CHANCELLOR’S COUNCIL DISTINGUISHED RESEARCH AWARD (CCDRA)
The Award
Beginning with the 2008-09 academic year, the Angelo State University Faculty Senate will annually award the Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Research Award (CCDRA) to a deserving full-time faculty member. This award has been established to provide recognition and encouragement for excellence in research. The honoree will be awarded a certificate and a cash honorarium of $10,000 at a public ceremony that may be separate or a part of an already established event that honors teaching and student academic achievements. A plaque acknowledging the winner’s meritorious research will be placed in the Angelo State University Houston Harte University Center.
Eligibility
All current faculty members who have held a full-time appointment on the faculty of Angelo State University for two academic years are eligible for nomination. [An academic year consists of the fall and spring semesters.] There is no limit on the number of applications coming from each academic college or department, nor is there a limit on the number of times a faculty member can be nominated. In years in which an outstanding applicant cannot be identified, no award will be given.
Nominations
The Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate is responsible for soliciting, judging, and ranking applicants. The Academic Affairs Committee will solicit applications at the end of the fall semester and beginning of the spring semester. A descriptive flyer about the CCDRA application will be sent to the department heads, the deans’ offices, and the President of the Student Senate. Also, an e-mail announcement of the award information will be sent to all faculty and staff. A CCDRA Web page that describes the award (including all past winners) will be linked to ASU’s homepage with high visibility. Self-nominations will not be accepted. The deadline for full and complete applications to be received by the Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee will be by a date TBA. The application materials must include:
- Cover letter from at least one sponsoring ASU faculty member or administrator.
- Current curriculum vitae
- Letters of recommendation. [Recommendation letters may come from current and former students, faculty colleagues at ASU or elsewhere, independent experts in the research field, and other sources capable of testifying to the quality of the nominee’s research.]
The Academic Affairs Committee may approach other referees for further evidence of research excellence.
Award Criteria
The CCDRA is an annual award honoring one faculty member’s dedication to research and for outstanding academic, scientific, and scholarly achievement. This may include research with students, both graduate and undergraduate. While such things as the faculty member’s teaching and service may be taken into account, excellent research is the principal basis on which the CCDRA is given. Since the CCDTA identifies and honors exemplary scholarly production, the Academic Affairs Committee requires information about the nominee’s research. For example:
- Does the nominee inspire respect and admiration from his/her colleagues?
- Has the nominee demonstrated an unusual dedication to excellence in research?
- Is the nominee’s scholarly output prolific?
- What is the impact of the nominee’s research?
- How does the nominee rate as a scholar and as a contributor to the University in comparison with other members of the faculty?
