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Endowed Professorships

Authority:

Academic and Student Affairs

Date enacted or revised:

Revised January 16, 2013

In F/S Handbook:

yes

The McNeese State University Foundation provides endowed professorships according to Foundation and Board of Regents guidelines. Endowed professorships are available to deserving faculty on a competitive basis providing funding is approved by the MSU Foundation. Professorships are intended to provide discretionary, supplemental funds for a variety of enhancement initiatives: 1) to enhance research competitiveness, 2) to improve research ties with industry, 3) to strengthen the capacity of departments to achieve regional or national eminence in education or research.
An Endowed Professorship may be designated for a specific purpose or for specific colleges or departments. College deans may appoint a committee comprised of faculty or appropriate personnel to receive proposals and select recipients. The vice president for academic and student affairs, with approval of the vice president for advancement, may designate professorships for specific initiatives if the donor(s) does not indicate a specific area.
Chairpersons for Endowed Professorship committees should not hold meetings which conflict with Faculty Senate meetings (the first Wednesday of the month from 3:10 to 5:00 p.m.). In addition, prior to committee meetings to select recipients, Endowed Professorship Committee Chairs should provide written communication notifying all persons submitting proposals of receipt of their proposal. The committee should document the process for selecting recipients and provide the documentation to the dean.

Endowed Professorship Proposal

A proposal describing the applicant's planned activities must be submitted to the appropriate committee or dean by the designated date [announced each year]. The proposal must have a title and include goals and objectives appropriate for the department in which the professor resides, e.g., grant funding, publications, patents, teaching, industrial ties, and other academic and/or economic development activities. Although teaching excellence will be included in an applicant's proposal, proposals involving research, creativity/scholarly activity, and/or economic development, and faculty development will be given higher priority consideration.

Eligibility for Endowed Professorship

Applicants must be full-time or prospective full-time faculty members at McNeese with a rank of assistant professor or higher unless special research or other educational initiatives call for a broader applicant pool. Deans, vice-presidents, and the president are not eligible. Faculty members [including department heads] may apply for professorships designated for their respective colleges as well as for general university professorships.

Level of Financial Support

Annually, investment income related to endowed professorships will be reviewed by the MSU Foundation budget committee. Following the investment guidelines established by the Louisiana Board of Regents, the annual payout will be determined and reported to the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. Each endowed professorship receives equal funding as determined by the Foundation Budget Committee. Investment income made available from the endowment may be used for salary supplements and for expenses directly related to the scholarly work of the recipient, with the proportion to be decided by the recipient. The amount for salary including benefits may be limited to a portion of the payout. The dean of the college will approve and document appropriate expenses.

Selection of Endowed Professorship Recipients

If screening and/or selection committees determine that there are no qualified applicants, endowment funds will remain in the appropriate account until a selection is made. The funds may not be used for other purposes. Endowments designated for a specific college will be for a one to three-year period as specified by the Office of Academic and Student Affairs, MSU Foundation, and the college dean. At the end of that period, any faculty member from that college [including the initial recipient] may re-apply provided funds are available.

Endowed Professorships Not Designated for a Specific College

Professorships not designated for a specific college will be awarded for a one to three-year period, depending upon recommendation by the Office of Academic and Student Affairs and MSU Foundation. At the end of the period, a faculty member [including the recipient] from any college may apply.

Termination of Endowed Professorship

The University reserves the right to terminate the award if 1) the recipient's actions are not appropriate as a representative of the University; or 2) the recipient fails to fulfill the obligations of the professorship; or 3) the recipient suffers an incapacitating illness extending beyond one year; or 4) the recipient does not continue as a full-time faculty member at McNeese. The dean of the appropriate college will report cases involving possible termination to the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs and a recommendation will be made to the President for final action. Any vacancy created by a termination will remain until the following year and any unused money will remain in escrow or provided to the appropriate college or office.

Endowed Professorship Reporting Requirements

The recipient must present annual written documentation and appropriate evidence of scholarly activity completed which supports the goals of the professorship. In general, final reports are reviewed by the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs. A review team may be appointed by Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs to evaluate progress of the recipient's activities based on the goals and objectives of the professorship. A performance review report will be submitted to the Vice President of Advancement. Funds must be expended during the duration of the professorship and may not be held for future expenses not related to the goals of the professorship.

Review of Endowed Professorship Procedures

These guidelines will be reviewed annually for the purpose of making appropriate revisions.

Reference:

http://catalog.mcneese.edu/content.php?catoid=3&navoid=75