Administrative levels. There are three basic administrative levels for professorships.

(1) University-level professorships. These can be assigned to any faculty member of the University. The professorships are controlled by the President, which means that the President decides which departments will receive them and the amount of each award. When an Arts & Sciences faculty member holds a University-level professorship, the administrative responsibility of the operating account is normally transferred to the Dean's Office. If appropriate, the Dean's Office will in turn transfer administrative responsibility to the faculty member's department for the term of the appointment.

(2) College- or division-level professorships. These can be assigned to any faculty member in a college or school or in a particular division of the college/school. They are controlled by the Dean, and normally in Arts & Sciences the administrative responsibility is transferred to the individual's department for the term of the appointment.

(3) Department-, unit-, or field-specific professorships. These can be assigned only to a faculty member within a particular department, unit, or field. They are controlled by the Dean in consultation with the department or unit chair. Normally in Arts & Sciences the administrative responsibility remains at the departmental level.

When a department administers a professorship for one of its faculty members, the expenditures must be consistent with the terms of the award and with University regulations. Professorships are not discretionary accounts.

New appointment (and reappointment) procedures and documentation. There is a specific process to appoint or to reappoint a faculty member to an endowed chair, professorship, or faculty fellow appointment. Normally the endowment agreement sets the criteria and the process for selection of the candidate, and these criteria must be followed.

In addition to an endowed appointment, the University offers an opportunity to support outstanding faculty members for a shorter term through gifts for current use. This appointment is called a "term professorship" and can be created with an annual gift of $15,00 or more for three to five years.

The University has three different checklists which can guide a department through the appointment process: (1) Faculty Fellowship, (2) Professorship or Chair, and (3) Professorship (Term). For a description of these three types of appointments and for additional information, see the Academic Human Resources' Web page on Endowments.

For each appointment request, the department should submit to the Dean's Office (1) a copy of the appropriate checklist, (2) a letter from the chair requesting the appointment, (3) the candidate's vitae, (4) the candidate's biographical statement (see Academic HR's description), and (5) any other supporting documentation. If approved, the materials will be forwarded by the Dean to the Provost for review and action by the Board of Regents. (Faculty fellowship appointments and reappointments do not need Regents approval.) When approved by the Provost, the Dean will send the candidate an appointment letter. This letter states the appointment terms and must be signed by both the candidate and the chair of the administering department. After the letter is returned to the Dean's Office, information regarding expenditure processing will be provided to both the candidate and the administering department. The appointment cannot be announced until formal approval by the Board of Regents has been given.

Endowed supplements. If the endowment agreement allows and the Dean's Office approves, an individual may request an Endowed Supplement (ENS). This supplement is in addition to normal salary and uses the earning type ENS. The supplement amount per month must remain the same in a given year. Other limitations should be discussed with the Dean's Office.