The Distinguished Service Awards recognize the excellent service of UofL faculty and the significant impact that service has on the University and beyond. The awards are given annually to faculty who have made exceptional service contributions to the following five categories:

• Service to U of L
• Service to the profession
• Service to the community, the Commonwealth and/or the region
• National/International Service
• Career of Service (should be some combination of the above)

Each academic unit has a designated Unit Committee that officially compiles and transmits nominations to the University-wide Selection Committee. The University-wide Selection Committee, composed of representatives from each of the academic units, screens the nominations for the final selection. To avoid undue advocacy on the part of the units, it is strongly urged that the Unit Committee chairperson not be a member of the University-wide Selection Committee.

Each academic unit can nominate one full-time nominee for each category. Each unit is responsible for designating under which of the five categories their nominee(s) fall.

Awards are given to faculty recommended by the University-wide Selection Committee, which represents all of the academic units of the University. The presentation of these awards will occur at a ceremony during the spring term. Recipients are awarded $1,000 and an academic medallion. The accomplishments of those nominees not receiving the awards will be acknowledged publicly at appropriate occasions held in their units.

With the exception of the Career of Service Award, each award must focus on service performed within the five-year period immediately preceding the receipt of the Award. All service must have been performed while the individual was a full-time faculty member at the University of Louisville. Due to the nature of the Career of Service Award, the University-wide Selection Committee will forward a recommendation to the President independent of the other four categories. Faculty in phased-retirement are eligible for these awards.

Any regular full-time University of Louisville faculty member may make nominations for the Distinguished Service Award to their unit’s screening committee. Nominations to the Unit Committee are due by December 18, 2008.

No person may receive more than one award within a five-year period. After five years, a previous award winner may be re-nominated for work done during the five years preceding the second nomination. Nominations of individuals who don't receive the award may be updated and resubmitted if the nominator wishes to have the nominee considered for an award during a succeeding year.

Each unit committee may submit one nominee for each category to the President's Office by Wednesday, January 21, 2009.

Definition

Service refers to work drawing upon the faculty’s expertise and is an outgrowth of an academic discipline or the faculty's position at the University. Evaluation must be only of faculty service contributions for which no compensation has been received.

The following endeavors are generally not considered to be Service:

• Activities which are normally considered directly related to a faculty member's teaching role (including tutoring and/or advising).
• Activities which are normally considered to be under the category of research and/or creative activity.
• Activities normally required by a faculty member's administrative assignments (e.g., department chairs).

Nomination Materials

In order for the University-wide Selection Committee to evaluate each nomination fairly and objectively, it will be necessary for each unit to forward the following documentation for its nominee(s):

• A persuasive narrative informing the University-wide Selection Committee of the unique aspects in their particular unit, and outlining the criteria they used to put forth their candidate. This letter should be composed only after careful review of the candidates’ submitted material and careful analysis in light of their unit’s particular criteria.
• A current curriculum vitae (C.V.).
• Three letters of recommendation, including one from the Dean of the unit.
• Other materials may include a few brief testimonials from recipients of the nominee’s service.

NOTE: All materials submitted must fit in one 1” three-ring binder. The materials may not exceed a Curriculum Vita plus 25 one-sided pages. Nominations will be copied for the Selection Committee, so please do not use plastic sleeves for page covers. The University-wide Selection Committee urges Unit Committees to observe these stipulations.

Any additional information will be put on reserve in the President’s Office.