The Annual Eric Shade Memorial Faculty Governance Award

Each academic year, the Missouri State University Faculty Senate is pleased to invite nominations for the Eric Shade Memorial Faculty Governance Award. 

Dr. Eric Shade (1965–2015) was an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Missouri State University. Dr. Shade was dedicated to upholding the finest academic tradition of shared governance. He served with distinction as Parliamentarian of the Faculty Senate on eight occasions between 2005 and 2015, as well as serving on numerous Senate councils/committees. Following Dr. Shade’s passing in 2015, the Faculty Senate established this award to recognize faculty members who distinguish themselves through sustained and effective service in Faculty Senate and its councils and committees. 

Eligibility:  Any current fulltime faculty member not serving as an administrator may be nominated for the award.

Criteria:  Recipients of the award shall demonstrate a significant commitment to the principles of faculty governance within the University. Nominees should be able to document a record of sustained excellence and substantial contributions to faculty governance through service in Faculty Senate and on Senate councils/committees over a period of years.  

Nomination Process:  Individuals may be nominated by other faculty members or may nominate themselves. Once nominated, a faculty member will be asked to submit to the Faculty Senate Chair a 1-2 page letter outlining his/her contributions to faculty governance, a CV listing service in Senate and on Senate councils/committees, and the names of 2-3 references who can speak to the quality of his/her service. The Faculty Senate Executive Committee selects the award winner each spring semester.

Deadline:  Nominations must be submitted to the Faculty Senate Chair by January 27. Nominees will be contacted by January 31. Nominees must submit a letter, CV, and names of three references by February 15. Given the short turn-around time, it may be a good idea for those nominating anyone other than themselves to give a verbal notification to their nominee/s so that they can begin working on their applications. The award will be announced at a spring session of the Faculty Senate and presented at the University’s spring awards ceremony.

Award: The annual award winner will have his/her name placed on a permanent plaque displayed in Carrington Hall and will receive a personal award plaque and a $500 cash award.

AWARD RECIPIENTS

2016 – Rhonda Ridinger
2017 – Cindy Hail
2018 – Margaret Weaver
2019 – Pauline Nugent
2020 – No recipient
2021 – Cynthia MacGregor & Thomas Dicke
2022 – Tom Kane
2023 – Micheal Foster