Purpose and goals
A substantial bequest from the estate of Dr. L. Douglas Meredith, a 1926 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, enabled the University to create the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professorship Program to recognize and reward outstanding teaching at Syracuse University. The goals of the initiative are:
- To recognize and reward excellence in teaching at all levels in a way that is seen as significant by faculty members, students and the public at large;
- To encourage all faculty members to look upon the many dimensions of teaching as manifold opportunities for constant improvement, even for the best teachers;
- To emphasize the importance the University places upon teaching by investing heavily in this most student-centered activity; and
- As a result of all of the above, to improve the teaching and learning environment on campus in ways that can be singled out and recognized as valuable.
In 2025, the Meredith Professorship program added the Meredith Professorship Faculty Fellows (MP Faculty Fellows). Working on specific teaching topics identified annually by the provost, MP Faculty Fellows partner with the director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) and the associate provost for academic programs to work on timely pedagogical topics. MP Faculty Fellows are appointed for up to two academic years and receive salary support to buy out portions of their teaching responsibilities, in addition to professional development funds.
Award Details
| Recipient | Award Amount |
|---|---|
| MP Faculty Fellows (up to 2 selected annually) The award may be presented to any full-time faculty member for whom teaching is a core responsibility, who is in a renewable position and who has been teaching in a faculty position for at least two years. Tenure-track, tenured and teaching professors at all ranks are eligible, as are professors of practice. Each recipient is designated an MP Faculty Fellow for up to two years, with a maximum of three MP Faculty Fellows in any given year. | For each year of the appointment: • $65,000 for course buy-out/salary replacement • $5,000 for professional development • $5,000 as an expense account to support programming offered through the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) |
MP Faculty Fellows are expected to be actively involved in the CTLE. In consultation with the CTLE director and associate provost for academic programs, they will develop and/or support academic programming for Syracuse University faculty around the teaching topic(s) identified annually by the provost. Such programming can include work on academic programs or courses, campuswide workshops and initiatives, and mentoring support for early-career faculty or teaching professors, among other options. The CTLE and Office of Academic Affairs will provide administrative support for this programming.
MP Faculty Fellows are expected to submit regular progress reports on their work to the associate provost for academic programs. At the end of their appointment, each MP Faculty Fellow is also expected to present a final summary of their work with and through the CTLE. MP Faculty Fellows meet periodically throughout the academic year to discuss teaching and to plan other activities.
Both the professional development funds and the expense account may be used in support of MP Faculty Fellows’ teaching-related professional development or for a variety of other purposes in support of teaching at the University. The funds may be used to support hiring student assistants, purchasing teaching materials, traveling for conferences, bringing guest lecturers to campus or hosting seminars through the CTLE with a focus on teaching and student learning.
MP Faculty Fellows may not be on leave of absence from the University during their appointment.
Criteria
MP Faculty Fellows are selected based on (1) their overall excellence as teachers and (2) their potential to advance academic programming and teaching excellence around the topic(s) identified by the provost.
Additional considerations include the nominee’s:
- Potential impact on the Syracuse University academic community through leadership around the topic(s) selected by the provost;
- Overall approach to teaching, including teaching initiatives, improvements or innovations; techniques for evaluating student learning; and evidence of positive impact on student learning;
- Ability to contribute to the University’s goal of academic excellence on a campus welcoming to all.
Nomination Process
At the beginning of each fall semester, the provost will identify one or two teaching topics on which MP Faculty Fellows selected for the next academic year will focus.
For this inaugural year of the MP Faculty Fellows, the provost has identified the following three teaching topics:
- Artificial intelligence
- Online teaching and pedagogy
- Course redesign
Eligible faculty members may nominate themselves or be nominated by other faculty for MP Faculty Fellowships. All nominations require support from the nominee’s department chair or school director (where relevant) and dean.
The complete nomination includes the following items combined (in order) into a single PDF:
- Coversheet: A fillable form from the Office of Academic Affairs website
- Formal nomination letter (no more than two pages) from the dean, with concurrence of the department chair/school director, where relevant, that:
- Makes the case for the nominee’s potential contributions to and leadership around the topics selected by the Provost
- Describes the nominee’s regular teaching and advising responsibilities, as well as their other roles within the department, school, or college
- NOTE: Concrete examples are more effective than general statements of praise.
- A teaching statement from the nominee (no more than three pages) which addresses:
- The nominee’s experiences with the topic selected by the Provost, in the context of their teaching
- How they would contribute to teaching excellence and academic programming around the topic selected by the Provost and secure wider faculty involvement
- How their work as an MP Faculty Fellow can impact our campus after the completion of their appointment
- How they create a learning environment welcoming to all in their work with students.
- An updated curriculum vitae
The nomination packet should not exceed seven pages, excluding the curriculum vitae.
Nominations are due April 11, 2025. Please email the nomination as one PDF to Amanda Latreille, faculty affairs specialist, at arlatrei@syr.edu (subject: MP Faculty Fellow nomination).
Selection Process and Recognition
The MP Faculty Fellows Committee, composed of faculty with expertise in pedagogy, is responsible for recommending candidates for the award. For this first year of the award, the committee will review nominations and submit a recommendation to the provost by late April. The provost will make a final decision by the end of the Spring 2025 semester.
For more information, contact Amanda Latreille at arlatrei@syr.edu or 315.443.5413.