HFA Dean's Fellowship Program
The HFA Dean’s Fellowship Program is a new initiative designed to recognize and reward outstanding faculty contributions in research, teaching, and creative activity in HFA. Each fellowship includes $8,000 in research/professional development support for the three-year duration of the fellowship. After three years, financial support ends, but recipients retain the title of HFA Dean’s Fellow unless superseded by a higher honor (e.g., Provost Professor, Distinguished Professor).
Recipients are recognized at the annual HFA Awards and Recognition Ceremony.
Fellowship Categories
Departments, including those with multiple units, may submit up to four nominations, one for each of the following categories:
- HFA Dean’s Outstanding Early Career Fellow
For tenure-track assistant professors who are in the first 5 years of their appointment. Recognizes contributions in research or creative production completed during the nominee’s appointment at UMass. - HFA Dean’s Outstanding Midcareer Fellow
For tenured associate professors. Recognizes outstanding, innovative, and impactful contributions in research or creative production with noteworthy national (and, if appropriate, international) recognition. Dossiers may include materials from the nominee’s entire UMass appointment. - HFA Dean’s Outstanding Fellow
For tenured full professors. Recognizes extraordinary, sustained contributions in research or creative production with national and/or international recognition. This is the highest honor bestowed by the College. Dossiers may include materials reflective of the entirety of the nominee's UMass appointment. - HFA Dean’s Outstanding Teaching Fellow
For non-tenure-track faculty of any rank on full-time continuous appointments. Recognizes outstanding contributions and innovations in teaching and related activities such as student mentoring and advising.
Eligibility and Nomination Procedure
Department Chairs and all members of the HFA faculty are encouraged to submit nominations to their Department Personnel Committee (DPC). Individuals may self-nominate and in doing so are expected to provide all nomination materials.
DPCs shall rank the nominations received, identifying up to one departmental nominee for each fellowship category. The ranked departmental nominee dossiers are then submitted by the DPC to the Department Chair for review and ratification.
The Department Chair or their designee shall advance the department’s nominees to the Dean’s Office using the InfoReady nomination form by Sunday, February 1, 2026.
The Dean will convene a committee to review nominations. The final selection will be made by the Dean.
Nomination Materials
Nomination dossiers for the HFA Dean's Outstanding Fellow, Midcareer Fellow, and Early Career Fellow shall include:
- The nominee’s complete CV.
- Supporting materials (e.g., published works, creative samples, performance videos).
- A brief (1–2 page) characterization of the importance of the nominee’s work, composed by the Chair or nominating individual.
- A letter of recommendation from the Department Chair providing a detailed justification for the nomination. If the Department Chair is the nominee, the DPC Chair shall provide the letter of recommendation.
Nomination dossiers for the HFA Dean's Outstanding Teaching Fellow shall include:
- The nominee’s CV.
- A brief (1–2 page) characterization of the nature and impact of the nominee's nominee’s teaching, composed by the Chair or nominating individual.
- A letter of recommendation from the Department Chair providing a detailed justification for the nomination. If the Department Chair is the nominee, the DPC Chair shall provide the letter of recommendation.
- Representative teaching evaluations
- Student impact testimonials
- Brief peer teaching observation(s) of up to one page in length.
Who to Contact
Amy Fleig – afleig [at] umass [dot] edu
Director of Faculty Development & Programs
Anthony Tuck – atuck [at] classics [dot] umass [dot] edu
Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs