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Administration & Governance - Faculty Affairs - SoHE Named Faculty Appointments - Criteria and Process

This outlines the process, commitments and descriptions of the named faculty appointments in the School of Human Ecology.

Effective: November 1, 2023

Great institutions are home to the best minds, the most creative scholars and the most engaged teachers. One faculty member can inspire hundreds of people through the courses they teach, students they mentor, their scholarship endeavors and service through the Wisconsin idea.

The named distinguished chair, chair, professorship, and faculty fellow appointments provide recognition for distinguished contributions of the faculty and forms an enduring bond with the donor who honors the School of Human Ecology (SoHE) with their gift. Faculty Fellowships are targeted funds that align with strategic initiatives.

Funds for named faculty appointments may be used to support a new or existing position as directed by the Memorandum of Agreement between the donor and the UW Foundation/Dean.  Primary purposes of these funds are to recognize excellence, recruit and retain faculty members, and/or to supplement or fully fund a position that fulfills the mission of the School. It will be by the Dean’s discretion to determine the term and renewal status of the SoHE named faculty appointments. 

This document shall be reviewed periodically and updated as needed by the Dean of the School of Human Ecology to meet the SoHE’s strategic needs.

Selection Criteria

The named faculty appointments are informed by these key elements:

  • Faculty tenure home in the School of Human Ecology
  • The strategic priorities of the School
  • The donor’s commitment to advancing SoHE strategic priorities, articulated through a Memoranda of Agreement
  • Excellence in scholarship, educational mission, and collegiality/citizenship
  • The support of the Dean and SoHE faculty

Selection Process

Step 1.  Dean’s Nomination
The Dean, in consultation with the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, and the department chair(s), will nominate eligible candidates for the Named Faculty Committee Review process.   The Dean’s office will communicate with each of the nominated candidates to submit his/her packet should he/she decide to accept the nomination.

 

Step 2.  Nomination Packet submission
Candidates shall submit the following materials to the Dean’s office:

  1. Applicant statement

Named Chair or Faculty appointments.
No more than 3 pages describing their accomplishments in the criteria of the preferred professorship or chair including Indicators of quality of scholarship (see suggested list -upload doc to KB and link) with an emphasis on detailing future priorities and activities.

Faculty Fellowship appointments
No more than 2 pages that address the specific expectations of the faculty fellowship.

  1. CV that clearly highlights those activities most relevant to the application.
  2. Request for references

Named Chair or Faculty appointments.
Candidates will be asked for the names of three external reviewers. These external reviewers should be distinguished scholars in the candidate’s field who can speak about the candidate’s credential in the field. Collaborators may be permitted, although non-collaborators are preferred. In addition, candidates will also be asked for three internal references, including the department chair, who will be contacted regarding evidence of professional collegiality and citizenship. The Dean or the review Committee may add additional external and internal names. In some cases, external reviewer letters from tenure or promotion to full may be substituted if they are written within one year of the named faculty appointment. The Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs shall contact the applicant’s named internal and external references and solicit letters of support. Two external and two internal letters are required for a compete packet.

Faculty Fellowship appointments
Provide letters of support as specified in faculty fellowship.

 

Step 3.  Committee Review
Nomination Review Committee
The Dean shall appoint the members of the nomination review committee.  The Committee shall consist of three full professors from across the School (preferably a current or past endowed title holder).  Additionally, 1-2 other reviewers from outside SoHE who have the proper background for the specific professorship (e.g. Extension) under consideration may also be appointed. The Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs (or Dean’s designee) will serve as chair of the nomination review committee. 

The Committee will review the nominated packet based on the criteria established by the MOA with the donor as well as the evaluation criteria established for named faculty appointments.

Step 4Committee Recommendation
The Committee will forward a recommendation that endorses or does not endorse the appointment with a brief description to the Dean describing the merit of the nomination.

Step 5Dean Decision and Notification
The Dean will make a final decision and notify the recipient and the donor.

