Distinguished Prefix Review Committee Policies & Procedures

Eligibility for Nomination

Promotion to the rank of Distinguished is reserved for a small number of academic staff (normally at the senior level or top level of their title series) whose superlative accomplishments are evidenced by widespread peer recognition. Candidates for consideration for the Distinguished prefix are expected to have had at least ten years of progressively more responsible experience in their field. Attainment of the Distinguished prefix is not the end result of normal career progression. Neither seniority nor longevity is sufficient for award of this designation. Candidates will be evaluated using the criteria described in Section III (below) of this document titled “Guidelines.” Although the candidate may initiate the petition process, this does not preclude one’s immediate supervisor and/or dean/director assistant chancellor from suggesting that a prospective candidate initiate the procedure. The candidate has the right to withdraw from the process at any point during the review.

Guidelines

The following guidelines are intended to help develop documentation for nomination for the Distinguished prefix:

A. Candidate

A candidate nominated for the Distinguished prefix is expected to be outstanding in his or her field of expertise, as evidenced by peer recognition. The candidate must have consistently demonstrated exceptional performance. Academic staff members on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus have varying commitments to teaching, research, clinical activities, outreach, service and administration. It is expected that any single candidate for Distinguished status will be outstanding in one or more of these areas. In addition to evaluation of specific areas of function, qualities such as those listed below should be evaluated and this information incorporated into the document. These qualities are not listed in order of importance, nor will all necessarily apply to every candidate:

• Initiative and self-motivation
• Problem solving ability and creativity
• Technical competence
• Productivity and quality of work
• Judgment
• Ability to communicate and interact with colleagues, clients, patients, students, etc.
• Supervisory skills
• Willingness and ability to assume responsibility
• Collaborative abilities

B. Criteria Review

The Distinguished Prefix Review Committee (DPRC), charged with reviewing and making recommendations on nominations, shall review three major criteria for awarding the Distinguished prefix. Until five cohorts exist, the ASTAC Advisory Panel shall act as the Distinguished Prefix Review Committee.

1. Expert Status

The candidate must be a recognized expert in his or her field. The level of peer recognition should normally extend outside the University of Wisconsin System, i.e., state, regional, national, or possibly international.

• Evidence of expert status may include, but is not limited to:
• Serving as a consultant for professional organizations or agencies
• Providing expert advice or testimony in field of expertise
• Serving as a reviewer for scholarly or technical publications
• Presenting papers, abstracts, etc. at regional, national and international meetings
• Serving as an editor for professional publications
• Serving as a reviewer for granting organizations
• Being invited to contribute book chapters
• Being selected as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee representative at workshops, meetings, collaborative projects, etc.
• Preparing articles, teaching materials, or other activities that receive national or international recognition
• Being selected to receive an award for excellence in the field

2. Outstanding Accomplishments

The candidate must demonstrate unique and outstanding performance in his or her field of expertise. Evidence of outstanding performance may include, but is not limited to:

• Research, technical or related publications
• Awards recognizing achievement
• Extramural grant awards
• Summaries of teaching or other performance evaluations
• Recognition of outstanding performance by clients or other members of the public

3. Breadth of Impact

The candidate’s expertise and accomplishments must be of such stature as to influence significantly the direction of his or her field of work. Evidence of breadth of impact may include, but is not limited to:

• Development of innovative methods, techniques or professional skills that are normally recognized and applied beyond the University of Wisconsin System
• Service in leadership positions within the candidate’s field that can influence the direction of the profession
• Contributions that affect legislative or governmental policy

Committee and Structure

Membership: The ASTAC Advisory Panel shall constitute the Distinguished Prefix Review Committee until such time as there are at least five active employees with the distinguished prefix to form the committee. Employees with the distinguished prefix shall join the ASTAC Advisory Panel in reviewing distinguished prefix requests until there exist a sufficient number to form a separate committee.

Reports

The chair of the DPRC shall provide an annual report to the Chancellor, Academic Staff Committee and Secretary of the University detailing the number of nominees reviewed, the Committee’s recommendations and the number of Distinguished prefixes awarded.

The definitions below originated in the February 27, 1992, University of Wisconsin System guidelines for Distinguished prefix interpretation.

• Distinguished prefix is defined as follows: A Professional, Instructional or Research academic staff member at the Distinguished level performs at a level of proficiency typically requiring extensive experience and advanced knowledge and skills. The expertise of an academic staff member at this level is commonly recognized by his or her peers and through a reputation which extends beyond his or her work unit. A Distinguished academic staff member is expected to develop new approaches, methods or techniques to resolve or prevent problems with little or no expert guidance and to cope independently with new, unexpected or complex situations. At this level, an academic staff member can be expected to guide or train other academic staff or to oversee their work. Currently, only Category A academic staff in the Professional title series and selected Category B academic staff in the Instructional and Research title series are eligible for the Distinguished prefix (see Unclassified Title Guideline, pages 6-7 and 10-18, for definitions).
• A work unit is defined as follows: The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is considered a “work unit” for purposes of prefix assignment. Departments, schools, or colleges within the institution are not considered “work units” for this purpose.
• Peer recognition is defined as follows: Peers should not be interpreted to mean “colleagues.” While an employee may be recognized for excellence, achievement or exceptional skill by academic staff colleagues within the institution and within the UW System, “peer recognition” applies to a reputation of excellence in a profession, recognized by individuals or groups in the same profession normally found or organized outside the UW System.

Application Process and Documentation

A. Initial Packet (Letter of Intent and Related Documents)

In order to initiate a request to begin the Distinguished Title consideration, the applicant must first submit a Initial Packet to his or her supervisor. The Initial Packet should include the following:

1. A one- or two-page statement by the candidate indicating why he or she is qualified for the Distinguished prefix, summarizing the documentation that will be presented in the final packet.
2. A job description for the current position, including the nature and scope of the duties and responsibilities. Document should reflect the relative weight of each area and contributions of the candidate in each area.
3. A detailed résumé or curriculum vitae indicating background and experience, annotated as appropriate to provide information on previous training, job responsibilities and professional development efforts.

B. Final Packet for DPRC Review

In order to facilitate the Distinguished Prefix Review Committee (DPRC) review of documentation for academic staff recommended for the Distinguished prefix, the following minimum materials are to be provided as a single packet, in addition to the Initial Packet above. (The Final Packet is assembled as the candidate’s file moves through the review process outlined in section V.)

1. A cover letter from dean or division head . (If the appointment is split among two or more units, the packet must include letters from all deans or division heads involved.)
2. A cover letter from the department chair, unit head or director, including an indication of the vote of the Executive Committee or equivalent, if applicable. (If the appointment is split among two or more units, the packet must include letters from all department chairs or unit heads involved.) This letter should include a proposed effective date of the Distinguished prefix. Since the most important consideration is the extraordinary qualities of the candidate, the letter should describe the distinctive capabilities, performance and contributions of the individual. A statement from the unit or department evaluating the candidate’s value to the department, unit or program is required.
3. A cover letter from the candidate’s supervisor if that person is not the unit head or departmental chair. (If the appointment is split among two or more units, the packet must include letters from all supervisors involved.)
4. A minimum of four letters of recommendation from those who can speak to the talents of the individual and evaluate his or her performance. Letters from outside the University of Wisconsin System are encouraged. Letters should compare the quality and productivity of the candidate with others of similar rank and experience, if applicable. A copy of the soliciting letter from the departmental chair or unit head must be included along with a brief explanation of how individuals were selected for this process and their relationship to the candidate. In addition, a short description of the qualifications of each respondent must be included. A copy of all letters of response to the departmental or unit head must be submitted to the DPRC for review. The candidate should not submit letters written by a member of this Committee.

C. Optional

Any additional material the candidate or nominating unit feels would be helpful in the evaluation process may be submitted. This may include but is not limited to unsolicited letters from clients, patients, students, or outside agencies.

D. Organization of the Packet

The packet should be fastened with a metal clip and include a Table of Contents with all pages numbered sequentially. The following order is suggested as optimum for preparation and presentation of the document:

• Section 1: Candidate statement
• Section 2: Cover letter from the dean or division head
• Section 3: Cover letter from the department chair, unit head or director
• Section 4: Cover letter from supervisor
• Section 5: Job description
• Section 6: Résumé or curriculum vitae
• Section 7: Letters of recommendation
• Section 8: Any optional material

E. Sample Packet

An exemplary sample packet is available for examination in the Office of the Secretary of the University, SBA N 454.

