Distinguished Professorship Criteria and Process
2025 – 2026
Distinguished Professorship Review Schedule
Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Deans of various schools notifies Provost’s Office of potential candidates for distinguished professorships at Texas Southern University. | February 15th |
| Generally, one distinguished professorship a year will be awarded. However, the Board of Regents, at their discretion, may award distinguished professorships as a recruitment tool at any time and in any number. | April 1st |
|
Dean submits complete dossiers to the Provost’s Office, which are forwarded to the Distinguished Professorship Review Committee. Deans’ nominations must include:
|
May 1st |
|
Distinguished Pro fessorship Review Committee will make a recommendation to the Pro vost . |
June 1 st |
|
The Provost’s recommendation, including basis for decision, will be submitted to the President. The president renders a recommendation to the candidate. If the recommendation is positive, the president will submit the recommendation to the Board of Regents for final approval. |
June Board Meeting |
|
Distinguished professorship decisions become effective. |
September 1st |
Criteria and Procedures
Criteria
Nominees for distinguished professorships are expected to show evidence of the following academic qualifications:
- Active tenured faculty who are full professors and have served the equivalent of ten or more years at Texas Southern University.
- The nominee has national and international in scope, with research or creative activity that has been original, seminal, and influential. Documentation of the nominee’s national and international reputation should be provided in the form of reviews or professional citation in top tier journals and books.
- The nominee has achieved extraordinary distinction in scholarship, research, and professional performance at Texas Southern University.
- The nominee has materially affected undergraduate and/or graduate education.
- The nominee is a strong citizen of the discipline and of Texas Southern University.
- The nominee maintains an outstanding professional relationship with other faculty and staff members.
- The nominee has a record of active and continuing interest and participation in areas of professor/student relations.
- The nominee is an exemplar of the type of professional Texas Southern University desires to have its students and faculty emulate.
- The nominee has a record of significant research supported by external grants or special funding, usually from philanthropists or outside agencies, which have high expectations of the university’s capability to advance knowledge and change the culture of a department or college.
- The nominee communicates Texas Southern University’s commitment to excellence in teaching, the value placed on the learning experience of students, and the centrality of instruction to the university’s mission.
Procedures
Nomination files must include the following:
- Letter of nomination providing justification for the appointment.
- Letter of transmittal from the department chair, explaining the value of the appointment to the department and providing an independent evaluation of the nominee. The report should address the candidate’s outstanding teaching, research, and service. The achievement of the candidate must be placed in the context of the candidate’s national and international reputation.
- Letter of transmittal from the Dean, explaining the value of the appointment to the college and addressing the standards listed above, particularly the influence and value of the nominee’s work and its place in the discipline.
- The candidate’s current curriculum vitae and supporting materials on teaching, research and service.
- Five letters of recommendation specifically associated with the distinguished professorship position.
(Because external reference letters are part of the documentation required for employment, separate letters for the distinguished professorship are required).
- A brief written report on the nominee’s activities and involvements related to the title of distinguished professor will be provided to the Provost.
- Summary of the credentials of each referee must be provided (a one-page professional sketch).
- All documents must be submitted in a professional binder. (Multiple binders must be submitted together for each member of the committee for a total of five binders).
Texas Southern University Candidate for a Distinguished Professorship Checklist for the Letter of Reference
- The nomination is reserved for active tenured faculty members who hold the rank of professor and have served the equivalent of ten or more years at Texas Southern University.
- The nominee has a reputation that is national and international in scope, with research and/or creative activity that has been original, seminal and influential. Documentation of the nominee’s national and international reputation should be provided in the form of reviews or professional citations in top tier journals, books and patents et cetera.
- The nominee has achieved extraordinary distinction in scholarship, research, and professional performance.
- The nominee has made significant contributions to undergraduate and/or graduate education.
- The nominee is a distinguished champion of the discipline and of Texas Southern University.
- The nominee maintains an outstanding professional relationship with other faculty and staff members.
- The nominee has a record of active and continuing interest and participation in areas of professor/student relations.
- The nominee is an exemplar of the type of professional the university desires to have its students and faculty emulate.
- The nominee has a record of significant research supported by external grants or special funding, usually from philanthropists or outside agencies, which have high expectations of the university’s capability to advance knowledge and change the culture of a department or college.
- The nominee has a record of well-established service to and leadership in professional learned societies and/or community organizations.
Texas Southern University
Distinguished Professorship Allocation
The recipient of a Distinguished Professorship will be awarded an annual allocation of $10,000 provided by the Office of the Provost.
The allocation can be used for the following purposes, with approval from the Provost:
- Professional Development
- Membership to professional societies
- Subscriptions to academic journals
- Books
- Travel
- Other items approved by the Provost
The allocation cannot be used to pay the salary of the distinguished professorship recipient. The allocation does not roll over and any unused balance at the end of the fiscal year will be forfeited.
Click here to submit nomination.
