Faculty and Staff

Exceptional Service Support Program

The Exceptional Service Support Program acknowledges and supports assistant and associate professors who perform service activities beyond what is expected of tenure-track and tenured faculty members.

Such service allows for a broad range of perspectives and experiences to be included in committees, shared governance, and student advising. However, disproportionately heavy service responsibilities mean faculty have less time and attention to complete the requirements for promotion and professional advancement.

The Exceptional Service Support Program addresses these issues by providing flexible funding for faculty to advance their research and teaching. Allowable expenses can include one course release, summer salary, supplies, travel, etc.

Central funds of $10,000 (101 funds) will be provided for use during the 2025-2026 academic year. The program is open to tenure-track assistant and associate professors. We expect to provide 10 awards this year.

Transfer of Funds

Funds will be added to the school, college, or division FY26 budget planning allocation.

Submitting a Nomination

Nomination Criteria

Strong nominations will address:

  1. What the nominee has done to advance the mission of the university through service
  2. Any reasons why the nominee provides service beyond what is expected

Application Process

The department submits nominations to the Office of the Provost. The department chair or mentor may nominate an assistant or associate professor.

  1. Create a single PDF file for each nomination that includes:
    • Chair’s cover memo, if the chair is not the nominator
    • Nomination letter from the chair or mentor
  2. Name the file “NomineeLastName-SchoolCollegeDivision-DateSubmitted” (for example, Smith-Education-2024-12-20.pdf)
  3. Upload the file to the Exceptional Service Box folder
  4. Representatives from the Office of the Provost review proposals and notify the dean, chair, and nominator of their decision.

Deadline

Applications are accepted now through January 24, 2025. We anticipate notifying award recipients in February 2025.