
The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost provides funding oversight for the Roy J. Carver professorships, UI Foundation Distinguished professorships and lottery chairs which are designed to support individuals on a case-by-case basis consistent with the donors’ intent. Funding review is conducted by the provost.
- Appointment is initiated by the provost office.
- Colleges must submit materials listed for all appointments (see article VI.A)
- A minimum of three letters from outside reviewers analyzing in detail the quality of the individual’s scholarly or artistic work, with specific reference to its impact on the field; 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 and published reviews, if any exist, of that work.
C. UI Distinguished Chairs
The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost provides funding oversight for the UI Distinguished Chairs, designed to recognize and reward exceptional UI scholars of national and international distinction.
- Appointment is through a yearly competitive process for a five year non-renewable term.
- Material and eligibility requirements are listed at University of Iowa Distinguished Chair.
D. F. Wendell Miller professorship
The Miller professorships are managed by the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and designed to support individuals on a case by case basis. Funding review is conducted by the provost with consideration to number available for new appointments.
- Reappointments need to be approved by the provost office.
- Materials listed for all appointments (see article VI.A).
A. Each college must have criteria and procedures approved by the provost.
B. These positions may be added to the Named Position Portal to facilitate documentation, with:
- Letter from the dean to the associate provost for faculty informing of the appointment.
- The nominee's current curriculum vitae.
C. These appointments do not require provost approval.
This section applies to reviews of current holders of named faculty positions approved by the provost and supported by an endowed fund.
A. Review Process for renewals/reappointments, for appointments that are longer than the standard term, and for appointments that are not term-limited:
- The purpose of the review is to ensure that the criteria for the initial selection of the position holder continue to be consistent with the donor’s intent and that the position holder continues to meet the appointment criteria (see article V). 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 candidate, which assesses the factors listed in subsection 1 above. 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 candidate that they are scheduled for a review. This notification should be done at least three months in advance of the target review date.
B. Required materials for renewal:
- Materials listed for all appointments (see article VI.A), plus:
- A personal statement that includes a summary of accomplishments during the current appointment term.
C. Process for lateral move from professorship to professorship or chair to chair:
- The current holder of the position must qualify for the newly designated position and a new funding agreement must be executed.
- Materials listed for all appointments (see article VI.A).
D. Process for advancement from professorship to chair or fellowship to professorship
If funding permits, a named faculty position may be upgraded (i.e., a professorship may be upgraded to a chair or a fellowship to a professorship) upon consultation with UICA and approval by the provost. The current holder of the position must qualify for the newly designated position and a new nomination must be executed.
- Materials listed for all appointments (see article VI.A), plus:
- At minimum three letters from outside reviewers analyzing in detail the quality of the individual’s scholarly or artistic work, with specific reference to its impact on the field; 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) and published reviews, if any exist, of that work.
If the current holder of the position is advancing based on promotion to higher rank, a new nomination must be executed, plus:
- Materials listed for all appointments (see article VI.A).
There are times when a new position will include the conferral of an endowed chair or professorship. The process for naming the endowed position is separate from the hiring process.
Materials required for review:
A. Materials listed for all appointments (see article VI.A), plus:
B. A minimum of three nomination letters – no new letters are required but those received for the hire should include additional language related to the appropriateness of recommending the individual to the endowed position.
C. Three to five examples of scholarly materials.
Visiting named chairs and professorships are a special form of named faculty positions that are used to bring distinguished individuals 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.
Nominations for visiting named chairs and professorships must be submitted by the dean of the college to the provost. Appointments are approved by the provost. The term of appointment for a chair or professorship may be a minimum of one semester and up to three years.
A. Criteria for appointment to a visiting named chair or professorship
- Distinguished achievements in academia or other career pursuits.
- Received local, national, and/or international recognition in his/her field.
B. Materials to be submitted
- Materials listed for all appointments (see article VI.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 term of the appointment.
A. By law, donors are not permitted to designate a gift for a particular person as the holder of a named position.
B. 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 working title of a named faculty position should remain standard but may be preceded by a name suggested by the donor and followed by a collegiate or department modifier.
- If the appointee is an associate professor, the word “associate” appears in the title (e.g., the “Jane and John Doe Associate Professor of Chemistry”).
- Additional modifying terms such as “distinguished” or “endowed” should be avoided.
C. Some examples might include:
- For chair appointments
XXX Chair in Engineering - For professorship appointments
XXX Professor of Cardiology - For positions based on scholarship:
John and Jane Doe Chair in Psychology
Robert Smith Chair in Economics
John and Jane Doe Professor of Psychology
Robert Smith Associate Professor of Economics - For Deanship or University Librarian Chair:
XXX Dean’s Chair in the Library Arts and Sciences - 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:
XXX Fellow of Law
Collegiate Fellow or Scholar
College of XXX Distinguished Professor - For visiting named chairs and professorships
XXX Visiting Professor of Nursing
A. Deans and holders are asked to cooperate with UICA to ensure that donors receive updates on the holders’ activities at least annually.
B. Annual or periodic collegiate and/or university events recognizing donors of named faculty positions should be coordinated through UICA. To ensure appropriate donor stewardship and adequate record keeping, copies of all documentation related to any named appointments, funding agreements, and correspondence with donors will be kept on file with the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.
A. The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost provides the collegiate dean with an electronic notification of the approval of a named faculty appointment. The dean should inform the appointee, copied to UICA.
B. 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.
C. Collegiate deans are responsible for communicating with collegiate staff about faculty appointments to named positions.
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. 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.
Updated December 2022