School of Nursing: Standard on Named and Endowed Chairs and Professorships

Title

School of Nursing: Standard For Named And Endowed Chairs And Professorships

Unit Standard

Introduction

Purpose

The purpose of this standard is to outline a uniform method for named and endowed chairs and professorships within the School of Nursing.

Scope of Applicability

This standard applies to all School of Nursing named and endowed chairs and professorships.

Standard

Internal and External Appointments

Upon the availability of a new endowed professorship or the expiration of appointment to an existing professorship, the Dean, in consultation with the Distinguished Professors/Scholars, will determine:

• whether a member of the current faculty will be appointed or re-appointed to the professorship, or
• whether a search will be conducted to recruit a new faculty member for appointment to the professorship.

Such determination will be based on

• the expressed wishes of the benefactor as those wishes are known and/or specified in the endowment pledge,
• University policy and guidelines, and
• the long-term goals and directions of the School, including recruitment and retention efforts.

Designated Purpose or Scope of Professorship

The purpose or scope of endowed professorships may or may not be designated by benefactors. Current endowed professorships in the School are designated as follows:

• The Frances Hill Fox Professorship is not designated as to purpose or scope; rather, the benefactor has left such designation to the discretion of the Dean of the School.
• The Carol Ann Beerstecher Blackwell Chair of Thanatology is a designated professorship—to be awarded to a professor whose work has and will continue to be in the area of thanatology and whose work would cross disciplinary boundaries. However, the benefactors indicated that after a period of time, the Dean of the School could change the designated purpose to reflect the current needs and goals of the School.
• The Sarah Frances Russell Professorship is a designated professorship—to be awarded to a professor whose work has and will continue to be in the area of nursing systems, nursing management and/or health/nursing services research.
• The Helen W. and Thomas L. Umphlet Distinguished Professorship in Nursing is not designated as to purpose or scope; rather, the benefactor left such designation to the discretion of the Dean of the School. Upon the advice of the faculty, the school's first recruit to this professorship became the Umphlet Distinguished Professorship in Aging.
• The Carol Morde Ross Distinguished Professorship in Psychiatric-Mental-Health Nursing must 1) focus on preparing the next generation of Psychiatric-Mental Health advanced practice nurse; 2) actively practice as a Psych-Mental Health advanced practice nurse in NC and be committed to improving access to Mental Health care; and 3) is an active advocate for Psych-Mental Health advanced practice and advocates for policy that supports/enhances the scope of practice for advanced practice nurses.
• The Melissa and Harry LeVine Family Distinguished Term Professorship in Quality of Life, Health Promotion and Wellness will be a competitive distinction awarded to a faculty member who will develop programming and conduct research in the areas of nurses' personal health and wellness. The selected candidate must have the desire and ability to teach the next generation of "Carolina Nurses" and work to improve the environment for all members of the School of Nursing community. This individual will create new opportunities within the School of Nursing, and scholarship related to personal health and wellness within the Nursing workforce. It is the intent of the donors that the selected faculty member imbeds his/her work into the curriculum and culture of the School of Nursing, ultimately impacting the overall health of the state of North Carolina.
• The Jane Sox Monroe Endowed Professorship is designated to attract of retain a distinguished teacher and scholar to the School of Nursing. Selection of the professor shall be made by the Dean of the School of Nursing.
• The Elizabeth L. Kemble Professorship is designated to attract or retain a distinguished educator/scholar to the School of Nursing. Selection of the professor shall be made by the Dean of the School of Nursing.
• The Zucker Family Distinguished Professorship in Nursing is designated to recruit or retain an internationally renowned nursing scholar and clinician or researcher. 

Faculty compete within the University for additional distinguished professorships:

• The Kenan Professorships are designated in scope or purpose only in very general terms. The benefactors "…are inclined to arrangements that would contemplate the professors working closely with their students, hopefully anticipating that relationship will stimulate the educational process as was Mr. Kenan's personal experience." As interpreted by the Vice Chancellor, this means "…that the recipient should be an individual with significant student contact who demonstrates outstanding performance in the area of teaching as one component of his or her professional activity."
• The Cary C. Boshamer Professorships are not designated for any specific purpose or scope. The benefactors desired that the professorships be used to "maintain professorial competence" and to ensure that the incumbents "would be involved personally and through the directing of others in extensive research."

Other stipulations may be associated with endowed professorships. For example, many professorships may be used for associate or full professors. In keeping with UNC guidelines, for a full professor, the recipient shall be called "Distinguished Professor." For an associate professor, the recipient shall be called "Distinguished Scholar."

Appointments to professorships are based on academic criteria and qualifications (unless otherwise stipulated by a benefactor). A faculty member may hold an administrative appointment as well as a professorship appointment.

Term of Appointment to Professorships

Professorships carry either specified term appointments or unlimited term appointments. The Kenan and Boshamer Professorships carry unlimited term appointments. The Beerstecher Blackwell, Fox, Russell, Umphlet, Ross, Monroe, and Kemble​​​​​ Professorships carry ten-year appointments. Upon expiration of a professorship term of appointment, a determination will be made by the Dean as to whether the incumbent will be reappointed to the professorship or whether the Dean will create a new appointment will be made in consultation with the Distinguished Professors/Scholars.

Guidelines for Use of Payouts from Endowments that Support Endowed Faculty

When funds are available to support a SON based professorship the Dean will:

• Determine if funds can support a term (2 to 3 yr) or a distinguished (10 yr) professor/scholar. Support may include a stipend, workload and/or a research account allocation (Note these decisions are based on the availability of funds in the expendable portion of the endowment and are consistent with University policies and procedures which do not allow carry forward).
• Identify faculty whose scholarship warrants receipt of endowed recognition.
• Bring CV and the nominee list, to an advisory group comprised of currently endowed term and distinguished professors/scholars.
• In consideration of the recommendation of the advisory group, appoint and announce the newly-endowed faculty member.

Exceptions

N/A

Contact Information

Primary Contact

Valerie Howard, Dean

Important Dates

• Last review: 1/11/22 by Leadership Team

Approved by:

Nilda Peragallo Montano (Peggy Wilmoth - Representative)

Dean