The Cooper Fund was established as a quasi-endowment to support faculty research and teaching activities in the College. In an effort to recognize and reward some of our most valuable faculty, the College is again allocating a significant portion of this fund according to the following policy:
- Cooper Fellows — tenured full professors in the College of Arts and Sciences— are appointed by the Dean from across the College, with up to three typically appointed each year.
- Each Cooper Fellow is appointed for a three-year period.
- Cooper Fellowships rotate among faculty after a three-year period.
- In addition to acknowledging the faculty member’s contributions by the title “Cooper Fellow,” the appointment comes with an annual research fund of $15,000. The funds may be used in whole or part to support the fellow’s salary (including cfb) or research; unspent funds may be “banked” by the fellow for use for a period of up to two years beyond the appointment upon approval by the Senior Associate Dean for Research. A faculty member may request a one-semester release from teaching in lieu of this three-year stipend. If combined with any other form of leave or release the term cannot extend beyond two consecutive semesters.
- Criteria for selection: excellence in contributing to our core missions of scholarship, teaching, and service (in that order).
- Cooper Fellows are expected to give a lecture on their research to the College faculty and students.
- To assist in making these appointments, the Dean seeks nominations from departmental chairs or any regular (tenure and tenure-track) faculty member.
- The Senior Associate Dean, in charge of this fund is Joshua Cohn, Senior Associate Dean for Research.
