Departmental Excellence in Teaching Award
Application guidelines revised November 1, 2004. Applications due to the Provost Office on February 1, 2007
Description
The Teaching Academy Departmental Excellence in Teaching Award is presented in recognition of a department or comparable academic unit that has made unique and significant contributions to the teaching mission of the University and has esprit de corps in its dedication to the education of students at the undergraduate, graduate, and/or professional level. The Award, given as merited, carries a $25,000 prize, to be used for the enhancement of teaching in any way the department determines. The general criterion for the Award is the existence of a “teaching culture,” which reflects commitment to students, makes teaching a high departmental priority, and facilitates teaching excellence throughout the department.
Eligibility
The award usually will be given to a department. However, because of the diversity of administrative structures within the University, divisions, areas, interdisciplinary programs, entire schools and colleges, and other academic units may be appropriate applicants. No programs will be excluded from consideration. As a general rule, the academic unit will be considered as a whole, e.g., graduate and undergraduate programs will not be considered separately. However, if a particular program within the unit has a unique mission, the unit may request special consideration. In all cases, it is the responsibility of the unit to make a defensible case for the application. (In the remainder of these guidelines, the term “department” refers to the academic unit applying for the award.)
Criteria
The following criteria are intended as guidelines to assist departments in preparing applications. Although the list is “generic,” it is recognized that not all criteria are appropriate to every department or academic unit and criteria relevant for some departments may have been omitted. Any evidence of teaching excellence that is related to the teaching mission of the department may be included in the application:
- What effort does the department make to improve teaching (e.g., colloquia, mentoring, graduate teaching assistant supervision and development, grant support, incentives, conferences, student development, etc.)?
- What contribution does the department make to scholarship on teaching (e.g., conducting research, authoring textbooks)? What is the impact of these contributions? How does the department keep current on teaching research and apply those findings? What is the impact of these applications?
- How does the department make use of a variety of teaching pedagogies? How does the department contribute to interdisciplinary courses or other collaborative teaching efforts that cut across departmental lines? What is the impact of these contributions? How are part-time faculty, adjunct faculty, teaching assistants, and non-tenure track instructors integrated into the “teaching culture” of the department?
- What is the quality of the various program(s) (undergraduate and graduate) or majors managed by the department? This may be assessed through accreditation reviews, performance on standardized tests, placement of graduates (employment or graduate/professional school), alumni surveys, student evaluations, external reviews, etc. Are these the courses in these programs taught by experienced faculty?
- Describe in some detail the planned use for the award money, specifically with regard to its application in improving learning outcomes or with regard to questions 1-4 above.
Materials to Be Submitted
A department desiring to be considered for the Teaching Academy Departmental Excellence in Teaching Award will submit the following materials:
- Cover sheet (see attached format). Cover sheet is not included in page limit.
- Narrative (not to exceed 10 typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 point pages). The Narrative will include:
- Description of department’s role and mission.
- Evidence of teaching excellence as related to award criteria during the past five years.
- Criterion 5 (above) must be addressed in the narrative.
- Appendix A : List of tenured and tenure-track faculty and other full-time and part-time faculty who contribute substantially to the teaching efforts of the department (teaching assistants may be included). List by name and rank. The following information for the current academic year (not to exceed 5 pages):
- Number of FTE faculty
- Number of graduate teaching assistants
- Number of undergraduate majors
- Total undergraduate enrollment
- Number of graduate or professional majors
- Total graduate or professional enrollment
- Appendix B: Other supporting materials (not to exceed 10 pages)
The total application and supporting materials shall not exceed 25 pages.
Selection Committee
The Selection Committee will be composed of one Teaching Academy member from each college (two from Arts & Sciences) and two alternates. Sitting members of the Executive Council are not eligible to serve.
The award will be given as merited, not necessarily every year. Applications are due by February 1, 2007.
Recognition of Awardee
The department selected for the Teaching Academy Departmental Excellence in Teaching award will be recognized at an award luncheon for the departmental faculty and staff, hosted by the President and Provost, as well as at the Spring Faculty Convocation. The department will also receive a $25,000 prize to be used for the enhancement of teaching.
Cover Sheet Format
1/3 down the page place the following, centered:
2005 DEPARTMENTAL EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD APPLICATION
1/3 further down the page place the following, centered:
Name of Department or Academic Unit
Name of Chairperson/Administrator, with Signature Line
Campus Address and Telephone Number
Name of Person Preparing the Application (If Different From the Chairperson/Administrator), with Signature Line
SUBMIT SIGNED COVER SHEET, APPLICATION,
AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS,
NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 1, 2007 TO:
OFFICE OF THE PROVOST, MS 2019
For additional information, please contact , Chair, Executive Council of the Teaching Academy.