Establishing a CSE Chair or Professorship

Chairs and professorships are the highest honor that can be bestowed on a faculty member. Endowing a chair is one of the most effective means of attracting and nurturing outstanding scholars—and retaining top faculty, who are often pursued by other universities.

• Chairs and professorships are almost always funded by gifts—private support—to the University. These substantial investments in CSE's faculty reap immeasurable benefits far into the future. Endowed chairs and professorships that attract and support distinguished faculty are among the most effective and important ways you can help provide a high-quality education for our students and, at the same time, encourage cutting-edge research.
• CSE's endowment is professionally managed and invested for growth through the University of Minnesota Foundation. The college's endowment spending policy preserves and increases the value of the endowment, and a portion of the interest earned on the principal, currently 4.5%, which is used to fund the chair or professorship. By protecting the principal investment, the endowment provides support in perpetuity, which overtime, will increase as the value of the principal increases.
• A minimum of $3,000,000 is required for an endowed chair and a minimum of $1,500,000 is required for an endowed professorship.

           A gift of...               Provides permanent annual faculty support of * ...

         $3,000,000                 $135,000

         $1,500,000                 $67,500

^{* Annual distribution is set at 4.5% of the endowed fund’s 5-year trailing average}

• When you establish a chair or professorship in CSE, you will be invited to participate in determining the criteria for this prestigious award. For example, you may wish to consider giving preference to faculty teaching or doing research in a specific discipline. The college will be happy to assist you in deciding what the faculty qualifications should be for your chair or professorship.
• You will have the opportunity to name the fund in your own name, in honor or memory of someone, or in the name of your company. Most importantly, you will also get the chance to meet the faculty recipient of your named chair or professorship, which is a meaningful occasion for faculty and donors alike.

To view our current list of endowed faculty, visit the CSE honorary professorships and chairs website.

Ways to fund an endowed chair or professorship

• An endowed chair or professorship may be funded through an outright gift over a period up to five years. For example, a $1,500,000 gift could be achieved through five annual installments of $300,000. After the endowment is established, additional gifts to the endowment may be given at any time to increase the endowment principal.
   
• Endowments can be created with gifts of cash, securities, and other assets. They can be established through one-time gifts, estate gifts, and multi-year pledges. Explore your giving options.