Call for Nominations for The Belle K. Ribicoff Junior Faculty Prize 2024–25

Longtime University of Hartford supporter and Life Regent Belle K. Ribicoff established the Belle K. Ribicoff Junior Faculty Prize in 2009 as an annual award to recognize an outstanding junior faculty member—an assistant professor in a tenure-track position, but not yet tenured—who demonstrates combined excellence in teaching, scholarly or creative activity, and service. Intended to honor and support a junior faculty member in the early stages of their academic career, the award consists of a $10,000 stipend (subject to customary payroll tax withholdings).

In addition to the annual award, the Belle K. Ribicoff Endowed Professorship will be granted every fourth year, honoring one of the junior faculty members who held the Belle K. Ribicoff Junior Faculty Prize during the three previous years. The Professorship, awarded for a three-year period, will provide the recipient with an annual award of $40,000, of which $25,000 will supplement the faculty member's salary, and the remaining $15,000 will be used to support research, scholarship, creative activity, course or professional development.

The Belle K. Ribicoff Junior Faculty Prize Criteria:

Each year, the Belle K. Ribicoff Junior Faculty Prize is conferred at Commencement to a junior faculty member who:

• Has not yet reached their promotion and tenure "critical year";

• Demonstrates a commitment to teaching and is dedicated to continuous improvement in encouraging learning;

• Achieves peer-reviewed acknowledgment for contributions to the discipline, academic, or artistic field for scholarly or creative endeavors;

• Contributes to the service mission of the University, most notably through advising, recruitment, committee work, and/or service learning;

• Demonstrates excellence on the basis of either cumulative achievement or a culminating project or accomplishment; and

• Whose career can be significantly impacted by the prize.

NOTE: In the case of a nominee who has held a tenure-track appointment previously at another institution, the quality of the accomplishments while at the University of Hartford will take precedent.

Nominations:

Junior faculty members meeting the criteria may be nominated by a faculty colleague, department chair, or division director. Nominators are limited to one nominee in any award cycle. Self-nominations will not be accepted. All nominations will be submitted electronically and must address the following areas in order to be considered:

• A signed nomination letter on letterhead addressing the award criteria noted above and the potential impact of the prize on the faculty member's career (limit 2 pages);

• A completed nomination form (see page 3 of this call);

• A current curriculum vitae;

• No more than three letters of support from campus colleagues, one of which must be from a student.

Selection Process:

The Screening Committee will include the previous year’s Tonkin, Larsen, Trachtenberg, and Davis Award winners (as available) and some previous Belle K. Ribicoff Junior Faculty Prize awardees who have been granted tenure and who hold the rank of associate professor or above. The Committee will screen and rank the applicants based on the criteria noted above. A Selection Committee made up of the President, Provost, and an undergraduate student chosen by the President and Provost will make the final determination for the Junior Faculty Prize recipient. In addition to observing each finalist’s class, the Selection Committee may request additional materials documenting teaching effectiveness, scholarly or creative accomplishment, or service contributions.

Please forward the nomination letter, nomination form, and letters of support (no more than three) electronically, along with the faculty member's curriculum vitae, to provost@hartford.edu.

The deadline to nominate a faculty member is Jan. 31, 2025.

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS