Distinguished Scholar Award Criteria and Procedures

I. Award Criteria

The recipient of this award:

  1. Must be a current or past member of the Arkansas Political Science Association (ArkPSA);
  2. Must have an exemplary teaching, scholarship, and/or service record in the areas of political science, public administration, or public policy, including at least ten years in the state of Arkansas; and
  3. Must be formally nominated for the award by at least one current member of the Association (see Nomination Procedures below).

II. Distinguished Scholar Award Committee

  1. Following the Annual Meeting of the ArkPSA, the President of the Association shall appoint a Chairperson and four additional members of the Distinguished Scholar Award Committee;
  2. The members of the Distinguished Scholar Award Committee shall serve a one-year term, renewable for up to two consecutive years;
  3. The members of the Distinguished Scholar Award Committee may, but not necessarily, be serving concurrently as Officers (with the exception of the President) or At-Large Members of the Executive Board of the Association;
  4. Each of the members of the Distinguished Scholar Award Committee must be a current member of the Association; and
  5. No two or more members of the Distinguished Scholar Award Committee shall be affiliated with any one college or university in the state of Arkansas.

III. Nomination Procedures

  1. No later than June 30th each year, the Chairperson of the Distinguished Scholar Award Committee shall announce that the committee is accepting nominations for the award;
  2. Nominations should include a nomination letter identifying the name of the nominee and a summary of the nominee’s contributions in teaching, scholarship, and/or service in the areas of political science, public administration, or public policy;
  3. Nomination should also include a copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae, including but not limited to current contact information, academic degrees, employment history, research & scholarship, and community/professional service;
  4. A nomination letter (signed by the individual submitting the nomination) and a copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae should be submitted by email (as Microsoft Word attachments) or by mail to the Chairperson of the Distinguished Scholar Award Committee no later than September 30th each year (only nominations received by the deadline shall be considered for the upcoming Annual Meeting);
  5. The Chairperson of the Distinguished Scholar Award Committee shall forward copies of all nomination documents to the other members of the committee by October 15th each year;
  6. The Distinguished Scholar Award Committee shall consider all nominations submitted by the deadline, and shall recommend up to two nominees for the award each year;
  7. Any recommendations for the award must be approved by at least three of five members of the committee (including the Chairperson of the committee);
  8. The Distinguished Scholar Award Committee’s recommendations, if any, shall be formally submitted by the Chairperson of the committee to the President of the Association by December 31st each year; and
  9. The Distinguished Scholar Award(s), including an engraved plaque, shall be presented by the President of the Association to the individual(s) recommended for the award at the Annual Meeting of the ArkPSA in February or March each year.