FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Southeastern Conference has announced that Elliott West, the Alumni Distinguished Professor of History and faculty member in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, is the recipient of the 2012 Faculty Achievement Award.

The award honors professors from SEC universities with outstanding records in teaching and scholarship who serve as role models for other faculty and students.

“This diverse group of men and women share a passionate dedication not just for teaching, but for empowering their students with the knowledge and wisdom to make a difference in our world,” said Bernie Machen, president of the University of Florida and president of the Southeastern Conference. “Some of the finest minds have studied on our campuses, and we have the SEC university professors to thank for helping to position them for success.”

SEC Faculty Achievement Award winners, one from each university, will receive a $5,000 honorarium and become his or her university’s nominee for the SEC Professor of the Year Award. The SEC Professor of the Year receives an additional $15,000 honorarium and will be recognized during the annual SEC Spring Banquet in May.

“We were thrilled that Elliott West was selected as the U of A’s SEC Faculty Achievement Award recipient and pleased that he is our nominee for the SEC Faculty of the Year Award. To be able to nominate a professor as talented as Dr. West is a privilege,” said Provost Sharon Gaber. “He has been honored again and again with regional and national awards for his excellence and accomplishments in teaching, research and writing. I am in awe of his work and pleased he is the first of our faculty members to receive this award.”

The SEC Faculty Achievement and SEC Professor of the Year Awards were created this year to honor and celebrate, at the Conference level, university faculty and their achievements and contributions in scholarship, research and service. The SEC is the only Division I conference within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) currently recognizing university faculty for their achievements, unrelated to athletics or student-athletes.

To be eligible, a professor must be a teacher or scholar at an SEC university; have achieved the rank of full professor at an SEC university; have a record of extraordinary teaching; and have a record of scholarship that is recognized nationally or internationally.