Established through congressionally directed funding, the Shelby Endowment for Distinguished Faculty reflects Senator Richard Shelby and Dr. Annette Shelby’s dedication to education and the growth of Alabama’s higher education. Their lifetime of service in the Senate and in higher education exemplifies this commitment. This permanent $100 million fund will enhance UA’s impact in STEM by recruiting and retaining top faculty, fully supporting their teaching, research and service. Consequently, it will contribute to the development and security of Alabama and the United States.
PURPOSE
The Shelby Endowment will strengthen a critical mass of exceptional STEM faculty to achieve four goals:
Expand UA’s international renown in STEM education and research.
Build upon existing UA academic programs in STEM, thereby enhancing the teaching, research and service mission of the University.
Intensify the recruitment and retention of the best and brightest faculty and students to UA to take full advantage of its competitive academic and research programs.
Focus on grand challenges, real-world and critical issues facing the state and nation.
USES OF THE SHELBY ENDOWMENT
Annual earnings from the endowment will be used to support Shelby Distinguished Faculty through:
1. Salary enhancements.
2. Retention funds for exceptional faculty.
3. Funding for competitive research proposals .
4. Discretionary funding to support research, graduate and postdoctoral assistants.
An annual plan and projected budget will be developed by the president and provost and presented to the chancellor and the board of trustees for review and approval. To guarantee the goals and standards of the endowment are being met and spending remains consistent with the intended uses, an annual report will detail investments and accomplishments.
Endowed Faculty Designations
Endowed Shelby Distinguished Professor
Highly established faculty at the rank of full professor must meet or exceed all requirements to receive annual support commensurate with their achievements from the endowment fund, to be used consistent with the endowment fund’s purposes, as described herein.
Endowed Shelby Distinguished Associate Professor
Established faculty at the rank of associate professor must exhibit an emerging reputation to meet or exceed the requirements to receive this distinction. Appointees will receive annual support commensurate with their achievements from the endowment fund, to be used consistent with the endowment fund’s purposes, as described herein.
FACULTY REQUIREMENTS
1. Engagement in teaching, research and scholarship in sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) within one of UA’s colleges or existing board-designated research institutes or centers.
2. Demonstrated commitment to leadership in transformation, innovation and entrepreneurship.
3. Prestigious achievements in their field, with exceptional national and international reputations. Those who have been elected to or hold great promise to be elected to a National Academy, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences or a similar national or international honorific society.
Shelby Distinguished Faculty must have their primary academic home in a UA department(s) whose research and academic programs support STEM. They will be expected to contribute to the research, teaching, and service mission of the department(s) in support of student opportunities and success. Shelby Distinguished Faculty may have affiliated appointments in centers and institutes. All Shelby Distinguished Faculty must have exceptional credentials exceeding those required for initial appointment with tenure.
Hiring, Appointment & Periodic Evaluation Processes
- Appointment of Shelby Distinguished Faculty shall be at the discretion of the provost in consultation with the president, who shall confirm their fulfillment of all required criteria, subject to approval of the board of trustees.
- Nominees for appointment to the position of Shelby Distinguished Faculty may be identified through a national search using the criteria set forth herein, or they may be existing faculty with prestigious achievements in their field and exceptional national and international reputations, who are identified and nominated by the president, provost, the vice president for research and economic development, or dean of their college. The scholarly and creative achievements of the candidate and alignment with the requirements and purposes of the Shelby Endowment for Distinguished Faculty will be the primary considerations for nominations and appointments.
- Appointment as a Shelby Distinguished Faculty member will be for a five-year renewable term. Renewal of the appointment is contingent upon satisfaction of a yearly review that demonstrates continued productivity and excellence in scholarly and creative endeavors that satisfy the high standards and purposes of the Shelby Endowment, recommendation by the dean or vice president for research and economic development, and approval of the provost, president and the board of trustees.
- When a Shelby Distinguished Faculty member retires or otherwise leaves the position, the designation ends.
- Renewals will only occur when success has been demonstrated by appropriate metrics. Commensurate with their career and research areas, Shelby Distinguished Faculty will be evaluated on the following:
- Evidence the faculty member is demonstrating outstanding teaching, research and scholarly productivity.
- Evidence the faculty member has addressed and solved grand challenges, and real-world, critical issues facing the state and nation.
- Evidence the faculty member has been recognized nationally and internationally for their research and scholarly activities, including election to a National Academy, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, or a similar national or international honorific society.
- Evidence the faculty member has engaged in entrepreneurial activities through inventions, patents, licensing, and start-up company activity leading to an increase in job creation and economic development activity in the state of Alabama and nation.
- Evidence the faculty member has consistently and increasingly engaged students in research opportunities to the benefit of students and student success.
Evaluation of the Success & Impact
of the Shelby Endowment for Distinguished Faculty
The success and impact of the Shelby Endowment for Distinguished Faculty will be evaluated based on the following metrics:
- The number and percentage of successful recruitments of preeminent faculty who meet or exceed all requirements.
- The number and percentage of successful retentions of preeminent faculty who meet or exceed all requirements.
- The collective and cumulative success metrics for individual Shelby Distinguished Faculty.
