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Information Regarding 2012-13 Wilson H. Elkins Professorship Now Available

Deadline Set for May 25, 2012

The University System of Maryland is pleased to make available to its institutions the Wilson H. Elkins Professorship for use in Academic Year 2012-2013 (FY2013).  The professorship, which has been in existence for over 25 years, was established to perpetuate the name and contributions of Wilson H. Elkins, a former Rhodes Scholar who led the University of Maryland to new levels of distinction, as its president from 1954 to 1978.  Under Dr. Elkins' leadership, the university grew notably in size, scope, and standing.  Information about the professorship and some recent Elkins Professors is available on the University System of Maryland homepage at http://www.usmd.edu/Leadership/USMOffice/AcademicAffairs/elkins.html.

Income from the endowment for the Elkins Professorship is intended only to supplement an existing faculty line; the professorship may be used to recruit an outstanding individual to an institution to fill a vacancy or to provide special recognition and support to retain a current outstanding member of the faculty.  Appointments to the Elkins Professorship are ordinarily made for a one-year period; departments may apply for renewal of an existing Elkins Professorship during the normal application cycle.  Institutions that use the professorship to provide a salary supplement should understand that continued salary supplement after the professorship period becomes the responsibility of the individual institution.

In an institution's letter applying for the professorship, please indicate the specific department or program that is proposing a professorship. Special effort will be made to bestow the award in those areas where the Elkins Professor will have an opportunity to make an important contribution to the teaching, research, and public service mission of the institution and the entire University System of Maryland.  Direct involvement with undergraduate and/or graduate students and outreach to other institutions in the System are hallmarks of the Elkins Professors.  The Professorship should not be viewed as a reward for maintenance of the status quo but as an opportunity for the institution to build on its strengths to be of greater service to its students and to society.

If an institution's application pertains to a current faculty member, please provide a brief curriculum vitae as well as a short narrative description of how this individual exemplifies the excellence an endowed professorship signifies.  If your intent is to use the professorship to recruit an outstanding scholar to your institution, please indicate the names of individuals who might be considered for the proposed appointment. Identifying possible candidates in no way implies any obligation to make the final selection from those listed.  Finally, the letter from your institution should indicate how the income from the Elkins endowment would be used (i.e., a general budget listing the amount of proposed salary supplement, support of a graduate assistant, travel, publication, distinguished lecture series, etc.) and the proposed time period.  A proposed budget should be based on a maximum annual award of $80,000.  The amount of spendable income the endowment generates will determine how many awards USM can offer for FY 2013.

Institutions are asked to have their letter of application in to the Office of the Chancellor by May 25, 2012.  The USM looks forward to announcing the appointment of the next Wilson H. Elkins Professors.

http://www.usmd.edu/usm/academicaffairs/elkins.html?t=print.php&zoom_highlight=elkins+professors

 

Contact: Mike Lurie
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: mlurie@usmd.edu

University System of Maryland
3300 Metzerott Road
Adelphi, MD 20783-1690, USA
301.445.2740