Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Procedure – Recruitment to an eminent professorial appointment

Each faculty is to establish a number of named chairs based on approximately 5% of the paid professoriate numbers. In faculties with less than 10 paid professors there shall only be one named chair position.

Generally, a chair cannot be named after a person if the University has already named something else after that person, for example, a building, a room or a lecture series. The dean will be required to state in his/her written submission whether he/she is aware of the proposed name being used for any other purpose at the University. If the dean believes that there is an exceptional case whereby a name should be duplicated, the dean may provide an additional written submission to SPAC justifying why such duplication should be allowed.

Applications for a Named Chair may be received from internal or external applicants. In applying for a Named Chair, a professor would need to demonstrate that he/she should be regarded by the University as a distinguished professor within that faculty and that the appointment to the Named Chair would be supported by his/her peers.

An appointment is to be for a fixed period of 5 years. The period of appointment may be extended for additional periods of 5 years provided that the person can demonstrate that they have continued to make significant contributions to the discipline and faculty. Any extensions are at the complete discretion of the University. If an extension is not offered, then the person will continue as a professor of the University.

The Named  Chair must be created first followed by the appointment to the Chair.

1. The dean sends a submission to create a Named Chair Professorship to Senior Academic Appointments, for submission to SPAC. The dean must include the following information:
2. the proposed name for the chair (the title in common usage would be “the {insert name} distinguished professor);
3. the origins of the proposed name; and
4. the reasons why a chair should be named in the manner proposed.
5. SPAC will determine whether the faculty is able to establish the Named Chair in accordance with the dean's submission and will advise Senior Academic Appointments.  Senior Academic Appointments will then advise the dean of the outcome.
6. Once SPAC has approved the naming of a chair, approval to advertise and fill the position would then go through the normal professorial appointment process.

There is no limit on the number of Sir John Monash Distinguished Professors which the University may appoint.

The Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor is a five yearly renewable award. It will lapse immediately on the retirement or resignation of the occupant unless the occupant is eligible for conferral of the title Emeritus Professor (below) in which case, the occupant will be awarded the title Emeritus Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor and will retain the title for life.

Criteria for a Sir John Monash Distinguished Professorship

1. The Vice-Chancellor may recommend an internal or external candidate of exceptional distinction be granted the title of Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor.
2. The Vice-Chancellor's recommendation and proposal will initially be forwarded to SPAC for consideration via Senior Academic Appointments.
3. SPAC will verify whether the candidate meets the eligibility criteria for a Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor. The Committee is able to request whatever relevant information it requires concerning the candidate in order to make its determination. If SPAC believes that the eligibility criteria have been satisfied, the Committee will advise the Vice-Chancellor that it supports his/her recommendation.
4. Once SPAC has confirmed its support of the application, a committee will convene, consisting of the Vice-Chancellor and all the Deputy Vice-Chancellors, to consider the proposal against the eligibility criteria for appointment.
5. If the Committee unanimously approve the proposal, the candidate's name will be forwarded to Council with a recommendation for appointment as a Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor.

If the title is awarded, Senior Academic Appointments will ensure that all the necessary administrative processes are undertaken for the title to be granted.

A distinguished professor may have the title of Emeritus Professor conferred if they left the University to:

• retire;
• move into an industry/government position; or
• to go to a senior position, such as Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Vice-Chancellor, at another university.

The Council may also confer the title on any former professor of the University who it deems appropriate, in exceptional circumstances.  While length of service is not a determining factor in deciding who should be awarded the title of Emeritus Professor, it may be taken into account when considering the impact that the professor has made on his/her discipline and/or the University.

Emeritus Professors should continue to be of service to the University by making regular, and mainly voluntary contributions to the University.

An Emeritus Professor, for purposes of courtesy and on ceremonial occasions, will be regarded as a professor of the University, but he/she shall not be a member of the academic board or ex officio of any faculty.

SPAC retains the right to remove the title in certain circumstances, such as where the person has committed a serious criminal offence, where there is a conflict of interest or where damage may be caused to the reputation of the University by having a continued association with the person.

1. If it is considered that a departing or former professor of the University is eligible for the title of Emeritus Professor, the dean prepares a written nomination to the Vice-Chancellor (as Chair of SPAC), together with expressions of support from two or more professors of the faculty and an up-to-date copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae. The nomination must be signed in support by the dean.   The dean sends the written nomination to Senior Academic Appointments, for submission to SPAC.
2. In considering the nomination, SPAC may request whatever additional, relevant information it requires concerning the candidate in order to make its determination
3. Following approval, the formal offer of the title is made in writing by the Vice-Chancellor, with copies to the nominee’s dean and head of school/department.

The appointee’s acceptance of the title will be advised by Senior Academic Appointments to the dean and head of school/department.

A Professorial Fellow must be able to demonstrate that he/she is considered to be of national or international eminence and that it would be beneficial for the University to have an association with that person.