Description of Named Faculty Appointments 

SoHE Bascom Professorship in Human Ecology

A1.  The Vaughan Bascom Professorship in Women, Family and Community
Faculty whose scholarship and leadership addresses quality of life issues for children, women, families and communities, with preference given to faculty whose work advances an understanding of the role of philanthropy in promoting and sustaining a civil and just society.  This award shall be administered in accordance with the University's guidelines on Bascom Professorships.  Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors but exceptions can be made to advanced tenure-track (5th or 6th) with support from the oversight committee. 

 

A2.  Audrey Rothermel Bascom Professorship
Excellence and national reputation within at least two of the three types of scholarships: Teaching, Research, and/or Outreach. This award shall be administered in accordance with the University's guidelines on Bascom Professorships.    Eligibility: Tenured professors in SoHE.

SoHE Named Distinguished Chairs

All Distinguished Chair Appointments will be commensurate with the candidate’s credential representing the advanced level of scholarship in the candidate’s field.  Otherwise, eligible candidates may be appointed as endowed professor, endowed chair, or faculty fellow.

 

B1. Mary Sue and Mike Shannon Distinguished Chair for Healthy Minds, Children & Families
The donors wish to support a faculty member in the School of Human Ecology’s Department of Human Development and Family Studies and the Center for Child and Family Well-Being specializing in the area family well-being and mind-body-relationships.  The Chair will also have an official affiliation with the Waisman Center and/or the Center for Healthy Minds in support of the healthy minds, children and families joint initiative.  Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors.

 

B2.  100 Women Distinguished Chair in Human Ecology
The purpose of this fund is to provide support for research-active faculty in the School of Human Ecology and to recognize faculty excellence, encourage faculty leadership, and to assist efforts to recruit, retain, and recognize top faculty in fields of study within the academic disciplines of human ecology. The 100 Women Chair in Human Ecology will rotate among all of the school’s academic departments, in a three-to-five year cycle. Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors. 

 

B3. Chipstone Design and Material Culture Distinguished Chair*
The Donor wishes to provide salary support for a tenured or tenure-track faculty position dedicated to teaching, scholarship and outreach in design and material culture. The individual holding this distinguished chair would be the Executive Director of the Center for Design and Material Culture (CDMC) and would be expected to have the leadership role in advancing the mission and strategic goals of the CDMC as determined by the Dean of the School of Human Ecology. Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors.  
*Not available until the endowment is fully funded.

 

B4.  Kohl’s Distinguished Chair in Retail Innovation
Kohl’s wishes to provide faculty support for teaching, research and outreach activities related to retail innovation and consumer insights. The individual holding this tenured track position is expected to work in close collaboration with the Executive Director and Assistant Director of the Kohl’s Center for Retailing. Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors.

SoHE Named Faculty Chairs

C1. Lynn and Gary Mecklenburg Chair in Textiles, Material Culture, and Design
The donors wish to support a faculty position in the Department of Design Studies whose expertise and scholarly work relates to the study of textiles and their cultural and aesthetic significance. This chair is to be awarded to a member of the Design Studies faculty whose area of expertise includes historic textiles and whose teaching, research and outreach activities enhance the integration of the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection, the Ruth Ketterer Harris (RKH) Library and the Ruth Davis Design Gallery, three entities that comprise the Center for Textiles, Material Culture and Design, into the Design Studies curriculum for students in Textile and Fashion Design and Interior Architecture as well as other UW-Madison departments. Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors. 

 

C2.  Laura M. Secord Chair in Early Childhood Development
The donors wish to support a faculty position in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) whose work relates to early childhood development and education, including scholarly activities leading to the dissemination of information to aid parents and family members in providing young children the skills and experiences needed for their physical, intellectual, emotional and social well-being. The faculty member holding the Laura M. Secord Chair will also serve as the faculty director of Human Ecology’s Child Development Lab. Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors. 

 

C3.  Elizabeth C. Davies Chair in Child & Family Well-being
The donors wish to support a faculty position in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) whose work relates to the research and application of mindfulness, contemplative practices and other methods to improve the well-being of children, parents and families. This chair is to be awarded to a member of the HDFS faculty with Extension and/or community-based teaching, research and/or outreach responsibilities. Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors. 

