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The Laureate Initiative

Introduction

As articulated in the University of Maryland’s (UMD) strategic plan, Fearlessly Forward, UMD is inspired by values-driven excellence, impact, innovation, collaboration, service to humanity, and a belief in the value of a broad range of perspectives, scholarship, and experiences. It is through our individual and collective actions, as guided by our values, that we advance the public good.

To further its mission as the State of Maryland’s Flagship university, to fulfill its Land Grant mission, and to continue its rise as a premier public university, UMD is establishing the Laureate Initiative. The Laureate Initiative is designed to recruit tenured or tenure track faculty who:

  • Are eminent or rising scholars with established and/or impactful records of accomplishments in their fields;
  • Demonstrate excellence as teachers and mentors of students and/or postdoctoral scholars from a variety of disciplines and experiences;
  • Provide, or have the potential to provide, leadership in engaging external communities of practice, policymaking, artistry, or scholarship; and,
  • Seek creative, innovative, and collaborative solutions to the grand challenges of our times.

Laureate Criteria

Potential Laureates must demonstrate notable and/or extraordinary accomplishments and contributions, or demonstrate indicators of emerging impact and contributions, to a field, practice, or knowledge as evidenced by the below criteria.

Eminent Scholar

  • Recognition as a highly regarded scholar in a field.
  • Peer-determined, highly regarded, and top awards or prizes (e.g., Nobel, Pulitzer, Grammy, NSF Career, notable field/society awards) and/or membership in top scholarly academies (e.g., National Academy or American Academy, including recognized international academies and field-specific organizations).
  • An established record of:
    • Groundbreaking and/or innovative research, scholarship, and/or creative activities;
    • Translational impact;
    • Effective teaching and mentoring, including awards that supervised postdocs and/or students have received and their placement (e.g., higher education, industry, other).
  • The potential to contribute to the development of a highly talented faculty, and support postdoctoral scholars and students, who reflect a broad range of disciplines, competencies, and experiences.
  • Other notable accomplishments.

Eminent Scholar hires would be at the full professor level, but in exceptional cases, may be recruited as Distinguished University Professors.

Rising Scholar

  • Recognition as a highly regarded rising scholar in a field.
  • Recognition through peer-determined awards or prizes that serve as early career indicators of excellence, quality, and impact in their fields and/or communities of engagement/practice.
  • An evidence-based record of outstanding contributions and trajectory as demonstrated through:
    • Groundbreaking and/or innovative research, scholarship, and/or creative activities;
    • Potential or demonstrated translational impact;
    • Effective teaching and mentoring, including awards that supervised postdocs and/or students have received.
  • The potential to contribute to the development of a highly talented faculty, and support postdoctoral scholars and students, who reflect a broad range of disciplines, competencies, and experiences.
  • Other notable accomplishments.

Rising Scholars hires may be advanced assistant professors (e.g., post-third year review, but pre-tenure) or associate professors. Based on a record of excellence as identified above, units may elect to recruit a candidate who holds an assistant professor rank as a tenured associate professor.

Potential Laureates should also demonstrate the promise to contribute to the strategic goals of UMD as identified in Fearlessly Forward, and more broadly, to the State of Maryland. Joint appointments that promote collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches to UMD and Maryland priorities are welcomed and encouraged. 

Search Requirement

All Laureate hires must conform to the University’s Search and Selection Guidelines (“Guidelines”). If a search committee is used to seek a candidate, the search committee members must have participated in University-sponsored or approved training on the University’s Guidelines within the last three years. Search waivers need to conform to the requirements for waivers as specified in the Guidelines. 

Funding

If approved, the Senior Vice President and Provost will provide 50% of the state-supported annual salary (academic year or fiscal year) up to a maximum of $60,000/year for five years for Rising Scholar hires. Note: Fund transfer to units to support tenured Rising Scholar hires are contingent upon a successful APT review process.

If approved, the Senior Vice President and Provost will provide 50% of the state-supported annual salary (academic year or fiscal year) up to a maximum of $90,000/year for five years for Eminent Scholar hires. Note: Fund transfer to units to support Eminent Scholar hires are contingent upon a successful APT review process.

Spousal/partner hire support for Laureate hires is possible. Please refer to the University’s spousal/partner hire guidelines and procedures. Start-up packages for Laureate hires are negotiated through normal procedures.

Application Process

Applications are due November 1 or April 15 of each academic year, and must be submitted via the Faculty Affairs APA portal. Chairs and Directors should work with their Deans on any potential proposals prior to submission. Proposals must include the following items:

  1. The Candidate's CV;
  2. A letter of support from the unit head;
  3. A vote of the unit faculty indicating support for the hire;
  4. A list of the search committee members (if a search was conducted);
  5. A letter of support from the dean (for departmentalized colleges);
  6. Data regarding the number and distribution (e.g., rank) of tenure-track faculty of the unit, college, and field/discipline;
  7. Data regarding program enrollments, graduation rates, credit hours;
  8. An analysis of: 1) the significant accomplishments, impacts, innovations, and/or recognitions by the proposed hire and their significance, and 2) how the proposed hire would contribute to the goals and commitments of the University’s strategic plan.
  9. If relevant, the reference letters collected as part of the search process.
  10. A plan for how the hire will enhance the unit's/college's efforts to seek external prestigious recognitions for its faculty (e.g., highly regarded disciplinary and/or national/international awards).

It is especially important for the support letters from the unit head and dean to clearly articulate how the candidate meets the Laureate initiative criteria. November proposals for candidates who meet the eligibility criteria that are not funded will automatically be reconsidered in the April review cycle. All decisions will be based on an academic year review cycle and not reconsidered the following academic year.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Review Process

Support funds for Laureate Initiative hires are limited and competitive. All proposals received will be reviewed at the same time within each application window by the Provost, the Office of Faculty Affairs, and the Office of Finance and Personnel within the Office of the Provost. Proposals will be assessed based on the relevant criteria to the type of hire (Eminent Scholar or Rising Scholar) identified above.

Questions

Questions regarding the Laureate Program and application process should be directed to the Office of Faculty Affairs (faculty@umd.edu; 301.405.6803).