The Office of Academic Affairs is here to support faculty and recognize their accomplishments in teaching, scholarship and creative works, and service. The grants, awards, professional leave, and professional development opportunities detailed below provide tangible benefits to faculty and are among the most important ways Academic Affairs promotes and celebrates faculty activity.
These awards encourage research, scholarship and the development of creative works.
Application ProcessTo be used for faculty development such as conferences, research, and those events that will further faculty development and success at EWU.
Application ProcessThis purpose of this professorship is to enhance the university’s ability to attract, retain, and honor distinguished faculty.
Application ProcessThe purpose of the professorship is to work with public schools and community leaders to help turn schools into places that develop informed, active citizens as well as engage and educate current EWU students, faculty and staff in civics.
Application Process2025 Distinguished Service Awards for Classified & Exempt Staff
Distinguished Service Awards are given to individuals in recognition of outstanding service to the University. The awards recognize individuals whose service is generally acknowledged by the university community to be an exceptional contribution to the support and maintenance of the university’s programs, physical environment and service to the public. These awards include a bronze medallion and a check for $1,000.
**4-11-2025 Update: 2025 Trustees’ Medal Award for Faculty nominations are closed. **
The 2024-2025 EWU Medals & Awards Committee consists of 12 university and local community members. The committee has responsibility for:
Please direct any questions or concerns to Bekah Bray at 509.359.6139 or rbray2@ewu.edu.
The Medals & Awards Committee reviews nominations for two university award categories each year: Distinguished Service Awards, presented to classified and exempt staff, and the Trustees’ Medal, presented to faculty.
Review the instructions first before completing the application.
Submit the completed application through the following online link.
**Department chairs submitting Professional Leave applications should identify another faculty member to review their application. Submit the reviewer’s information in the department chair fields.**
Professional Leave applications are administered by Assistant Vice President Gwen Cash-James. The Research and Scholarship Committee, a sub-committee of the Faculty Planning Advisory Council (FPAC), is responsible for reviewing and evaluating applications. The committee is an interdisciplinary group of your peers, including representatives from each of the colleges. Dr. Cash-James convenes the committee and disseminates the results.
Professional Leave reports are submitted to the dean.
Professional Leave reports shall include the following:
** 2-3-2025 Update: Professional Leave application submissions for 2025-2026 are closed. **
Application submissions for 2026-2027 will open by Sep. TBD, 2025.**
The application submission link is not currently available.
Refer to the separate instruction document for detailed guidance for completing the application. Completed applications should be submitted electronically through the online submission link; no paper copies are required. No signatures are required on the application form. Approvals/acknowledgements are obtained via the online WordPress workflow.
Professional leave eligibility is determined according to the EWU-UFE Collective Bargaining Agreement, Section 11.5.
** Deadline for 2026-2027 applications: **
For questions or concerns, please contact Bekah Bray at 509.359.6139 or rbray2@ewu.edu.
Review the instructions first before completing the application. Review tips for grant writing.
** 2-3-2025 Update: Faculty Grant application submissions for 2026-2027 will open by Sep. TBD, 2025.**
The link below is an example application only for Faculty Grants for Research and Creative Works.
Once completed, upload your application as a single PDF.
After you apply, the department chair, dean and co-investigator, if applicable, will receive an email and link to your WordPress online workflow.
The dean will then consult with the department chair. After consulting with the department chair, the dean will acknowledge the receipt of the application, consultation with the department chair and the opportunity to comment on the proposal by approving the workflow.
The department chair will acknowledge they have consulted with the dean by approving the workflow.
Co-investigator Approval
Co-investigators, if applicable, indicate that they understand their proposed research and international travel may implicate federal export control regulations and that the application will be reviewed by the Director of Risk Management in light of those regulations by approving the workflow.
The co-investigator may approve the workflow at any time.
Final Decisions
All final decisions on awarding faculty grants are made by the chief academic officer in consultation with the dean of the college.
Faculty grants for research and creative works are administered by Assistant Vice President Gwen Cash-James. The Research and Scholarship Committee, a sub-committee of the Faculty Planning Advisory Council (FPAC), is responsible for reviewing and evaluating applications. The committee is an interdisciplinary group of your peers, including representatives from each of the colleges. Dr. Cash-James convenes the committee and disseminates the results.
Grant awardees must Submit Final Report
The final report should contain the following:
** 2-3-2025 Update: Faculty Grant Application submissions for 2025-2026 are closed. **
These awards encourage research, scholarship and the development of creative works at EWU. They are designed to provide faculty with the time to undertake research and creative works projects. Funds should be requested primarily to buy time during the summer. You may also request funding for student assistance, travel or equipment when not exceeding a total request of $10,000.
** UPDATED ** 2026-2027 Application Deadlines:
For questions or concerns, please contact Bekah Bray at 509.359.6139 or rbray2@ewu.edu.
**Now accepting applications for Academic Year 2025-2026.**
Applications are evaluated by the Academic Affairs Council.
Application Information & Instructions
In 1991 Valerie Appleton joined the EWU community as an assistant professor in the Applied Psychology Department. She quickly advanced from Assistant to full Professor, program director, assistant dean and finally in 2004 dean of the College of Education & Human Development. Valerie served in that capacity until her untimely death in December 2005.
While at Eastern she was known for her sincerity, leadership, and ability to work with faculty, students, and staff across the university. Among her greatest strengths were creating partnerships with the K-12 system and bringing in extensive applied research grants such as the U.S. Department of Education Training All Teachers, bilingual counseling, and support project.
