Texas State University System to honor top professors

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
April 4, 2007

Texas State University System (TSUS) Chancellor Charles R. Matthews announces the establishment of the TSUS Regents’ Professor Award.  This new award is designed to honor the exemplary performance and contributions of TSUS professors in the areas of teaching, research and service.

“This is an exciting new endeavor for the System,” said Kent M. Adams, chairman of the TSUS Board of Regents, “and we are pleased to be able to provide another opportunity to acknowledge and reward excellence.”

“Each campus has its own internal reward structure to honor outstanding performance,” said Chancellor Matthews.  “This award will not only complement the current efforts on each campus, but it will also add to the prestige as it recognizes the ‘best of the best’ in our faculty.”

All recipients will be designated as TSUS Regents Professors and maintain that title for the duration of their service within the System.  Recipients will also receive a $5,000 award and a commemorative medallion bearing the seal of the System.

“These professors are our System’s stars,” said TSUS Regent John E. Dudley, who is also the chairman of the Texas State University System Foundation, “and we want to showcase their campus, state, and national contributions.”

Nominees must be full-time faculty members for no less than five consecutive years at a TSUS campus and demonstrate the following:

• A record of distinguishing teaching along with accomplishments in research and other scholarly activities;
• An outstanding record of service at the local, state, and national levels; and
• A record of commitment to the college or university.

Nominations by the universities are due June 1.  The first award recipients will be announced at the August Board of Regents regular meeting and honored at their respective campus convocations also in August.

The Board of Regents and the Chancellor have provided the vision for this recognition, and the Board of Directors for the Texas State University System Foundation have also been actively involved in the creation of the award and will provide the financial support.  Regents’ Professor Award nominees will be solicited on an annual basis.

“Our goal is to establish an honor program that will become synonymous over the years with excellence,” said Diane Corley, executive director of the TSUS Foundation.  “This award will provide not only well deserved recognition, but also an event that faculty, students, alumni and staff can look forward to every year.”

The Texas State University System is the oldest multi-campus system in Texas and plays a critical role in the educational and economic development of this state. It is governed by a nine member Board of Regents appointed by the Governor. In addition, a nonvoting student regent is appointed annually to the Board.
TSUS’s nine component institutions are committed to serving the people of Texas through education.  The Texas State University System Institutions include: Angelo State University; Lamar Institute of Technology; Lamar State College-Orange; Lamar State College-Port Arthur; Lamar University; Sam Houston State University; Sul Ross State University; Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College; and Texas State University-San Marcos.