[Moderate revision–posted 11/27/23 (replaces 11/9/22 edition)]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 32.13: The Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award

DATE: November 27, 2023

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to establish the policy that governs the selection of recipients of the Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed in September of each year by the Vice Provost for Faculty Success and the Provost and Senior Vice President.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1.  Description

The Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award is designed to recognize members of the Texas Tech University teaching faculty for teaching excellence, as evidenced by their attainment of distinction both within and beyond the institution for outstanding teaching and outstanding contributions related to excellence in teaching. This award will be presented to up to four recipients per academic year. The awards will be accompanied by a cash prize of $5,000 each.

2.  Nomination Procedure

a.    Each dean may nominate one faculty member designated for the award, using a procedure determined by that college, except that the College of Arts & Sciences may submit two nominees. The nomination package shall contain the materials specified in Attachment A and shall be uploaded to the online application portal.

The dean will seek nominations from department chairs or other sources familiar with the nominee’s on-campus teaching record and with the nominee’s reputation outside the campus. Internal and external letters of support should be included in the nomination.

The Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award Nomination Form and checklist (Attachment A) must be followed for each nomination.

b.    A committee comprised of the Executive Council of the Teaching Academy, the President of the Faculty Senate, and a previous Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award winner (appointed by the chair of the Executive Council of the Teaching Academy) will review the nominations.

c.    Teaching Academy Executive Council members may not write letters of support for the Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award because Executive Council members serve as reviewers for this award.

3.  Eligibility and Criteria for Selection

a.    Members of the faculty who hold the rank of dean or above are not eligible for nomination for a Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award.

b.    Nominees are not required to be members of the Texas Tech Teaching Academy.

c.    The primary basis for selection for a Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award shall be the attainment of distinction within and beyond the institution for outstanding teaching and contributions to teaching excellence, in addition to demonstrated sustained excellence as noted in this section, while on the faculty at Texas Tech University.

d.    Nominees must be current full-time faculty members at Texas Tech and have been a member of the faculty for a minimum of three years (see Attachment A for a list of eligible faculty titles). An individual may receive this award only once.

e.    Attainment of distinction as described in this section shall be determined on the basis of the supporting evidence. Internal and external evidence of the nominee’s professional achievements related to teaching may include, but are not limited to, those suggested in the lists below. The Application Checklist found in Attachment A specifies the format to be used for presenting the supporting evidence.

(1)    Sample Internal Evidence

(a)    Evidence that the nominee has explored and developed effective instructional methods, technologies, and models of teaching that foster student learning;

(b)    Demonstrated outstanding, exemplary performance in working actively with students, faculty, and administrators to improve undergraduate and/or graduate education at Texas Tech University and to engage in other activities directed toward the improvement of instruction;

(c)    Evidence that the nominee integrates teaching, research/creative activities, and service, including community outreach and engagement;

(d)    Peer review (both internal and external) of, for example, the nominee’s course syllabi, learning objectives, evaluation and assessment tools, and exemplars of student work;

(e)    Letters of support by current and/or former students at Texas Tech University; and

(f)    Letters of support by current colleagues at Texas Tech University.

(2)    Sample External Evidence

(a)    Awards, prizes, or other types of recognition from learned societies, professional organizations, or foundations for outstanding teaching and contributions related to excellence in teaching at the state or national level;

(b)    Evidence of impact of teaching on external audiences such as participants in continuing education or extension programs or professional development workshops;

(c)    Evidence of awards or peer-reviewed grants in support of teaching activities from nationally recognized funding sources;

(d)    Outstanding service or contributions related to teaching made to learned societies or professional organizations;

(e)    Papers on pedagogy presented to learned societies or professional organizations;

(f)    Lectures, workshops, or other presentations related to teaching excellence delivered at academic institutions, meetings or conferences of professional organizations, or to business and industry;

(g)    Service as expert, consultant, etc., to business and industry, governmental agencies, and educational organizations in support of teaching excellence;

(h)    Evidence of influence on the teaching of colleagues outside the university and on the pedagogy of the nominee’s discipline or other disciplines;

(i)    The publication of books, articles, reviews, and other evidence particular to teaching activities. Publications shall be in refereed scholarly journals or sources customary to the field of teaching excellence. Although publications may be used to support a nomination, it is not intended that publications be a primary criterion for selection; and

(j)    Letters of support by colleagues and/or former students external to Texas Tech University.

f.    Packets not meeting the requirements set forth in this OP will be disqualified.

g.    Questions pertaining to the award eligibility and criteria for selection should be directed to the chair of the Executive Council of the Teaching Academy.

 

Attachment A: The Chancellor's Council Distinguished Teaching Award Nomination Form

Attachment B: Rating Sheet for The Chancellor's Council Distinguished Teaching Award

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