The UA Little Rock Foundation Fund Board in 1988 instituted a series of annual awards to recognize and reward faculty excellence in three specified areas of performance: teaching, research or creative endeavors, and professional and public service. In 2022, the UA Little Rock Faculty Senate created two new award areas: rising faculty award for excellence and award for excellence in social justice.
Recognition is accorded at the college level and at the University level. College winners are recognized and University winners are announced at an annual ceremony each spring.
Teaching
This award is to recognize, encourage, and reward superior classroom teachers—individuals whose command of their respective disciplines, teaching methodologies, communications skills, concern for student performance, and commitment to the learning process exemplify the teacher/mentor model.
Research or Creative Endeavors
This award is to recognize, encourage, and reward those individuals whose research or creative endeavors have been particularly successful and are so recognized locally, regionally, and nationally. The results of these efforts should have contributed to the expansion of knowledge; enriched the quality of life through research or creative work; and encouraged additional research or creative work.
Service
This award is to recognize, encourage, and reward those individuals who have brought credit to UA Little Rock through their exemplary service to the campus community and/or through their successful efforts in applying the content or skills of their academic disciplines in service to the community, state, or nation. This award is designed to distinguish those persons whose achievements in service have been particularly successful and are so recognized locally, regionally, and/or nationally.
Rising Faculty Award for Excellence
This award is to recognize, encourage, and reward the contributions of any full-time faculty demonstrating exceptional promise in teaching, research or creative endeavors, or service during their first five years at UA Little Rock.
Award for Excellence in Social Justice
This award recognizes a faculty member’s commitment to the broad concept of social justice, the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political, and social rights and opportunities. This award recognizes outstanding accomplishments and general impact in any or all of the areas of teaching, service, and research or creative endeavors. Relevant activities include but are not limited to those that advance a just and equitable society for all, promote a sense of inclusion and increased well-being for all, and contribute to equal opportunity in the university, the community, or the field of study.