UMatters

Since 1987, 15 UMKC professors (listed below) have been awarded by the UM System Board of Curators with the university’s highest and most prestigious academic rank: Curators’ Professor. Simply put, these select professors have been recognized as “outstanding scholars with established reputations.” (UM-Rolla Professor of chemistry, Stig Friberg, became the first person awarded a Curators’ Professorship in 1979.*)

According to UM System’s Rules and Regulations (320.070 Academic Appointments), “[E]ach Curators’ Professor becomes a resource of the University and is expected to contribute to the entire University through such teaching, scholarship, service and outreach activities. Appointments to these prestigious positions are for five-years, and are renewable at the discretion of the Chancellor.”

The Board of Curators’ selects Curators’ Professors based on the Chancellor’s recommendations. Deans may nominate a faculty member by sending the Provost a recommendation and a portfolio containing a narrative of the nominee’s accomplishments, curriculum vitae, letters from nominators, and testimonial letters from UMKC peers and others.

When assessing a nominee, the Provost solicits advice from a review committee which has evaluated the portfolio. Following the review, the Provost sends recommendations to the Chancellor. If approved, the Chancellor forwards the recommendation and portfolio to the UM System President, who, if approving the nomination, presents the candidate to the Board of Curators for approval.

Appointment to a Curators’ Professorship includes a salary stipend and support for creative/research activities. Rules and Regulations stipulates that “[a]ll candidates selected for a Curators’ Professor appointment after January, 2005 will be appointed for a period of five years. Each five-year appointment may be renewed at the discretion of the Chancellor. There is no limit to the number of extensions a Curators’ Professor may be granted.”

Curators’ Teaching Professor (formally called Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor) is a prestigious academic rank awarded to “outstanding teachers with established reputations.” The selection process and conditions of appointment are similar to Curators’ Professorships.

The following are UMKC’s current Curators’ Professors and Curators’ Teaching Professors, with the years of their appointments:

Curators’ Professors

• Felicia H. Londré, Curators’ Professor, A&S Department of Theater (1987)
• Wai-Yim Ching, Curators’ Professor, A&S Department of Physics (1988)
• George J. Thomas, Curators’ Professor, School of Biological Sciences (1988)
• J. David Eick, Curators’ Professor, School of Dentistry (1989)
• James Mobberley, Curators’ Professor, Conservatory of Music (1999)
• Max Skidmore, Curators’ Professor, A&S Department of Political Science (1999)
• Yanching (Jerry) Jean, Curators’ Professor, A&S Department of Chemistry (2002)
• Ashim Mitra, Curators’ Professor, School of Pharmacy (2002)
• James Durig, Curators’ Professor, A&S Department of Chemistry (2003)
• Khosrow Sohraby, Curators’ Professor, School of Computing and Engineering (2004)
• Paulette Spencer, Curators’ Professor, School of Dentistry (2004)
• Lynda Bonewald, Curators’ Professor, School of Dentistry (2005)
• Nancy Levit, Curators’ Professor, School of Law (2005)
• Dr. Jerry R. Dias, Curators’ Professor, A&S Department of  Chemistry (2010)
• Dr. Michael B. Kruger, Curators’ Professor, A&S Department of Physics (2010)

Curators’ Teaching Professors

• Bruce Bubacz, Distinguished Teaching Professor, A&S Department of Philosophy (1998)
• David Atkinson, Distinguished Teaching Professor, A&S Department of Political Science (1999)
• Charles Wurrey, Distinguished Teaching Professor, A&S Department of Chemistry (2002)
• Joan Dean, Distinguished Teaching Professor, A&S Department of English (2003)
• Carla Klausner, Distinguished Teaching Professor, A&S Department of History (2004)
• Joan Gallos, Curators’ Teaching Professor, Bloch School of Business, Administration and Finance (2008)

[*Olson, James and Vera. The University of Missouri: An Illustrated History. University of Missouri Press, 1988. (186)]