AA/PPS 04.01.05 - Endowed Chairs, Endowed Professorship, and University Chairs: Operating Guidelines

POLICY STATEMENTS

1. Texas State University has received special programmatic assistance from major donors through several endowments that have been created to support academic programs. Texas State has defined two specific levels of support for endowments created to provide special faculty appointments:

   1. An endowed chair is a special academic appointment carrying with it considerable prestige and demonstrating the strongest commitment on the part of a donor and the university to a particular academic program. Each endowed chair is funded by an endowment established for this specific purpose. The income from the endowment should be sufficient to provide a substantial supplement to a base salary, support for research or other professionally-related expenses, or other programmatic support. Endowed chairs are usually named for the donor or a person or organization that the donor chooses to honor. Presently, the minimum necessary to establish an endowed chair is $1,500,000 to $2,000,000, pending presidential approval.

   2. An endowed professorship is a special academic appointment carrying with it considerable prestige. Each endowed professorship is funded by an endowment established for this specific purpose. The income from the endowment should be sufficient to provide a special salary supplement, or for support of research or other professionally-related expenses. Endowed professorships are usually named for the donor or a person or organization that the donor chooses to honor. Presently, the minimum necessary to establish an endowed professorship is $500,000 to $600,000, pending presidential approval.

2. This policy and procedure statement summarizes the key operating guidelines to be used in the appointment of endowed chairs, endowed professors, and university chairs and in carrying out the responsibilities of these positions.

3. Along with their supervisors, endowed chairs, endowed professors, and university chairs are responsible for fulfilling policies and procedures associated with faculty responsibilities, performance evaluations, continuing appointment, outside employment, financial management, sponsored programs, compliance, workplace conditions, and other areas applicable to all university employees.

PROCEDURES FOR HIRING ENDOWED CHAIRS

1. Initiating a Search – Approval must be obtained from the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs (VPAA) and the president to begin a search for an endowed chair.

2. Search Process – endowed chairs are selected following a national search conducted in accordance with normal university guidelines (see AA/PPS No. 04.01.01, Faculty Hiring), supplemented by any additional steps necessary to attract faculty members at the highest possible levels into the applicant pool. The internal search committee’s work may also be complemented by the work of an external search advisory committee. The search process culminates in interviews of the top candidates for the position. Normally, the provost and VPAA and the president participate in this interview process.

3. Selection Process – Following the interview process, the search committee, the department chair or school director, and the college dean make a recommendation to the provost and VPAA. The provost and VPAA makes a recommendation and confers with the president, who makes the final decision regarding the appointment. In addition to a recommendation regarding the salary and employment terms for the chair holder, the recommendation from the department chair or school director and college dean should also include a recommendation, at least for the initial year, regarding the general nature of expenditures of other funds from the endowment income, unless otherwise specifically stated in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the donor.

4. Calculation of Legislative Budget Board (LBB) Performance Measures Related to Endowed Chairs – The LBB includes in its performance measures, data related to endowed chairs. Current elements of this measure and the data sources for these measures include the following:

   1. Total Number of Endowed Chairs – The Roster of Endowed Chairs will be maintained by the director of Faculty and Academic Resources and will be updated each September. This list should include both fully- and partially-funded chairs. For purposes of LBB Performance Measures, only those chairs that are fully funded (i.e., whose endowment principal has met the full funding expectations in effect at the time the endowment was established) will be included in the total number of endowed chairs.

   2. Number of Endowed Chairs Vacant for All or Part of the Fiscal Year – During the September update of the Roster of Endowed Chairs, the director of Faculty and Academic Resources will calculate the number of endowed chairs vacant for all or part of the (previous) fiscal year. Since endowed chairs are normally filled for an academic year and summer appointments are optional, any chair that was filled for both the fall and spring semesters shall be deemed to have been filled for the fiscal year.

   3. Total Number of Months Unfilled Endowed Chairs Have Remained Vacant – During the September update of the Roster of Endowed Chairs, the director of Faculty and Academic Resources will calculate the total number of months unfilled endowed chairs (as defined above) have remained vacant (in the previous fiscal year). Since endowed chairs are normally filled for an academic year and summer appointments are optional, only vacancies from September through May will be included in these calculations.

   4. Total Number of Endowed Chairs That Have Been Vacant for Any Period of Time During the Fiscal Year – During the September update of the Roster of Endowed Chairs, the director of Faculty and Academic Resources will calculate the total number of endowed chairs that have been vacant for any period of time during the (previous) fiscal year. Since endowed chairs are normally filled for an academic year and summer appointments are optional, only vacancies from September through May will be included in these calculations.

   NOTE: The Therese Kayser Lindsey (TKL) chair of Literature constitutes an exception to this general definition. The TKL chair was Texas State’s first endowed chair. In the TKL chair’s early years, a special academic appointment was associated with this chair and a single individual was named as the holder of the chair. However, recognizing that greater benefits could accrue to Texas State students through other uses of this endowment, the donor subsequently authorized the university to use the proceeds from the TKL chair to support an ongoing literary series of presentations by visiting authors and other programs of academic enrichment. Therefore, although the TKL chair continues to carry this name, normally this chair will not have a single academic appointment. In accountability calculations involving the total number of chairs and the number of unfilled chairs, the TKL chair shall be deemed filled in any year where its proceeds are being expended for the purposes authorized by the donor.

ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPS HIRING PROCEDURES

1. Initiating a Search – Approval must be obtained from the provost and VPAA and the president to begin the search for an endowed professorship.

2. Search Process – Endowed professors are normally selected following an internal review process, although in some cases a planned external search may also include an appointment as an endowed professor as a means of attracting a stronger pool of candidates. An internal review process normally includes consultation with the departmental personnel committee and the college review group and may also be complemented by the work of an external advisory committee. The process culminates in an interview of the top candidates. External searches follow normal university procedures for national searches and may also be complemented by the work of an external advisory committee.

3. Selection Process – Following the review process, the department chair or school director and the college dean make a recommendation to appoint a current or prospective faculty member as the existing endowed professorship to the provost and VPAA. The provost and VPAA makes a recommendation and confers with the president, who makes the final decision regarding the appointment. In addition to a recommendation regarding the salary and employment terms for the holder of the endowed professorship, the recommendation from the department chair or school director and college dean should also include a recommendation, at least for the initial year, regarding the general nature of expenditures of other funds (if any) from the endowment income, unless otherwise specifically stated in the MOA with the donor.

INCOME ESTIMATES AND BUDGETING FOR ENDOWED CHAIRS AND ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPS

1. Every three years, the provost and VPAA, following consultation with the vice president for Finance and Support Services, the vice president for University Advancement, and others as necessary will recommend to the president a rate of return on investment that should be used for planning purposes to determine available funding for these chairs and professorships for the following three-year period. This recommendation shall be a conservative one, taking into account a reasonable rate of return and recognizing the fact that the university will be setting aside a portion of the interest income to protect the future purchasing power of the endowment.

2. This income estimate level will be used for planning purposes each year as an annual budget plan for each endowed chair or endowed professorship is prepared and reviewed. Interest income on the endowment will be available for paying an appropriate portion of the salary or salary supplement for a chair holder, for paying a salary supplement for a professorship holder, or for other research and related support of the chair or professorship holder including, but not limited to, graduate student support, professional travel, operating expenses, and capital equipment.

3. The specific annual plan for expenditures from an endowed chair or endowed professorship budget is prepared by the holder and is subject to approval by the department chair or school director, college dean, and provost and VPAA.

PROCEDURE FOR ASSESSMENT OF ENDOWED CHAIRS AND ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPS

1. Each year, during the annual faculty review cycle, the department chair or school director, or appropriate supervisor, or college dean in each department or college with endowed chair or endowed professorship positions will consider the accomplishments of the endowed chair or endowed professorship holder. Individuals who hold endowed chair or endowed professorship positions are eligible for merit salary increases. If the chair or professorship holder is paid a base salary instead of a stipend, the portion of the salary paid from the endowment account can be increased for merit if the endowment can support the increase and if the MOA allows for such an increase. If the chair or professorship is paid with a monthly stipend, the stipend can be increased proportionally to the percentage of the merit increase if the endowment can support the increase and if the MOA allows for such an increase.

2. Following the completion of the annual review cycle, the department chair or school director, or appropriate supervisor, will complete and forward to the college dean and the provost and VPAA a summary report regarding accomplishments of holders of endowed chairs or endowed professorships within the department.

3. Every five years, or the year stipulated in the MOA with the donor, the provost and VPAA will initiate a summative review to determine if the current holder will continue to hold the chair or professorship, if allowed by the MOA.

4. In annual and summative reviews, the holder’s research and publication record will be evaluated, as well as the holder’s contribution to the unit’s programs and strategic plan. In addition, externally-funded research and commercialization activities will be reviewed, as applicable.

PROCEDURES FOR HIRING UNIVERSITY CHAIRS

1. A university chair is a special academic appointment carrying with it considerable prestige and demonstrating the strongest commitment on the part of the university to a particular academic program.

2. Initiating a Search – Approval must be obtained from the provost and VPAA and the president to begin the search for a university chair position.

3. Search Process – University chairs are selected following a national search conducted in accordance with normal university guidelines (see AA/PPS No. 04.01.01, Faculty Hiring), supplemented by any additional steps necessary to attract faculty members at the highest possible levels into the applicant pool. The internal search committee’s work may also be complemented by the work of an external search advisory committee. The search process culminates in interviews of the top candidates for the position. Normally, the provost and VPAA and the president participate in this interview process.

4. Selection Process – Following the interview process, the search committee, the department chair or school director, and the college dean make a recommendation to the provost and VPAA. The provost and VPAA makes a recommendation and confers with the president, who makes the final decision regarding the appointment.

5. Assessment – Each year, during the annual faculty review cycle, the department chair or school director, or appropriate supervisor, in each department with university chair positions will consider the accomplishments of the university chair holder. Individuals who hold university chair positions are eligible for merit salary increases.

6. Following the completion of the annual review cycle, the department chair or school director will complete and forward to the college dean and the provost and VPAA, a summary report regarding accomplishments of holders of university chairs within the department.

7. Every five years the provost and VPAA will initiate a summative review to determine if the current holder will continue to hold the chair position.

8. In annual and summative reviews, the holder’s research and publication record will be evaluated, as well as the holder’s contribution to the unit’s program. In addition, externally-funded research and commercialization activities will be reviewed as applicable.

REVIEWER OF THIS PPS

1. Reviewer of this PPS includes the following:

   Position	Date
   Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs	June 1 E4Y

CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This PPS has been approved by the following individual in their official capacity and represents Texas State Academic Affairs policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; senior reviewer of this PPS