Honors Faculty Fellows

Overview

The Honors College at Washington State University (WSU) offers a four-year core curriculum that engages high-achieving students and challenges them to become critical thinkers and participants in the global community. Classes in the Honors curriculum are taught by WSU faculty who are dedicated to excellent and innovative teaching, enjoy student interactions in small, interactive classroom settings, bring their research and creative expertise to the classroom, and motivate their students to think in interdisciplinary and global contexts. In addition to this classroom experience, WSU faculty mentor and critically evaluate Honors students as they complete their Honors thesis requirements, provide and oversee opportunities for student research and engagement in the academic disciplines, develop creative projects in the arts and humanities, and guide students as they learn about other cultures during study- and research-abroad opportunities.

Faculty Fellow Positions

Many WSU faculty members who are not housed in the Honors College make significant contributions to the mission of the Honors College. To acknowledge the contributions of these faculty, the Honors College created the courtesy title of Honors Faculty Fellow in 2015. Contributions made by Honors Faculty Fellows might include, but are not limited to:

• Teaching in the Honors curriculum
• Developing and leading study- and research-abroad programs or faculty-led trips for honors students
• Mentoring Honors student research and creative projects or other scholarly activities
• Providing internships, extension activities, and opportunities to be involved in community service
• Playing an advisory role to the Dean, such as through membership in the Honors Council
• Serving as university-wide ambassadors for the Honors College

Honors Faculty Fellows have the opportunity to apply for funding from the Honors College to support enhancement activities related to their appointment, such as developing a new faculty-led program or attending workshops and conferences related to their research or teaching. Generous support comes from the Jonas family.

Honors Faculty Fellow appointments will be for an initial duration of three years; appointments may be renewed for further terms with approval from the Dean. Only faculty on appointment at WSU can hold the title; a Fellow whose appointment at WSU is terminated will automatically lose Honors Faculty Fellow status.

Faculty who have held the rank of Honors College Distinguished Professor will automatically be awarded the title of Honors Faculty Fellow at the end of their two-year term.

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Application/Selection Process

Individual faculty members wishing to be considered for Honors Faculty Fellow status may apply at any time during the academic year. Applications completed by March 31, will be considered for appointments beginning May 16 of that year. Nominations by college deans, department chairs, and program directors will also be considered; nominated faculty will be encouraged to submit an application packet.

Eligibility: All tenured and tenure-track faculty, clinical-track faculty, and instructors with current WSU appointments are eligible.

Applications: Interested faculty must include their name, department, email, and phone number on each document in their application packet.

Documents to be submitted directly to Honors by the Applicant:

1. A full and up-to-date CV

2. Two brief statements—one indicating past and current contributions to the mission of the Honors College, and the other indicating proposed future contributions.

Document to be submitted directly to Honors by a Recommender:

3. One letter of recommendation—preferably from the department chair or dean endorsing the application; included should be information germane to the faculty member’s contributions to the Honors College.

Submissions: All application and nominations materials, and endorsement letters from Recommenders, should be sent directly to Honors College Associate Dean David Shier at shier@wsu.edu. Applicants will be notified when their packets are complete; incomplete applications will not be considered.

Deadlines: Applications may be submitted at any time, but only applications completed by March 31 will receive consideration for appointments, which begin May 16 of each year.

Evaluation Criteria: Applicants will be judged on their past, current, and proposed contributions to the Honors College.

Selection Process: Applications and nominations will be reviewed and evaluated by the Associate Dean of the Honors College, with selections made by the Dean.

Communication of Results: Final decisions will be made by the Dean and communicated to the applicant by the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President. Honors Faculty Fellows will be featured on the Honors College website.

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For more information, please contact Dr. Shier by email at shier@wsu.edu or by phone at 509-335-4505.