Department Head or CEO Letter Proposing Incumbent for an Endowed Professorship

TEMPLATE

Recommended length: 1-2 pages

(please copy and paste text below into your personal letterhead)

[DATE]

[NAME OF DEAN, DEGREE]

Dean of the Faculty of Medicine
Harvard Medical School

Gordon Hall

25 Shattuck Street

Boston, Massachusetts 02115

Dear Dean [NAME],

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

Choose one of the following three paragraphs, as appropriate:

I write to propose [NAME OF CANDIDATE, DEGREE]as the first incumbent of the ______Professorship in ______. Dr. [NAME OF CANDIDATE] is currently [ACADEMIC TITLE] at [INSTITUTION] and serves as [ANY ADMINISTRATIVE TITLE(s)].

I write to propose [NAME OF CANDIDATE, DEGREE] as the next incumbent of the ______Professorship in ______. This professorship became vacant when the prior incumbent, Dr. [NAME OF PRIOR INCUMBENT AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHY PROFESSORSHIP IS VACANT]. Dr. [NAME OF NOMINATED INCUMBENT] is currently [ACADEMIC TITLE] at [INSTITUTION] and serves as [ANY ADMINISTRATIVE TITLE(s)].

I write to propose[NAME OF CANDIDATE, DEGREE] as the next incumbent of the ______Professorship in ______. Concomitant with this appointment, [NAME AND DEGREE OF CURRENT INCUMBENT], currently the ______Professor of ______, will transition to become the ______Distinguished Professor of ______(or) ______Professor of ______, Emeritus. Dr. [NAME OF NOMINATED INCUMBENT]is currently [ACADEMIC TITLE] at [INSTITUTION]and serves as [ANY ADMINISTRATIVE TITLE(s)].

DESCRIPTION OF THE CANDIDATE AND HIS/HER CONTRIBUTIONS

  • BACKGROUND AND TRAINING (brief; ~ one paragraph)
  • REVIEW OF CURRENT ACTIVITIES

Overview of current activities (research, clinical, educational and administrative, as appropriate), with emphasis on accomplishments that make this nominee appropriate for this particular endowed professorship.

  • APPROPRIATENESS OF NOMINATED INCUMBENT FOR CLINICAL PROFESSORSHIP BASED ON DONOR INTENTIONS AS DESCRIBED IN THE TERMS

STATEMENT ON INTEGRITY AND PROFESSIONALISM(include these comments as either a component of this nominating letter or as a separate addendum to the nominating letter)

Dr. [NAME OF CANDIDATE] is a faculty member in good standing with an appropriate hospital appointment (Optional for clinical faculty - and associated credentialing). To the best of my knowledge, other than as may be indicated in this letter, Dr. [NAME OF CANDIDATE] has not been sanctioned or disciplined by a hospital, state licensing board, the NIH, the FDA, or any other legal, regulatory, or institutional authority. There are no current investigations or other concerns known to me that raise questions about his/her integrity, professionalism, competence, or the quality of his/her contributions as a member of the faculty of Harvard Medical School.

SUMMARY

Provide a concluding paragraph summarizing the proposal.

[SIGNATURE OF THE APPOINTING DEPARTMENT HEAD OR CEO]

If the Department Head so chooses, the letter may be co-signed by the Institutional Department Head, Division Chief, or other appropriate senior member of the department.

Updated October 2016

Managed by the Office for Faculty Affairs

Harvard Medical School | Gordon Hall, Suite 206 | 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115

1