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(A)       The university has established distinguished academic ranks to recognize university faculty members for outstanding achievement and excellence in teaching, scholarly or creative activity and/or service.  Distinguished academic ranks are designed to recognize the university's best faculty members and to recruit outstanding faculty members from outside the university.

(B)       Distinguished academic ranks include, but are not limited to, distinguished professor or university professor and are separate and distinct from the academic ranks awarded pursuant to the university policy regarding faculty promotion.

(C)      Distinguished academic ranks grant further academic distinction to the holder beyond the rank of professor, may result in additional privileges and benefits, and may include but not be limited to tenure and/or the rank of professor, and may be for a specified term.

(D)      An individual may be recruited to the faculty by the university offering an appointment with a distinguished academic rank which may include special privileges and benefits, and may include but not be limited to tenure and/or the rank of professor, and may be for a specified term.

(E)       All terms and conditions of such an appointment will be stated in the letter of appointment. 

(F)       Persons currently holding an administrative position at Kent state university, including unit administrator, may not simultaneously be appointed to a distinguished academic rank. 

(G)      Nomination and selection procedure.  When a member of the university community (e.g., individual faculty member, academic administrator, academic unit, campus, college, provost, president, member of the board of trustees) identifies an individual of exceptional qualifications whose achievements in teaching, scholarly or creative activity and/or service is outstanding, the nominating individual will notify the office of the provost. 

(1)       If the provost determines that the individual is a suitable candidate for a distinguished academic rank, the provost shall notify the academic unit and regional campus dean, if applicable, of the specific title of the position under consideration.

(2)       The nominee shall submit a curriculum vitae and any other supporting documentation that the nominee would like to have considered. 

(3)       The tenure advisory committee of the academic unit and, if applicable, the tenure advisory committee of the regional campus shall serve as the review committee and review the record of the nominee.  The review committee shall solicit input from the full faculty of the unit and, if applicable, the full faculty of the regional campus.

(4)       The review committee shall vote on whether the individual nominated has sufficient qualifications to merit being appointed to a distinguished academic rank.  This vote shall serve as a recommendation to the academic unit administrator and, where applicable, the regional campus dean concerning the qualifications of the individual nominated.     

(i)        Where an individual nominated for a distinguished rank from outside the university is being considered for an appointment with tenure, the procedural process described in the university policy regarding faculty tenure that governs appointments with tenure will apply.

(ii)       The academic unit administrator and regional campus dean, if applicable, shall prepare a formal letter of recommendation which describes the recommendation (or the non-recommendation) and the reasons therefore.

(iii)      The letter of recommendation (or non-recommendation) along with the nominee's curriculum vitae and any other supporting materials will be forwarded to the provost.

(5)       For nominees to an academic unit which is included in a college, the dean and college advisory committee shall review the recommendation from the academic unit and regional campus, if applicable, along with the nominee's curriculum vitae and other supporting materials, if any, and make a recommendation on the appointment to the provost.  

(6)       Upon receipt of the recommendation and, if applicable, the additional recommendation from the college, the provost will convene the provost's advisory council.  The provost's advisory council shall consider the material forwarded by the academic unit and regional campus, if applicable, and the recommendation from the college, if any, and make a recommendation on the appointment to the provost.

(7)       The provost will consider the material submitted by the nominee and all previous recommendations and make a recommendation on the appointment to the president.

(8)       All such appointments require the approval of the president and the board of trustees. 

(H)      The salary of a faculty member who holds a distinguished academic rank will be set annually by the president of the university.

(I)        Appointment to a distinguished academic rank should reflect the university's commitment to diversity.