Texas Tech University

Faculty Awards and Procedures

Please refer to OP 32.24 for more information, nomination guidelines and forms. 

Barnie E. Rushing, Jr., Faculty Distinguished Research Awards (2)

Criteria: Excellence in research, scholarship, and creative activity.

Nominations: Nominated by faculty, with approval and final selection by the deans of the colleges in which nominees hold faculty appointments. 

Procedure: Screening by the deans to select one nominee per college, except two for Arts & Sciences. Screening by Research Advisory Council and recommendations to Texas Tech Parents Association.

Contact Person:Leeann Slaughter 

Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research Award (4 anticipated)

Criteria: See OP 32.21

Nominations: Nominations originate with and are approved by the deans of the colleges in which nominees hold faculty appointments. https://ttu.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1912298 

Procedure: Selection by an appropriate university committee. Recommendation from the OR&I to President for review and approval. Formal memo recommendation from President to Chancellor.

Contact Person: Kerri Pike

Chancellor's Council Distinguished Teaching Award (4 anticipated)

Criteria: See OP 32.13

Nominations: Nominated by the deans of the colleges in which the nominees hold a faculty appointment. Use the submission portal to upload nominations.

Procedure: Selection by the Executive Council of the Teaching Academy and the president of Faculty Senate with recommendations to the Provost and the Provost recommends finalist to the President for review and approval. Formal memo recommendation from President to Chancellor.

Contact Person: Kerri Pike

Faculty Development Leaves

Criteria: See OP 32.29. Note: External letters are to be received by the applicant directly and included as part of the application packet.

Nominations: See OP 32.29

Procedure: See OP 32.29. The Faculty Development Leave Committee reviews all applications on basis of need and merit as justified in the proposals and recommends them to the Provost. The Provost recommends to the President for consideration by the Board of Regents who have final approval of Faculty Development Leaves.

Contact Person:Abby Walton 

Faculty Distinguished Leadership Award (unlimited nominations)

Criteria: For record of outstanding service to the department, college, or university. Granted as merited, not necessarily annually.

Nominations: Nominated by faculty.

Procedure: Screening by Honors and Awards Council. Recommendations to Texas Tech Parents Association.

Contact Person:Chris Mosher or Abby Walton

Hemphill-Wells New Professor Excellence in Teaching Award (unlimited nominations)

Criteria: A professor who has been at Texas Tech no more than four years and whose excellence in teaching has been attested by students, faculty, and administrators.

Nominations: Nominated by faculty. 

Procedure: Screening by Honors and Awards Council. Recommendations to Texas Tech Parents Association.

Contact Person:Chris Mosher or Abby Walton

Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professorships

Criteria: See OP 32.09

Nominations: See OP 32.09

Procedure: See OP 32.09

Contact Person:Chris Mosher or Abby Walton 

Piper Professor Nominations (1)

Criteria: Primarily for teaching and work with undergraduate students. https://comptroller.texas.gov/programs/education/msp/funding/programs/ppnominationform.php

Nominations: Nominations to the Faculty Senate

Procedure: Screening by Honors and Awards Council. Provost recommends to Piper Foundation.

Contact Person: Chris Mosher or Abby Walton 

President's Academic Achievement Awards (1 per college)

Criteria: Excellence in achievement across the teaching-research service missions of the university. Three years of faculty service, recognition by peers in one or more areas, evidence of productive scholarship, and demonstrated competence in the three areas.

Nominations: Nominated by the dean by letter, including vita and up to three support letters.

Procedure: Reviewed by Honors and Awards Council. Recommendations to Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President.

Contact Person:  Chris Mosher or Abby Walton

President's Emerging Engaged Scholarship Award

Criteria: To recognize faculty for a relatively new engaged scholarship project or activity that addresses an important community needs and/or seeks to discover solutions to larger societal issues based on mutually beneficial partnership with communities. The project/activity shows outstanding promise for significant impact on communities/society, as well as teaching/learning, research/creative activity, and scholarship. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/outreach-engagement/faculty/exemplary-engaged-scholarship-awards/index.php

Nominations: Nominated by faculty, dean, or chair. 

Procedure: A committee comprised of the Assistant Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement and engaged faculty and administrators from various TTU colleges and schools reviews and rates the nominations according to pre-determined criteria, and recommends the highest ranking nominees as awards recipients to the Provost.

Contact Person:Lindsay Rigney 

President's Excellence in Faculty Peer Mentorship Award

Criteria: To recognize faculty for exemplary and sustained activity in faculty mentorship at Texas Tech University as evidenced through both official and unofficial mentorship roles along with demonstrated success of mentees. Candidates show an ongoing commitment to continued education in mentorship. Tenured or continuing appointment faculty members with three years of documented mentorship service recognized by peers may be considered. 

Nominations: Nominated by faculty, chair, or Dean. 

Procedure: A committee comprised of the Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Success and engaged faculty and administrators from various TTU colleges and schools reviews, rates the nominations according to pre-determined criteria, and recommends the highest-ranking nominee as the award recipient to the Provost. 

