Faculty Awards and Recognition

The Academic Senate awards the Distinguished Faculty Service Award and the Walter Wolf Award through the Committee on Senate Awards.

Distinguished Faculty Service Award

The purpose of the Distinguished Faculty Service Award is to honor faculty service to the University that is beyond normal research, administrative, clinical, and teaching responsibilities. The nominee must have contributed through service to the Senate or other university initiatives in relation to faculty governance in some exceptional manner. These contributions could include leadership on a Senate Committee, Joint-Appointed University Committee, or on a school Faculty Council.

Walter Wolf Award

The Walter Wolf Award is to be bestowed on a USC faculty member for defense and advocacy of academic freedom or for other manifestations of social conscience, through distinguished faculty service, teaching, scholarship, or activity as a public intellectual. Nominations can be initiated by any member of the Faculty Assembly (full-time tenure- and non-tenure-track faculty and full-time librarians, part-time faculty, or retired faculty) and can be supported by other faculty or staff members. The winner receives a plaque during the May meeting or during the ‘Academic Senate End of the Year dinner,’ wherever the current President of the Faculty decides to present the award.

Previous Winners

Distinguished Faculty Service Awardees as of May 2020

Nomination Process

Nominations can be submitted via email and should include:

  • Name and title of individual making the nomination and how you know the nominee
  • Name and title of individual being nominated; faculty and administrative title, if relevant
  • Bullet listing of university service that includes Senate work, University initiatives, or faculty governance contributions
  • Explanation of reasons that the service is distinguished and deserving of recognition

Emails should be sent to the chair of the commitee, Julie Nyquist (nyquist@usc.edu) and copied to Connie Roque (croque@usc.edu). We must receive your nomination and full documentation by 5pm on March 2, 2021 in order for the committee to consider your nomination.

These awards will be presented at the Senate meeting on the afternoon of May 12. Please remember: it is in your interest to honor those who have provided extraordinary service on your behalf!

Thank you in advance for your thoughtful suggestions.

Sincerely,

Julie Nyquist
Chair, USC Academic Senate Committee on Distinguished Faculty Service