Valerie valued education and faculty development. To honor Valerie’s passion to better Eastern Washington University the Valerie Appleton Faculty Development fund is to be used for faculty development.
Deadlines:
If you have any questions, please contact Bekah Bray at 509.359.6139 or rbray2@ewu.edu.
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Valerie Appleton Recipients:
The application portal is under construction for the AY2025-2027 Endowed Professorship. It is anticipated to open no later than May 1st, 2025.
William & Patricia Goetter Endowed Professorship in Civics Announcement (April 2025) (in draft)
The EWU Foundation, the Office of the Provost, and the School of Education invite nominations and applications for a faculty appointment as the William & Patricia Goetter Endowed Professorship in Civics.
This professorship was established with an estate gift from William & Patricia Goetter in 2025. Dr. Goetter served 30 years as a professor of education at EWU, completing his tenure as Chair of the Department of Education. Upon his retirement in 2000, he was granted Emeritus status. A graduate of Whitman College, Patricia Smith Goetter worked as a reporter and columnist for the Spokane Valley Herald for many years, served on numerous community and church boards, and collaborated with her husband on writing articles and papers. They were married in 1975 in Spokane Valley.
The purpose of the professorship is to partner with public schools in assisting boards of directors and education and political leaders in the community to transform public schools into learning environments that educate and nurture engaged and informed democratic citizens. Most K-12 public school faculties are technically competent but few are generalists with roots in democratic values that inspire our K-12 students to see our public schools as environments that focus on citizenship empowerment. Democratic values, as advocated by many professional teacher organizations, must be taught, learned and practiced, and embraced if a learning environment is to be credible. These values include devotion to human dignity and freedom to equal rights, to social and economic justice, to rule of law, to civility and truth, to tolerance of diversity, to mutual assistance, to personal and civic responsibility, and to self-restraint and self-respect. Additionally, the scope of this professorship shall engage and educate students in civics beyond K-12 public schools, including the EWU community, specifically current EWU students, faculty and staff.
The person selected for this professorship will serve as the William & Patricia Goetter Professor for the period from September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2027.
Nominations or applications for this endowed professorship are open to any full-time Tenured Faculty, Tenure-Track Faculty, or Special Faculty with a multiple year contract currently employed by EWU. Nominations and applications are accepted from all colleges and disciplines and, consistent with EWU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, nominations and applications from historically underrepresented faculty are encouraged. Nominations of others and self-applications will be accepted.
Nominations or applications must be submitted via the online application portal no later than 5:00pm on Friday, May 30, 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact Tami White at 509.359.7477 or twhite46@ewu.edu.
The application portal is under construction for the AY2025-2027 Endowed Professorship. It is anticipated to open no later than May 1st, 2025.
Applications are evaluated by the Goetter in Civics Professorship selection committee comprised of the Provost (or designee), Chair of the School of Education, and the Associate Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences will oversee this selection process.
Application Information and Instructions (in draft)
Download Application Fillable PDF (in Draft)
The application portal is under construction for the AY2025-2027 Endowed Professorship. It is anticipated to open no later than May 1st, 2025.
The application portal is open for the AY2025-2027 Endowed Professorship.
Applications are evaluated by the Chertok Professorship selection committee comprised of the Dean for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, a representative of Department Chairs, a representative of the Provost, and a representative of the donor(s), if available.
The application portal is open for the AY2025-2027 Endowed Professorship.
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Jeffers W. Chertok Memorial Endowed Professorship Announcement (March 2025)
The EWU Foundation and the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences invite nominations and applications for a faculty appointment as the Jeffers W. Chertok Memorial Endowed Professorship.
This professorship was created to honor the life of Dr. Jeffers W. Chertok who worked at EWU for over 34 years and left a legacy of scholarship, generosity, and genuine care at the university and beyond. The professorship was established through generous donations from private donors including Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Carper and through a match from the State of Washington. The professorship is established for the following purposes:
This professorship will be focused on classic social science theory with emphasis on the origins of thought. To the extent that current or emerging theory is introduced, it should be within the context of analysis from the perspective of the masters. Materials should focus on great thinkers such as Marx, Smith, Plato, Newton, Locke, Hume and others. The focus of this work should be to determine and understand where ideas and beliefs come from and why.
The person selected for this professorship will serve as the Jeffers W. Chertok Professor for the period from September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2027.
Nominations or applications for this endowed professorship are open to any full-time Tenured Faculty, Tenure-Track Faculty, Senior Lecturer, or Lecturer currently employed by EWU. Nominations and applications are accepted from all colleges and disciplines and, consistent with EWU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, nominations and applications from historically underrepresented faculty are encouraged. Nominations of others and self-applications will be accepted.
Nominations or applications must be submitted via the online application portal no later than 5:00pm on Friday, May 23, 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact Tami White at 509.359.7477 or twhite46@ewu.edu.
For your request to be eligible, you must:
The Provost’s Office will be responsible for administration of these procedures. All funding/sponsorship requests will be reviewed and awarded by the Provost. Once we’ve received your request, we will respond via email within 2-3 weeks.
The EWU Provost’s Office is committed to supporting EWU faculty and staff on a range of initiatives and supplemental professional development opportunities through a limited number of annual funding/sponsorship requests. Out-of-cycle funding/sponsorship requests and approvals are to benefit the university community and the state of Washington and be conducted in a manner consistent with the university’s mission, values, and strategic planning goals & initiatives. It is the intent of that all funding/sponsorship requests will be aligned with these goals and initiatives.
