Brandon University recognizes outstanding faculty members in the areas of teaching and research through a variety of awards, including the Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching for Contract Academic Staff, the Senate Award for Excellence in Service, and the Senate Award for Excellence in Research.  In addition, a number of named designation policies and named professorships have been established for accomplished and note-worthy faculty.  The Stanley Knowles Distinguished Visiting Professor (SKDVP) is an opportunity to bring a scholar or scholars who have an international reputation in research/scholarship to Brandon University.

Stanley Knowles Distinguished Visiting Professorship (SKDVP)

The SKDVP is an opportunity for Brandon University to have visiting scholars with an international reputation for excellence in research/scholarship in their discipline or interdisciplinary area, related to comparative public policy with Canadian content.  The Professorship benefits the University as a whole and the surrounding community.

Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching

The Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching was established to emphasize the importance of teaching at Brandon University and to recognize and honour those faculty members who excel in this endeavour. A maximum of two awards are presented each year:  one for a Tier 1 recipient and one for a Tier 2 recipient.  The recipient(s) is presented with a framed certificate signed by the President of the University, as Chair of Senate.  A master plaque containing the names and department or Faculty/School affiliation of all recipients will be displayed on campus.  The recipient(s) will also receive an additional $5,000 in funds to be used as professional development and/or in teaching supports in consultation with the recipient, department, and Dean.  This award acknowledges excellence and/or outstanding performance in each of the following areas, in no particular order of priority:

• ability to engage and motivate students
• communication skills
• accessibility to students
• reflective and responsive pedagogy
• educational leadership and mentorship
• comprehensive knowledge of the material taught
• organization of course contents and materials
• educational standards
• course design and development
• engagement with Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Decolonization, Indigenization, and Reconciliation

Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching for Contract Academic Staff

The Senate Award for Excellence in Teaching for Contract Academic Staff was established to emphasize the importance of teaching at Brandon University and to recongnize and honour those Contract Academic Staff who excel in this endeavour.  A maximum of two awards will be presented annually at Spring Convocation.  The recipient(s) will be presented with a framed certificate by the President of the University, as Chair of Senate.  A master plaque containing the names and departments or Faculty/School affiliation of all recipients will be displayed on campus.  The recipient(s) will also be awarded $3,000.  This award acknowledges excellence and/or outstanding performance in each of the following areas, in no particular order of priority:

• ability to engage and motivate students
• communication skills
• accessibility to students
• reflective and responsive pedagogy
• educational leadership and mentorship
• comprehensive knowledge of the material taught
• organization of course content and materials
• educational standards

Senate Awards for Excellence in Service

The Senate Awards for Excellence in Service were established to emphasize the importance of service at Brandon University and to recognize an honour those faculty members who excel in their participation in collegial governance and work of Brandon University, meaningful contributions to their profession and/or discipline and/or contributions to the broader community through their professional competence.  A maximum of two awards will be presented annually at Spring Convocation; one Tier I and one Tier II award.  The recipient(s) will be presented with a framed certificate signed by the President of the University, as Chair of Senate.  A master plaque containing the names and department or Faculty/School/Unit affiliation of all recipients will be displayed on campus.  The recipient(s) will also receive an additional $5,000 in funds to be used as professional development and/or in support of service activities or a 3-credit hour teaching release for one academic year to be used within two years of receipt of the award in consultation with the recipient, department and Dean/Director.  In all cases when considering an applicant for this award, factors pertaining to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Decolonization, Indigenization, and Reconciliation will be considered, as appropriate to the service context. Evaluation will focus on the quality, significance, and context of service contributions and their demonstrated impact, recognizing that excellence may be expressed through a range of service roles, leadership activities, and forms of engagement.

Senate Award for Excellence in Research

The Senate Award for Excellence in Research was established to emphasize the importance of research at Brandon University and to recognize and honour those individuals who excel in scholarship and research.  A maximum of two awards are presented each year:  one for a Tier 1 recipient and one for a Tier 2 recipient.  The recipient(s) will be presented with a framed certificate signed by the President of the University, as Chair of Senate.  A master plaque containing the names and department or Faculty/School/Unit affiliation of all recipients will be displayed on campus.  The recipient(s) will also receive a research grant in the amount of $5,000 administered under Senate-approved policies and procedures or a 3 credit-hour teaching release for one academic year to be used within two years of receipt of the award in consultation with the recipient, department, and Dean. In all cases when considering an applicant for this award, factors pertaining to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Decolonization, Indigenization, and Reconciliation will be considered, as appropriate to the nature of the research. Evaluation will focus on the quality, significance, and context of scholarly contributions and their demonstrated impact, recognizing that excellence may be expressed through a wide range of research activities, outputs, and outcomes.  Research/scholarship should not be narrowly defined and should be reflective of the myriads of ways in which research occurs at the University. Quality, originality, real-world impact of research outputs, as well as public dissemination of knowledge, and engagement with teamwork, mentorship, and leadership in diverse
contexts will be deemed more important than quantity of research outputs.

Adjunct Professors

An Adjunct Professor is a category created to enable the contributions of scholars and researchers who are not faculty members at Brandon University.  Appointment to Adjunct Professor shall be for a term up to three years and may be renewed at the expiration of the term.

Professor Emeritus

The designation “Professor Emeritus” is conferred upon retired members of an academic community in recognition of service to that community exemplifying the highest traditions of teaching, scholarship and service.  This is an honorary and non-remunerative appointment.

University Scholar

University Scholar status is available to faculty members who are committed to maintaining an active program of research and/or scholarship during retirement.  This is an enabling and non-remunerative appointment.  University Scholar status is normally effective for three years and may be renewed by application, normally during the final year of the appointment.

Dean Emeritus

The title of Dean Emeritus may be conferred upon a Dean who has served Brandon University with distinction during his/her term of office.  Recipients of the title of Dean Emeritus are considered to be honorary members of Convocation and are entitled to the same privileges accorded retired faculty members designed as “emeritus”.

Named Professorships

Named Professorships are an opportunity to 1)  honour previous Department, Faculty, or School members, previous students, Brandon University honorary degree recipients, or previous professor emeriti, and 2) recognize outstanding Brandon University faculty members who have demonstrated excellence (national or international standing) in research/performance coupled with strong teaching and/or service.