Libra Professorships

PAGE: 323
DATE: 01/96,10/00
Section: Libra Professorships

Established in 1989 by the University of Maine System through a generous gift from Elizabeth B. Noyce, the Libra Professorships seek to recognize and sustain academic programs of excellence. They do so in five ways:

  • They build, enhance, and provide recognition for selected programs of the highest quality.
  • They promote excellence in the programs of a University of Maine System institution that make a major contribution in advancing the mission of that institution.
  • They reward a program where special strength and excellence is emerging;
  • They attract or reward exemplary faculty in the programs identified on the campuses;
  • They provide students with outstanding faculty models for teaching, research, and public service.

At the University of Maine at Machias, the Libra Professorships will be used to support activities of distinguished visitors whose work will contribute to the university’s academic life.
Faculty at the University of Maine at Machias are invited to make proposals for Libra Professorships that may include the following: (1) distinguished lecture series; (2) short-term residencies; (3) semester-long or year-long residencies, usually involving teaching one course each semester and other activities designated by the proposer.
Each year the Program Review and Evaluation Committee (PREC) will solicit proposals for the Libra Professorship. The following are the guidelines for submission and selection.
I. ELIGIBILITY
Recipients of funds for the Libra Professorships must be non-UMM employees recognized as experts in their fields.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The responsibilities of a Libra Professor may include the following:

  • Presenting to interested people his or her research of creative work;
  • Lecturing;
  • Teaching.

Proposals for other activities may be made if they are deemed suitable for the Libra Professorship.
FUNDING
Funding will be made according to the needs stated in the proposals, the qualifications of candidates, and their duties. Activities that support the visit of the Libra Professor may be funded, e.g. travel, publicity, etc.
APPLICATIONS/NOMINATIONS
Individual UMM faculty members, groups of faculty, programs, and Divisions may submit proposals for appropriate activities involving non-UMM employees recognized as experts in their fields. Proposals should include the clearly marked sections.

    • Cover page to include summary of activities, the names of the faculty or group making the request, the total funds requested.
    • Section I. Purpose of proposed activities: which specific goal(s) the proposal seeks to achieve.
    • Section II. Detailed outline of proposed activities.
    • Section III. Libra Professor(s) involved and documentation of qualifications.

If the personnel have not been selected, include information about the process by which they will be chosen, e.g., and advertisement in the Chronicle of Higher Education, etc.

  • Section IV. Other personnel. Include the on-campus coordinator for the visit. Also, include the names and responsibilities of other support personnel, for publicity, etc., needed to carry out the proposed activities.
  • Section V. Detailed budget. Include all costs associated with the proposal, including, if necessary, stipends or release time for University of Maine at Machias faculty and others who will help co-ordinate the activities.

REVIEW
PREC will act as the review committee and will judge each proposal on its relative merits in being able to achieve the goals of the Libra Professorship outlined in the background section. Proposals will be ranked and recommended using the following criteria:

  • Appropriateness of the activities to the goals of Libra Professorship;
  • Qualifications of the proposed Libra Professor(s);
  • Viability of the plan;
  • Contribution of the proposed activities to the overall academic life of the campus and community

PREC will, when they deem necessary, seek further information from appropriate sources. The committee reserves the right not to recommend a proposal in any given year. In that event, unused funds will be rolled over for use in coming years.
OTHER
The Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs will be responsible for providing office space ad suitable office equipment for the Libra Professors.
Libra Professorships should include some public lectures or readings, which the University of Maine at Machias will retain the right to broadcast, publish, or to make available for broadcast or publication, in any media, as part of the Libra Professorship activities.
TIME LINE
In May, PREC will distribute a request for proposals (RFP), with proposals due in September.
Two weeks prior to the first meeting of PREC, six copies of the proposal will be due in the hands of a committee member for distribution to PREC.
PREC will review the proposals as its first meeting of the academic year.
PREC’s recommendation will go to the Vice President of Academic Affairs, who will forward his/her recommendation to the President by Mid-October.
If the President chooses to recommend the proposed Libra Professorship, he/she will present that recommendation to the Chancellor.
Following the approval of the Chancellor, the President will announce the Libra Professorship for the following year.