Contact Person: Suzanne Tapp 

President's Excellence in Commercialization Award

Criteria: To recognize outstanding contributions to the commercialization of innovative work conducted by Texas Tech University faculty. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/research/award-ops/presidents-commercialization-award.php

Nominations: Tenured or tenure-track faculty members are nominated by deans, with up to 2 nominations from each college.

Procedure: Screening by Associate Deans for Research who recommend a recipient to Provost and OR&I. The Provost and OR&I shall forward this recommendation to the President.

Contact Person:Leeann Slaughter

President's Excellence in Engaged Scholarship Award

Criteria: To recognize faculty for an exemplary and sustained engaged scholarship project or activity that addresses an important community needs and/or discovers solutions to larger societal issues based on mutually beneficial partnership with communities. The project/activity shows evidence of significant impact on communities/society, as well as teaching/learning, research/creative activity, and scholarship.  https://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/outreach-engagement/faculty/excellence-in-engaged-scholarship-awards/index.php

Nominations: Nominated by faculty, dean, or chair. 

Procedure: A committee comprised of the Assistant Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement and engaged faculty and administrators from various TTU colleges and schools reviews and rates the nominations according to pre-determined criteria, and recommends the highest-ranking nominees as awards recipients to the Provost.

Contact Person:Lindsay Rigney 

President's Excellence in Faculty Peer Mentoring

Criteria: To recognize faculty for exemplary and sustained activity in faculty mentorship at Texas Tech University as evidenced through both official and unofficial mentorship roles along with demonstrated success of mentees. Candidates show an ongoing commitment to continued education in mentorship. Tenured or continuing appointment faculty members with three years of documented mentorship service recognized by peers may be considered. 

Nominations: Nominated by faculty, chair, or Dean.  

Procedure: A committee comprised of the Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Success and engaged faculty and administrators from various TTU colleges and schools reviews, rates the nominations according to pre-determined criteria, and recommends the highest-ranking nominee as the award recipient to the Provost. The award carries a monetary prize of $1,500.

Application Process: The application can be found online here.

Due Date:  February 13, 2024

Contact: Please address any concerns regarding eligibility or support materials to the Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Success, Suzanne Tapp, or Kerri Pike.

President's Excellence in Teaching Awards (1 per college; up to 4 in A&S)

Criteria: Excellence in teaching role.

Nominations: Nominated by the dean by letter summarizing teaching activities. 

Procedure: Deans recommend to the Office of the Provost.

Contact Person:  Chris Mosher or Abby Walton

President's Faculty Book Awards (3)

Criteria: See OP 32.24; © 2022

Nominations: Nominated by submission of two copies of book published and copyrighted in 2022. Information Sheet (OP 32.24, Attachment B, page 2).

Procedure: Submissions are reviewed by the select committee, the President's Book Award Committee. Committee recommends award recipients to the Provost, and the Provost recommends finalists to President.

Contact Person:Chris Mosher or Abby Walton 

Provost's Institutional Effectiveness in Excellence Award

Criteria: To recognize an academic department for institutional effectiveness, as evidenced by the department's commitment to continuous improvement and to improving student learning at the degree program level. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/opa/networkingandawards/ie_award/IEaward.php

Nominations: Nominated by the dean in form of a submitted packet.

Procedure: A committee comprised of the Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness, Managing Director of the Office of Planning and Assessment, Associate Director of the Office of Planning and Assessment, and three representatives from the University Level Institutional Effectiveness Committee will review the nominations and recommend award(s) to Provost.

Contact Person:Jennifer Hughes

Spencer A. Wells Award for Creativity in Teaching (unlimited nominations)

Criteria: Creativity of the professor's approach to excellent teaching, as attested by students, faculty members, and administrators.

Nominations: Nominated by faculty.

Procedure: Screening by Honors and Awards Council. Recommendations to Texas Tech Parents Association.

Contact Person: Chris Mosher or Abby Walton

Teaching Academy Departmental Excellence in Teaching Award

Criteria: Department or comparable academic unit demonstrates the existence of a “teaching culture,” which reflects a commitment to students, makes teaching a high departmental priority and facilitates teaching excellence throughout the department.  https://www.depts.ttu.edu/tlpdc/Teaching_Academy/Teaching_Awards/Deta.php

Nominations: Department submits application for consideration.

Procedure: Selection Committee is composed of one Teaching Academy member from each college (two from Arts & Sciences) and two alternates. Provost who is in consultation with the Executive Council of the Teaching Academy will appoint the Selection Committee and alternates.

Contact Person: Molly Jacobs 

Texas Tech Alumni Association New Faculty Award (1 per college)

Criteria: Maximum of four years total as a faculty member, based on student evaluations, innovative teaching activities, initiation of research/creative activities, and interaction with students.

Nominations: Nominated by the deans of the colleges in which the nominees hold a faculty appointment. 

Procedure: Deans recommend to Provost who notifies Alumni Association.

Contact Person:Kahlie Callison

 

 

Faculty Success