[Moderate revision–posted 8/11/25 (replaces 11/27/23 edition)]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 32.13: The Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award

DATE: August 11, 2025

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 recognizes members of the Texas Tech University teaching faculty for teaching excellence, as evidenced by documentation of their efforts 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 (4) recipients per academic year. Each award will be accompanied by a cash prize of $5,000.

2.  Nomination Procedure

a.    Each dean may nominate one (1) faculty member to be considered for the award, using a procedure determined by that college, except that the College of Arts & Sciences may submit two (2) nominees. The nomination package must contain the materials specified in Attachment A and must be uploaded to the online application portal.

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

The online 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) must 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 is recognition of the nominee’s efforts 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 (3) years. An individual may receive this award only once.

e.    Recognition of a nominee’s efforts as described in this section must be determined on the basis of the supporting evidence submitted with the nomination. Internal and external evidence of the nominee’s professional achievements related to teaching are required and may include, but are not limited to, those suggested in the lists below. The review committee will also look for indicators that align with the pillars of teaching excellence (student-centered, intentional, evidence-based, and engaging). 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 improved 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 examples of student work;

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

(f)    Letters of support from 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 from nationally recognized funding sources in support of teaching activities;

(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. Such publications must 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 from colleagues and/or former students external to Texas Tech University.

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

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: Application Checklist

Attachment B: The Chancellor's Council Distinguished Teaching Award Scoring Rubric

OP Categories

• 01 Chancellor
• 02 Development
• 04 Audit Services
• 10 President
• 30 Academic and Student Affairs – General
• 32 Academic Policies – Faculty
• 34 Academic Policies – Students
• 36 Academic Programs
• 40 Equal Opportunity
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