The following clarification of the criteria for appointment of Distinguished Professors was provided in a 2004.6.8 letter from Dean Gillian Small.

The rank of Distinguished Professor is reserved for a very small group of scholars and artists who have truly achieved positions of national leadership in their fields.  Such leadership is typically based on a large body of work over an extended career, one that is recognized by authoritative peers as having had a major impact on the field by advancing understanding, influencing the work of others, and often, defining new directions of inquiry or creativity.  We look for other indications of professional accomplishment as well, including such achievements as: major awards, prizes, grants, and fellowships; visiting appointments at top ranking institutions; publication with the most highly regarded presses and journals; exhibits or performances in leading venues; leadership in major professional organizations; and a record of training younger scholars who have themselves begun to make important contributions.