Distinguished Professorship Criteria and Process
2025 – 2026
Distinguished Professorship Review Schedule
Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Deans of various schools notifies Provost’s Office of potential candidates for distinguished professorships at Texas Southern University. | February 15th |
| Generally, one distinguished professorship a year will be awarded. However, the Board of Regents, at their discretion, may award distinguished professorships as a recruitment tool at any time and in any number. | April 1st |
|
Dean submits complete dossiers to the Provost’s Office, which are forwarded to the Distinguished Professorship Review Committee. Deans’ nominations must include:
|
May 1st |
|
Distinguished Pro fessorship Review Committee will make a recommendation to the Pro vost . |
June 1 st |
|
The Provost’s recommendation, including basis for decision, will be submitted to the President. The president renders a recommendation to the candidate. If the recommendation is positive, the president will submit the recommendation to the Board of Regents for final approval. |
June Board Meeting |
|
Distinguished professorship decisions become effective. |
September 1st |
Criteria and Procedures
Criteria
Nominees for distinguished professorships are expected to show evidence of the following academic qualifications:
- Active tenured faculty who are full professors and have served the equivalent of ten or more years at Texas Southern University.
- The nominee has national and international in scope, with research or creative activity that has been original, seminal, and influential. Documentation of the nominee’s national and international reputation should be provided in the form of reviews or professional citation in top tier journals and books.
- The nominee has achieved extraordinary distinction in scholarship, research, and professional performance at Texas Southern University.
- The nominee has materially affected undergraduate and/or graduate education.
- The nominee is a strong citizen of the discipline and of Texas Southern University.
- The nominee maintains an outstanding professional relationship with other faculty and staff members.
- The nominee has a record of active and continuing interest and participation in areas of professor/student relations.
- The nominee is an exemplar of the type of professional Texas Southern University desires to have its students and faculty emulate.
- The nominee has a record of significant research supported by external grants or special funding, usually from philanthropists or outside agencies, which have high expectations of the university’s capability to advance knowledge and change the culture of a department or college.
- The nominee communicates Texas Southern University’s commitment to excellence in teaching, the value placed on the learning experience of students, and the centrality of instruction to the university’s mission.
Procedures
Nomination files must include the following:
- Letter of nomination providing justification for the appointment.
- Letter of transmittal from the department chair, explaining the value of the appointment to the department and providing an independent evaluation of the nominee. The report should address the candidate’s outstanding teaching, research, and service. The achievement of the candidate must be placed in the context of the candidate’s national and international reputation.
- Letter of transmittal from the Dean, explaining the value of the appointment to the college and addressing the standards listed above, particularly the influence and value of the nominee’s work and its place in the discipline.
- The candidate’s current curriculum vitae and supporting materials on teaching, research and service.
- Five letters of recommendation specifically associated with the distinguished professorship position.
(Because external reference letters are part of the documentation required for employment, separate letters for the distinguished professorship are required).
- A brief written report on the nominee’s activities and involvements related to the title of distinguished professor will be provided to the Provost.
- Summary of the credentials of each referee must be provided (a one-page professional sketch).
- All documents must be submitted in a professional binder. (Multiple binders must be submitted together for each member of the committee for a total of five binders).
Texas Southern University Candidate for a Distinguished Professorship Checklist for the Letter of Reference
- The nomination is reserved for active tenured faculty members who hold the rank of professor and have served the equivalent of ten or more years at Texas Southern University.
- The nominee has a reputation that is national and international in scope, with research and/or creative activity that has been original, seminal and influential. Documentation of the nominee’s national and international reputation should be provided in the form of reviews or professional citations in top tier journals, books and patents et cetera.
- The nominee has achieved extraordinary distinction in scholarship, research, and professional performance.
- The nominee has made significant contributions to undergraduate and/or graduate education.
- The nominee is a distinguished champion of the discipline and of Texas Southern University.
- The nominee maintains an outstanding professional relationship with other faculty and staff members.
- The nominee has a record of active and continuing interest and participation in areas of professor/student relations.
- The nominee is an exemplar of the type of professional the university desires to have its students and faculty emulate.
- The nominee has a record of significant research supported by external grants or special funding, usually from philanthropists or outside agencies, which have high expectations of the university’s capability to advance knowledge and change the culture of a department or college.
- The nominee has a record of well-established service to and leadership in professional learned societies and/or community organizations.
Texas Southern University
Distinguished Professorship Allocation
The recipient of a Distinguished Professorship will be awarded an annual allocation of $10,000 provided by the Office of the Provost.
The allocation can be used for the following purposes, with approval from the Provost:
- Professional Development
- Membership to professional societies
- Subscriptions to academic journals
- Books
- Travel
- Other items approved by the Provost
The allocation cannot be used to pay the salary of the distinguished professorship recipient. The allocation does not roll over and any unused balance at the end of the fiscal year will be forfeited.
Click here to submit nomination.