Faculty Award for Excellence

The Faculty Award for Excellence recognizes outstanding professional achievement and demonstrated excellence in the areas of teaching, research, and extension.

The Award

Each year the College presents three College Faculty Awards for Excellence to recognize excellence in teaching, research, and extension, respectively, and three Senior College Faculty Awards for Excellence to recognize sustained excellence in teaching, research, and extension, respectively. Each award includes a recurring salary increment of $1,000 and a certificate of recognition; the Senior College Faculty Award also includes a $1,000 unrestricted personal award.

Eligibility

Nominees for the College Faculty Awards must be a member in either a tenure track or tenured position, or specialized faculty who holds at least a 50-percent paid appointment in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences for at least four consecutive years at the time of nomination. A nominee must have earned his or her highest degree no more than 12 years before the time of nomination.

Nominees for Senior College Faculty Awards must be a member of the tenured or specialized faculty who holds at least a 50-percent paid appointment in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences for at least four consecutive years at the time of nomination. A nominee must have earned his or her highest degree 12 years or more before the time of nomination.

Individuals on disability, sabbatical leave, and leave without pay are also eligible. Members of the faculty who are full-time administrators are not eligible for the award. 

A faculty member may receive each award only once. If an issue arises concerning the eligibility for an award, the issue will be decided by the appropriate associate dean and policy committee chair, depending upon the award for which the nomination has been made.

Nominations

The nominee must be declared eligible by the unit head. Each department may only nominate one nominee per award. The nomination must be submitted electronically by the department contact before the nomination deadline.

Nomination packets must include all materials described below in a single PDF and should be formatted in at least 11-point Calibri or equivalent font; single-spaced; and 1-inch margins. Please follow this outline when submitting a nomination: 

1. Nomination cover sheet(you must download the form from Box to complete it). The cover sheet includes biographical and statistical information including education, employment record, and relevant affiliations. 

2. Letter of nomination: The letter of nomination must be co-signed by the nominator and the unit head. The letter should include major contributions, including teaching, research, and/or outreach contributions appropriate to the award for which the individual is being nominated and an overall evaluation of what the career contributions of the nominee have meant to producers, students, agribusiness, and consumers in Illinois, the nation, and the world. Contributions to unit and college goals of diversity, equity and inclusion should be noted (six page maximum).

3. Curriculum vitae

4. Letters of support: No more than three letters of support from individuals other than the nominator, such as past or present colleagues or collaborators. One letter must be from a current ACES faculty/staff member (two page maximum).

Selection

Nominees will be evaluated on their achievements and contributions for excellence in the respective area in which he or she has been nominated (teaching, research, or extension). Award recipients will be selected by the appropriate college-level advisory/policy committee appointed by the college faculty. The chair of the selection committee, in consultation with its members, shall develop guidelines for its operation. The committee will consider the achievements and contributions of the nominee for excellence in the respective area in which he or she has been nominated (teaching, research, or extension).

Each selection committee may decide against granting an award if no meritorious candidate has been nominated. The selection committee shall submit its recommendations for recipients to the dean. The dean shall notify each recipient, the appropriate associate dean, and department head.