The duration of appointment to the position of Professorial Fellow is normally five years and will be reviewed at the conclusion of the appointment.

A Professorial Fellow is entitled to use the title of Professor, for the duration of his/her appointment at the University.

A Professorial Fellow is not regarded as a formal Professor of the University and is not eligible to be a professorial member of Academic Board.

1. If the dean of a faculty believes that an appointee meets the eligibility criteria for appointment to the position of Professorial Fellow, the dean must prepare a nomination to the Vice-Chancellor (as the Chair of SPAC), together with an expression of support and an up-to-date curriculum vitae for the nominee. The dean sends the nomination to Senior Academic Appointments, for submission to SPAC.
2. SPAC will consider the nomination received from the dean. SPAC may request whatever relevant information it requires concerning the candidate's application, in order to make its determination. If SPAC considers that the nominee has met the eligibility requirements for appointment, the Committee will approve the appointment as a Professorial Fellow and the title of Professor being granted to the nominee.
3. If the appointment has been confirmed, Senior Academic Appointments will ensure that all necessary administrative processes are undertaken for the title to be granted.

Faculties are to consider opportunities for the creation of Sponsored Professor positions. This process can best be facilitated through the Faculty Board discussing the issue on an annual basis and preparing an appropriate plan/mechanism for the faculty to explore various opportunities.

Generally, Sponsored Professor naming rights may be granted if at least 75% of the full cost of the Professorship, and benefits in kind of at least 25% of the full cost of the chair, are provided throughout the funding period.

Only an outstanding candidate who has made a significant contribution to the discipline is eligible to be appointed to a Sponsored Professorship. Applications for a Sponsored Professorship may be received from internal or external applicants. In applying for a Sponsored Professorship, a candidate would need to demonstrate that he/she should be regarded by the University as an eminent professor within that faculty and that the appointment would be supported by his/her peers.

An appointment to a sponsored professorship is for the period that the funding is available. If a Sponsored Professorship is to be ongoing then the appointment will be for a 5 year period. The period of appointment may be extended for additional periods of 5 years provided that the person can demonstrate that they have continued to make significant contributions to the discipline/faculty/University.

1. If a Sponsorship position exists than the dean should inform the Vice-Chancellor.
2. The Vice-Chancellor will assess whether the sponsorship opportunity has merit. If the opportunity has merit then the Vice-Chancellor and dean will commence initial discussions with the proposed external organisation to determine if there is any interest in a sponsorship.
3. If an external organisation demonstrates an interest in sponsoring a professorship, the dean will prepare a written submission to VCG for approval.
4. If the sponsorship is approved by VCG, the dean in consultation with the University's Solicitor's Office (USO), may enter formal negotiations with the external organisation. The USO must be involved in the negotiation process and agreement documentation must be approved by the USO.
5. The formal agreement between the University and the external organisation must provide for:
   • the ability to terminate the agreement if the external organisation ceases to provide appropriate funds or becomes an organisation, with which the university does not wish to be associated;
   • the agreed funding for the position;
   • the nature of any benefits-in-kind that will be provided;
   • the period for which the funding will be provided;
   • the requirement to provide funds to the University who will be responsible for administering the funds;
   • the accommodation available to the Sponsored Professor, whether it be at the University, the external organisation or both;
   • the roles and responsibilities of both the University, the Sponsored Professor and the external organisation;
   • the ultimate authority of the University to determine who should be appointed to the Sponsored Professorship and on what terms and conditions of employment;
   • an acknowledgement by the external organisation that the appointee will be a full professor responsible to Council through the Vice-Chancellor and that the external organisation will not exercise direction in the academic discipline of the Sponsored Professor; and
   • the ability to terminate the appointment of the person holding the Sponsored Professorship where the external organisation ceases to provide funding.
6. To enable a Sponsored Professorship to be named, the dean must make a written submission to SPAC . The dean must submit:
   • the proposed name of the Sponsored Professor position
   • contractual details (or proposed contractual details) between the University and the Sponsor; and
   • any other relevant information
7. The dean sends the nomination to Senior Academic Appointments, for submission to SPAC. SPAC may call for any other information that it believes is relevant to making its decision.
8. Once SPAC has endorsed the naming of a professorship and VCG has approved the establishment of the position, the advertising and staffing of the position would then go through the normal professorial appointment process, (subject to prior approval by the USO of the related agreement documentation).

Senior Academic Appointments will ensure that all necessary administrative processes are undertaken for the appointment to be confirmed.

If the appointment to the Sponsored Professorship leaves the University, the professorship will fall vacant and the faculty will need to advertise in the normal way for an appointment to that professorship. These are the same as for a standard professorial position. However, there must be a written agreement, which includes the relevant particulars of the agreement between the University and the external organisation, as well as specifying the period of the appointment.

Under no circumstances will a sponsored professorship be established for a pre-nominated person, for example, a Minister or Public Servant.

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