Guidelines for Nominators of Distinguished Professorships
A Distinguished Professorship is the most prestigious academic rank at Indiana University. Nominations are evaluated by the University Distinguished Ranks Committee, which recommends appointments to the President and the Trustees. The Committee scrutinizes each nomination very carefully and offers the following guidelines on the preparation of nominations.
Who may submit a nomination?
Any member of the University community may submit nominations. Some departments have committees or other processes for identifying potential nominees and assembling nomination dossiers. These are often helpful in ensuring that the experience gained in preparing one dossier is not lost when developing future dossiers. In addition, while support of a department or school (or chair or dean) is not a requirement for a successful nomination, it is very useful for the Committee.
What should the dossier contain?
Dossiers for successful nominees differ, but all dossiers should contain:
a nomination letter that
explains clearly and succinctly the nature, significance, and impact of the nominee’s scholarship or creative work in language appropriate for review by colleagues who are not skilled in the nominee’s discipline, and
provides an overview of the dossier;
an up-to-date curriculum vita;
copies of the nominee’s major publications or other evidence of creative activity (e.g., museum catalogs, exhibit guides); and
reference letters (see below)
What is the Committee looking for?
The purpose of the dossier is to demonstrate that the nominee meets the criteria for selection—that he or she has amassed a career, and a continuing trajectory, of exceptional accomplishment in the areas of scholarship or artistic creativity. Evidence of such accomplishment will differ depending upon field, but generally should include:
a record of publications, including evidence of the significance and impact of those publications (e.g., reviews, citations, quality of journals)
representation of works in national and international exhibitions, shows, and museums
performance of works by internationally known performers and orchestras or in major concert series
prestigious lectureships and visiting professorships, and participation in high-level national and international conferences, symposia, and meetings
recognition by national and international professional organizations in the form of awards, medals, honorary degrees, and other honors
membership and leadership positions in professional organizations and honorary academic societies
evidence that the nominee’s students have gone on themselves to achieve recognition regionally/nationally in the same (or a related) area
It is important to remember that the dossier should not merely convey lists of the nominee’s accomplishments or awards, but rather demonstrate the national and international impact of the nominee’s body of work on his or her discipline, other fields, practice, and/or public policy. As a result, if the importance of an activity, accomplishment, or honor is not obvious, the dossier should include an explanation so those outside the field can appreciate its significance.
What types of reference letters are useful?
One of the most important components of successful nomination dossiers are evaluations by peers, especially recognized leaders in the discipline. The Committee expects six to ten reference letters, but the number of letters is not as important as their quality, specificity, and the qualifications of the references. The Committee recommends that:
referees should be at top-ranked institutions and highly regarded in the nominee’s field
one or more letters should come from outside of the United States
there should be a summary statement reflecting the expertise of each referee
the letters should articulate the importance and impact of the nominee’s scholarly and creative work
the letters should address the national and international reputation of the nominee and the nominee’s standing in his or her discipline
in no event should the letters merely restate facts from the curriculum vita or focus on the nominee’s teaching or service
letters from colleagues in related disciplines should be included if they help make clear that the distinction is important to more than one field
a limited number of letters from within the University can be helpful if they come from the nominee’s chair or dean, or from highly regarded colleagues in the nominee’s field
as a general matter, letters should not be solicited from anyone whose work is currently supervised by the nominee or who has published extensively with the nominee
How should the dossier be presented?
The dossier should be clearly organized so that the various components are easy to locate and review. Depending upon the type of material, a binder with tabs indicating the various sections is often appropriate.
Summary: Checklist for Distinguished Professor Nominations
Nomination letter
Up-to-date curriculum vita
Copies of the nominee’s major publications or other evidence of scholarly or creative activity
