Endowed Chairs and Professorships advance the mission of Illinois State University by promoting excellence in teaching, research and creative productivity, and public service. The purpose of such appointments is to attract and retain teachers and scholars of the highest caliber and reputation to Illinois State University.
Endowed Chairs and Professorships are prestigious awards that exist through the generosity of donors who provide funding pursuant to a gift agreement between donor and the University. This agreement defines the specific purpose, term, funding, and conditions of appointment for the respective endowed position. The amount of the gift agreement must be agreed to by the Provost and may vary depending on the discipline of the proposed professor, the current salary level, length of the set term, and the needs of the department/school. Gift agreements are subject to review by the Provost and approval by the President in all cases, including renewals.
Endowed Chair: An endowed chair is an endowed position established pursuant to a gift agreement with funding in an amount sufficient to generate the entire salary for the awardee, plus subsequent salary increases. The university, in its sole discretion, may elect to provide additional funds for summer stipends, research assistants, and other operating expenses. An endowed chair will normally only be held by a full professor with tenure.
Endowed Professorship: An endowed professorship is an endowed position established pursuant to a gift agreement with funding sufficient to generate an annual award amount that does not pay for salary (the awardee’s 9-month salary continues to be covered by the AIF), but honors the individual and may be used a number of ways (e.g., grad student funding, postdoctoral funding, funding of a visiting professor to work with, travel, commodities, buyout of teaching, summer pay, etc.). The award amount does not change as the faculty member’s salary increases.
Endowed Chairs and Professorships shall be endowed under the procedures outlined in Policy 6.1.37, University Naming Procedures. Ordinarily an endowed chair or professorship shall be endowed for the donor funding the endowed position under a gift agreement with the University. Exceptions shall be carefully considered by the University Naming Committee prior to recommendation to the President.
To be eligible for an endowed chair or professorship, a faculty member must have had a significant impact on the relevant scholarly or artistic field indicated in the funding source description for the endowment. Endowed positions are normally held by a full professor with tenure.
All endowed chair and endowed professorship appointments are for fixed terms set by the respective gift agreement, normally not exceeding five years. While renewal of endowed positions may be considered throughout an appointee’s productive career before retirement or departure from the university, there is no expectation or promise of renewal and the University reserves the right not to renew for any reason including reasons related to productivity and/or conditions of the appointment. Faculty holding an endowed appointment may be removed from the position at any time by the President.
An endowed appointment at Illinois State University shall follow procedures and criteria established by the respective gift agreement.
Appointments of individuals new to Illinois State University shall follow all procedures for the appointment of any new faculty member, together with procedures and criteria established by the gift agreement. Potential appointments of individuals with tenure and at ranks of professor or associate professor shall be reviewed and endorsed by the appropriate DFSC/SFSC, the Department/School Chairperson/Director, the Dean, and the Provost prior to appointment. All appointments shall be made by the President.
Faculty holding endowed appointments shall normally report directly to their Department Chairperson or School Director and shall be subject to all Appointment, Salary, Promotion and Tenure Policies of the University, College, and Department/School of their locus of tenure. DFSCs/SFSCs shall consider the nature of the appointment and any special conditions associated with the endowed appointment in all evaluations of the faculty member holding the appointment.
Salary incrementation recommendations shall be based upon departmental/school procedures, but funds for salary incrementation for endowed chairs shall be additional private funds in the endowment for the endowed chair position. Salary incrementation for endowed professorships shall be based on the university-paid base salary only.
Upon the expiration of term, termination, or resignation/retirement of an endowed position, the faculty member holding tenure will revert to a tenured position in the department/school of locus of tenure. The unit will be responsible for the faculty member’s salary from the date of termination, and the donated funds previously supporting the endowed position will revert to an endowment account until a new faculty member is appointed to the position.
In the third semester prior to the expiration of the term of an endowed position, the unit may submit a plan for renewal review to the Provost. All such plans shall involve review and comment by the DFSC/SFSC of the unit. If the plan is approved, the unit review shall be submitted to the Dean and Provost, who shall make independent recommendations to the President for renewal or non-renewal. The President shall make the final reappointment decision.
Faculty who retire while holding an endowed chair may hold the title "(Name of Chair) Professor Emeritus, Emeritum, Emerita, or Emerit."
Endowed Chairs and Endowed Professorships created by gift agreements dating prior to the initial effective date of this policy shall be subject to this policy only insofar as this policy is consistent with the prior gift agreement. In all other respects, the applicable prior gift agreements shall govern those positions.
Policy Owner: Office of the Provost
Contact: Office of the Provost (309-438-7018)
Revised: March 2023