 

C4.  Fetzer Family Chair in Consumer and Personal Finance
The Donors wish to provide faculty support for a position focused on consumer finance, personal finance and/or behavioral economics. This chair is to be awarded to a research active faculty member whose expertise is in developing, implementing and evaluating innovative approaches related to financial education and financial and economic well-being for individuals and families locally and globally. Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors.

 

C5. Dorothy A. O’Brien Chair in Human Ecology
The donors wish to support faculty excellence and encourage faculty leadership of the School’s strategic initiatives and to assist efforts to recruit, retain and recognize top faculty in field of study within Human Ecology.  Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors but exceptions can be made to advanced tenure-track (5th or 6th) with support from the oversight committee. 

 

C6. Wendy and Irving Benveniste Chair in Human Ecology*
The donors wish to assist the School of Human Ecology in the recruitment, retention and recognition of outstanding faculty. An appointment can be made as Faculty Fellow for junior-level faculty members.  Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors but exceptions can be made to advanced tenure-track (5th or 6th) with support from the oversight committee.
*Not available until the fund (estate gift) is fully established.

SoHE Named Professorships

D1.  Lorna Jorgenson Wendt Professorship in Money, Relationships, and Equality (MORE)
The Donor wishes to provide faculty support for the teaching, research and outreach activities related to money, relationships and equality so as to advance an understanding of issues of equality and purpose-based living that enable individuals, couples and families to embrace the balance of interpersonal connection and self-fulfillment crucial to the well-being of all.  Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors but exceptions can be made to advanced tenure-track (5th or 6th) with support from the oversight committee. 

 

D2.  Jane Rafferty Thiele Professorship in Human Ecology
The Donor wishes to support faculty excellence and encourage faculty leadership in areas of strategic importance to the School of Human Ecology. The Donor also wishes to provide the prestige of a named faculty position to assist efforts to recruit, retain and recognize top faculty spanning the broad fields of study within Human Ecology.  Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors but exceptions can be made to advanced tenure-track (5th or 6th) with support from the oversight committee.      

 

D3.  Ecology of Human Well-Being (EcoWell) Professorship
The Donor wishes to support research-active faculty working to advance the ecology of well-being in all its facets within the academic disciplines of the School of Human Ecology. This professorship is to be awarded to a member of the School of Human Ecology faculty whose teaching, research and outreach responsibilities are devoted to understanding and promoting the ecology of well-being – social, emotional, cultural and/or economic. Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors but exceptions can be made to advanced tenure-track (5th or 6th) with support from the oversight committee.   

 

D4.   Meta Schroeder Beckner Outreach Professorship
The Beckner Outreach Professorship provides support for a faculty member whose work focuses on research-based outreach with an ultimate goal of enhancing the wellbeing of families, individuals, and the community.  Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors but exceptions can be made to advanced tenure-track (5th or 6th) with support from the oversight committee.   

 

D5.  Leola R. Culver Professorship in Nonprofits and Philanthropy
The Donor wishes to support an endowed faculty position in the School of Human Ecology, affiliated with the Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies to be awarded to a member of the faculty whose areas of expertise include nonprofits and philanthropy.  Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors but exceptions can be made to advanced tenure-track (5th or 6th) with support from the oversight committee.  

 

D6.  Liz Kramer Professorship of Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The purpose of the Liz Kramer Professorship is to provide faculty support for teaching, research and outreach activities related to social innovation and entrepreneurship research and education. Eligibility: Preferably tenured professors but exceptions can be made to advanced tenure-track (5th or 6th) with support from the oversight committee.  



Keywordsnamed appointments, faculty award, faculty process, fellowship   Doc ID110633
OwnerLinda Z.GroupSchool of Human Ecology
Created2021-05-03 11:25:01Updated2023-11-09 15:06:56
SitesSchool of Human Ecology
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