1. The University wishes to provide selected faculty members with the opportunity to concentrate on their research programs for specified periods of time with commensurate release from regular teaching responsibilities. Accordingly, the title "University Research Professor" has been established. University Research Professors are distinguished Simon Fraser University research scholars who are given release from teaching for a specified period in recognition of their past research achievements and the current potential of their research programs.

2. To be eligible for appointment as a University Research Professor, a faculty member must hold the rank of Professor and have been at Simon Fraser University for a period of at least five years. Only full time faculty are eligible.

3. A University Research Professor will have no teaching or administrative duties but will be expected to continue to supervise graduate students. It is expected that normally the faculty member will be contributing directly to the intellectual life of the campus for at least two semesters in any one year period.

4. Normally, appointments as University Research Professors will be for one year. University Research Professors will receive their regular academic salary.

5. Research Professors will be expected to deliver a University lecture on the subject of their research during the course of their appointment.

1. University Research Professors will be appointed according to the following procedures:
   
   
   
   1. The Chairs of Departments will request nominations or applications from faculty members in the department by January 1. The documentation accompanying each application/nomination shall include an up-to-date curriculum vitae and an outline of the research planned for the period.

   2. Tenure and Promotion Committees shall review the cases and consider each one on the basis of the criteria described in the policy. The TPC shall decide whether or not to support an application, and decide on the rank ordering of supported applications. Each case which is supported shall be forwarded to the Dean together with a written statement providing the reasons for the support by March 1. If more than one application is supported the rationale of the ranking shall be provided.

   3. The Dean will review recommendations received from TPC's and shall make his/her own recommendations and provide ranking. The Dean shall forward the cases he/she supports to the Selection Committee for University Research Professors by April 15, together with a written rationale of his/her support and ranking.

   4. The Selection Committee shall review all recommendations received from the Deans. The Committee may choose to meet with the Deans and is required to do so if it is inclined to differ with the ranking made by the Deans. The Committee shall make a recommendation to the President by May 31. The President is responsible for approving all appointments as University Research Professors.

2. The Selection Committee for University Research Professors will have the following membership.
   
   
   
   1. One faculty member appointed from each Faculty by the Dean for a period of two years.

   2. The Vice-President, Research, who shall chair the Committee.

3. Departments will receive replacement funding at the Assistant Professor Step 4 level for persons appointed as University Research Professors. Replacement faculty will be appointed on a visiting or limited term basis.

4. The number of University Research Professors to be appointed for any period will be subject to budget constraints.

5. A University Research Professor appointment must commence on or before September 1 of the year following the award, and the start date should coincide with the start of a semester. The actual timing of a University Research Professor appointment should take into account the teaching requirements of the department and the research objectives of the University Research Professor.

Questions of interpretation or application of this policy or its procedures shall be referred to the President, whose decision shall be final.