F. Submission of Packet

Packets may be submitted at any time

Review Process

1. The candidate submits the Initial Packet (Section IV.A.) to his or her immediate supervisor.
   1. The supervisor notifies the candidate in writing of his or her decision.
   2. If the supervisor does NOT support the candidate’s application, the candidate may not appeal.
2. If the supervisor supports the candidate’s application, the candidate resubmits the Initial Packet to the supervisor augmented with at least four letters of recommendation (Section IV.B.1.).
3. The supervisor forwards one copy of the packet together with a cover letter to the department chair, unit head or director. The candidate receives a copy of the cover letter.
   1. If the department chair, unit head or director does NOT support the candidate’s application, he or she notifies the candidate in writing with a copy to the supervisor. The candidate may not appeal.
4. If the department chair, unit head or director supports the candidate’s application, he or she forwards one copy of the packet together with a cover letter to the dean or division head. The candidate and the supervisor receive a copy of the cover letter.
   1. If the dean or division head does NOT support the candidate’s application, it is not forwarded to the DPRC and the candidate does not receive the Distinguished prefix. The dean or division head shall notify the candidate in writing of the reasons for the decision within 20 working days of receiving the packet (with copies to the supervisor and department chair, unit head or director). The candidate may appeal under the grievance procedure outlined in ASTAC 10, Procedures for Appeals of Category A Academic Staff or [procedure for Category B TBD].
5. If the dean or division head supports the candidate’s application, he or she shall submit the complete packet together with a supporting cover letter (now the Final Packet) to the Office of the Secretary of the University. The candidate, supervisor and department chair, unit head or director receive a copy of the cover letter. The Office of the Secretary of the University will forward copies of the Final Packet to the members of the Distinguished Prefix Review Committee (DPRC), and will also notify the candidate of receipt of the packet.
   1. If the DPRC finds initially that a candidate does NOT meet the criteria for Distinguished prefix, the DPRC will contact the candidate directly, offering him or her the opportunity to provide additional information and/or to make a 10-minute presentation to the Committee in defense of the candidate’s qualifications. The candidate has 10 working days from date of notification to submit additional materials (or schedule a presentation?) or withdraw his/her petition.
   2. If the DPRC still finds that a candidate does not meet the criteria for Distinguished prefix, the DPRC sends its recommendation and one copy of the complete packet to the dean or division head. The dean or division head has 20 working days to act on the DPRC’s recommendation. The dean or division head may:
      1. Agree with the DPRC’s negative recommendation, denying Distinguished prefix. The candidate is notified in writing, with copies to the supervisor, department chair, unit head or director, and the secretary of the university. The candidate may appeal under the grievance procedure outlined in ASTAC 10, Procedures for Appeals of Category A Academic Staff or [procedure for Category B TBD].
      2. Disagree with the DPRC’s negative recommendation, thereby supporting the candidate’s application for Distinguished prefix. The dean or division head provides a written explanation of his or her decision to the DPRC and forwards a positive recommendation to the Chancellor for approval, with copies to the candidate, supervisor, department chair, unit head or director, and the secretary of the university.
6. If the DPRC finds that a candidate meets the criteria for the Distinguished prefix, the DPRC sends its recommendation and one copy of the complete packet to the dean or division head. Within 20 working days, the dean or division head forwards a positive recommendation to the Chancellor for approval with copies to the candidate, the supervisor, the department chair, unit head or director, the DPRC and the secretary of the university.
7. With the Chancellor’s approval, the dean or division head will notify the candidate that he or she receives the Distinguished prefix. Starting date, salary increase, etc. shall be resolved in accordance with ASTAC guidelines section 9, Compensation Provisions for Category A Positions, B. Promotions [or relevant document for Category B TBD

Appeal Process

If the Dean’s decision is NOT to grant Distinguished prefix, the candidate may appeal the Dean’s decision under the grievance procedure outlined in ASTAC 10, Procedures for Appeals of Category A Academic Staff or [procedure for Category B TBD].