Faculty Handbook
William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award
William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Awards (formerly the Distinguished Faculty Awards) are made each year to members of the regular faculty, i.e. tenure system faculty and librarians in the continuing appointment system, for outstanding total service to the University. MSU College of Law tenure system faculty, Facility for Rare Isotope Beams/National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (FRIB/NSCL) faculty and Health Programs (HP) faculty are also eligible for nomination. Each college making nominations for the award has its own detailed criteria and methods for nomination. The nominations are based on teaching; advising; research; publications; art exhibitions; concert performances; committee work; public service including extension, outreach and work with government agencies and industry; or a combination of these activities. Administrative excellence and length of service may not be used as the sole criteria for nomination. However, nominees usually have at least five years of service at Michigan State University.
Final selection of William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award winners will be made by an All-University Awards Committee appointed by the President. The Awards Committee each year will define and publish selection criteria and solicit nominations. Each nominating unit having 200 or more faculty members may nominate four candidates each year. Each nominating unit having 100-199 faculty members may nominate three candidates each year. Each nominating unit having fewer than 100 members may nominate two candidates each year. In addition to the collegiate nominations, a current Michigan State University faculty member who received the Distinguished Faculty Award (1988-2013) or William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award (2014 and thereafter) may make one nomination annually directly to the Awards Committee. The departments, schools and colleges in which such nominees are appointed have the opportunity to make comments - in addition to the regular supporting materials - on such candidates, if they choose. After nomination for the award by the nominating units, or previous award recipient, screening will be carried out at the direction of the Awards Committee, through subcommittees or other means which they judge appropriate. The All-University Awards Committee will consider the mix of candidates' assigned duties over time in making its evaluation. No more than ten William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Awards shall be made each year.
1 Detailed nomination information is available from the Office of the Provost or on the web at http://www.ahr.msu.edu/all-university-awards.
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