I. General Policy Statement
This policy guides the selection and review of “Distinguished Professor,” an honorific title that Syracuse University can bestow upon its faculty. This title is reserved for those faculty members whose scholarly achievements and contributions have placed them among the top 5% in their academic field(s). Faculty awarded the title of Distinguished Professor are expected to have transformed their fields in ways that are widely identified by top scholars in their discipline(s) and to be recognized leaders in their area(s) of study.
II. Reason for Policy/Purpose
This policy governs the process of selecting and reviewing Distinguished Professors. It is meant to ensure that both faculty and deans are aware of and understand this process for selecting and reviewing Distinguished Professors.
III. Policy
Selection and Review of Distinguished Professors
“Distinguished Professor” is an honorific title that Syracuse University can bestow upon its faculty. It is reserved for those faculty members whose scholarly achievements and contributions have placed them among the top 5% in their academic field(s). Faculty awarded the title of Distinguished Professor are expected to have transformed their fields in ways that are widely identified by top scholars in their discipline(s) and to be recognized leaders in their area(s) of study.
Nomination and selection process
The Vice Chancellor, Provost, and Chief Academic Officer (Provost) accepts nominations for the title of Distinguished Professor for those faculty who have achieved exceptionally distinguished stature in their respective academic specialties. Nominations must come from an academic dean, although faculty are welcome to suggest candidates to their deans. The nomination process proceeds in two stages.
In Stage 1, the dean submits a letter of interest to the Provost, indicating a desire to nominate a faculty member for the title of Distinguished Professor. The letter of interest must provide clear and compelling evidence of the nominee’s scholarly impacts and contributions to their field(s) of study and must make the case for how and why the nominee meets the criteria for being named a Distinguished Professor, particularly the expectation that they are among the very top scholars in their field(s). Scholarly or creative impact must be the primary rationale for the nomination. The letter of interest will be reviewed by the Provost and the Vice-President for Research (VPR), who together will determine whether a nomination proceeds to Stage 2. Stage 1 letters of interest are due by October 15th, although off-cycle review is possible under extraordinary circumstances.
Those nominations that are advanced to Stage 2 must include the following information: (1) the nominee’s full curriculum vita and (2) contact information for 3-5 referees from the nominee’s field(s) of study. Referees must be distinguished scholars and/or academic leaders from highly ranked institutions without conflicts of interest with the nominee. Stage 2 material is due by January 1st.
Stage 2 material is reviewed by the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs (APFA) and a committee of three faculty who are distinguished scholars in their own right (e.g., other distinguished professors, university professors, major award winners). The APFA will populate this committee. The APFA will seek feedback on the stature of each nominee from the external referees, including statements about the nominee’s overall qualifications and original scholarly contributions and how they have shaped their field(s) of study. In some cases, referees who are not on the list provided by the dean will also be contacted to ensure that a wide and diverse range of top scholars and academic leaders in the field are included; these off-list referees will be identified by the committee and, if necessary, the nominating dean. It is expected that among referees, there will be clear agreement that the nominee has made a major and widely recognized scholarly contribution to their field(s) of study. Referees should be able to not only agree that the nominee has done something important and but also identify what that important scholarly contribution is. The APFA will share a summary of referee feedback and Stage 2 materials with the committee, which will then make a recommendation concerning the nomination. That recommendation, along with all material associated with the nomination, is forwarded to the Provost and VPR for additional consideration. This process is typically completed by March 15th.
If the Provost and VPR both deem the nominated faculty member deserving of this honor, the names of the Distinguished Professor designees will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees for approval. Once approved by the Board of Trustees, the Provost will notify the nominating dean and the nominee that the individual’s rank and title at Syracuse University will be Distinguished Professor of (name of the discipline). A special research bourse of $5,000 per annum will be made available from the Office of Academic Affairs to recognize the individual’s exceptional scholarly contributions to the University.
Distinguished Professor responsibilities
Distinguished Professors are expected to actively participate in the intellectual life at Syracuse University. Additionally, they are encouraged to lead or facilitate one professional development opportunity or provide a public lecture of general interest each year. Faculty Affairs can help coordinate these workshops. Distinguished Professors are also strongly encouraged to mentor early- and mid-career faculty in their specialty areas and beyond.
Since Distinguished Professors are expected to have a substantive and sustained impact on their fields, all faculty awarded this title will be asked to submit their curriculum vitae and a three-page summary of research activities and accomplishments every five years, for review by the VPR and Provost. Should the review conducted by the VPR and Provost raise concerns about a Distinguished Professor’s substantive and sustained impact on their research field, a Distinguished Professor can be placed on a year-long probationary period, in which substantial improvements in research productivity and impacts are expected. Failure to meet that expectation can be grounds for rescinding the title of Distinguished Professor.
For more information about Distinguished Professors, please contact the Provost’s Office (provost@syr.edu).
Revised and approved by the Chancellor’s Executive Committee: September 8, 2026