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Awards & Recognition


Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award

The Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award allows for up to five awards (one per college) of $1,000 (before tax) for recognition of outstanding teaching by an adjunct. Award candidates will be recommended to the Provost by a selection committee comprised of previous year’s winners, and a department chair representative from each college.

Eligibility: Adjunct faculty employed at UWF for at least two semesters prior to the year of award.

Nomination Deadline: 5:00 pm, Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Application Deadline: 5:00 pm, Monday, February 5, 2024

Full Details for the 2024 Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award

List of Recipients of the Adjunct Faculty Excellence Award


Distinguished Faculty Service Award

The Distinguished Faculty Service Award is awarded to a faculty member who, while in the employment of the University of West Florida, has given outstanding service to the University and/or the community. The "Institutional Role and Scope Statement" includes the basis for defining many of the activities which can be considered service:

University Faculty who contribute their professional talents and expertise to support the public service mission of the University. Such service includes, but is not limited to, providing the benefits of their expertise to community organizations; making public professional appearances or performances; consulting with governmental agencies, business industries, educational systems, community service or arts organizations; serving on University committees and councils; participating in the recruitment and professional placement of students; and serving as an officer or committee member in organizations related to the area of professional expertise.

Nomination Deadline: 5:00 pm, Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Application Deadline: 5:00 pm, Monday, February 5, 2024

Full Details for the 2024 Distinguished Faculty Service Award

List of Recipients of the Distinguished Faculty Service Award


Distinguished University Professorship

The Distinguished University Professorships serve to recognize full professors who continue to excel in teaching, scholarship and creative projects, service, and contributions to UWF and UWF faculty colleagues. The award is held for a three-year period beginning in the fall semester, but recipients hold the title, Distinguished University Professor, through their career at The University of West Florida. The funding source for the awards is the Pace Distinguished University Professorship endowment managed by the UWF Foundation.

Eligibility:

  • Tenured full professor;
  • Minimum of seven years in rank at UWF at the time of application;
  • Distinguished record in teaching, scholarship and creative projects, and service;
  • Notable Contributions to UWF and to UWF faculty colleagues;
  • A sustained level of highest achievement in one of these areas: teaching, scholarship and creative projects, or service.

Application Deadline: This is award is currently not available for application.

List of Distinguished University Professors


Faculty Emeritus

The Emeritus designation is conferred by the University of West Florida for the purpose of recognizing the meritorious service of a faculty member upon retirement.

Eligibility: Tenured faculty, who have been at UWF for at least ten years, at the rank of either Professor or Associate Professor; University Librarian or Associate University Librarian.

Nomination Deadline: Friday, March 8, 2024

Faculty Emeritus Criteria for 2024

List of Emeritus Faculty


Faculty Excellence in Teaching or Advising Award

The Faculty Excellence in Teaching or Advising Award allows for up to five awards of $2,000, before tax, in recognition of outstanding teaching, and one award of $2,000, before tax, for recognition of outstanding advising. Award candidates will be recommended to the Provost by a selection committee comprised of previous year’s winners.

Eligibility: Full-time faculty and advisors in regular faculty lines (excluding visiting and adjunct faculty and workforce personnel) who have been employed at the University for at least three years prior to the year of award.

Nomination Deadline: 5:00 pm, Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Application Deadline: 5:00 pm, Monday, February 5, 2024

Full Details for the 2024 Faculty Excellence in Teaching or Advising Award

List of Recipients of the Faculty Excellence in Teaching or Advising Award


Faculty Service and Development Award (Non-Unit)

The Faculty Service and Development Award make available, to eligible non-unit faculty members, a period of time to be devoted to scholarly activities, research, and intellectual refreshment and updating.

Eligibility: Full-time, non-unit faculty members with the minimum rank of assistant professor, or equivalent, with at least six years of full-time service are eligible for faculty service and development if the terms of a contract or grant through which such an employee may be compensated allow for the leave. Contract and grant employees in this category who wish to apply for faculty service and development awards must provide written documentation that the funding agency will permit compensation for such leave through the contract or grant.

Applying for a 2024-2025 Faculty Service & Development Award: Full Details and Application Information

Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 25, 2023


Nautilus Excellence Award

As part of the Employee Recognition and Awards Program (ERAP), the Nautilus Excellence Award recognizes employees for substantial contributions and outstanding performance and professionalism impacting operations, service excellence, inter-departmental effectiveness, and community involvement. Each University Work Force award recipient receives a $2000 (gross) cash award and a certificate. Each OPS award recipient receives a $500 (gross) cash award and a certificate. Awards will be presented at the annual Employee Recognition and Awards Ceremony.

Full Details for the Nautilus Excellence Award

List of Recipients of the Nautilus Excellence Award from the Division of Academic Affairs


Professional Development Leave

Professional Development Leaves are granted to increase an employee's value to the University through enhanced opportunity for professional renewal, educational travel, study, formal education, research, writing, or other experience of professional value, not as a reward for service. The University will make available at least one professional development leave at full pay for one semester or its equivalent for each 20 eligible faculty, subject to the conditions set forth in the UFF-UWF Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Eligibility: Unit and non-unit, full-time, permanent employees within the faculty pay plan with four or more years of service, except those who are serving in tenure-earning or tenured positions, shall be eligible for professional development leaves. Contract and grant employees who wish to apply for professional development leave must provide written documentation that the funding agency will permit compensation for such leave through the contract or grant.

Applying for a 2024-2025 Professional Development Leave: Full Details and Application Information

Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 25, 2023


Rite of Passage

The Rite of Passage lecture series event celebrates UWF faculty recently promoted to full professor. This series commemorates the work of top academics in achieving the highest level in higher education teaching and scholarship -- the coveted full professorship. The lecture series gives the professor the opportunity to share with colleagues, students, friends and community members life lessons outside the classroom.

Eligibility: Promotion to Professor

Please visit the Rite of Passage page for additional information.


Sabbatical (In-Unit Faculty)

The purpose of a Sabbatical is to increase a faculty member’s value to the University through enhanced opportunities for professional renewal, planned travel, study, formal education, research, writing, or other experience of professional value. A sabbatical is not a reward for service. Subject to conditions set forth in the UWF-UFF Collective Bargaining Agreement, the University will make available at least one sabbatical at full pay for one semester for each 40 eligible faculty members, and a sabbatical for two semesters at half-pay for each eligible faculty member whose application has been reviewed by the University.

Eligibility: Full-time, tenured employees with a minimum rank of Assistant Professor or equivalent who are included as unit faculty and who have at least six years of full-time service, shall be eligible for sabbaticals if the terms of a contract or grant through which such an employee may be compensated allow for such sabbaticals. (A person who has had a sabbatical or faculty service and development award may be considered for a subsequent award after six years has elapsed since the previous award). Contract and grant employees in this category who wish to apply for sabbaticals must provide written documentation that the funding agency will permit compensation for such leave through the contract or grant.

Applying for a 2024-2025 Sabbatical: Full Details and Application Information

Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 25, 2023


Student Government Association Distinguished Teaching Award

The Student Government Association Distinguished Teaching Award is granted yearly to outstanding instructors at The University of West Florida. Grants will be awarded to each instructor chosen by the Student Government Association Academic Committee.

For more information about this award, please contact the Student Government Association at sga@uwf.edu or 850.474.2393.

List of Recipients of the Distinguished Teaching Award


Tenure and Promotion

Please visit the Tenure, Promotion, and Evaluations page for additional details.