Academic Policy  1405.17 

Instructions and Guidelines for Preparation of Nominations for the Alumni Association Faculty Distinguished Achievement Awards and the Charles and Nadine Baum Faculty Teaching Award

These guidelines are designed to facilitate the uniform and equitable consideration by the selection committee of nominees for the annual awards sponsored by the Alumni Association and the Charles and Nadine Baum Foundation.

Four awards will be given: the Baum Award for full, university or distinguished professors, and the Alumni Association Faculty Distinguished Achievement Awards – (1) Rising Teaching Award for assistant or associate professors (2) research/creative activity and (3) public service. Materials for research/creative activity and public service awards should also include teaching documentation. However, the Alumni Association Faculty Distinguished Achievement Awards [(2) and (3)] will be given primarily on the strength of the research/creative activity or service documentation.

  1. Selection Process
    1. The awards selection processes are combined.

    2. Deans will develop a faculty committee to select nominees from the school, college, or library (no more than a total of four nominees, regardless of category(s) in which documentation is provided). [Faculty from Fulbright College may nominate a total of six individuals.] Faculty with a dual appointment across colleges/schools should only be nominated by one college/school.

    3. The faculty committee recommendation shall be forwarded to the dean. The dean shall provide a recommendation letter for inclusion in the nominee’s packet.

    4. The nominee’s packet shall be uploaded to the Awards SharePoint Site by someone in the dean’s office of the college/school and notification sent to the provost’s office.

    5. The Provost will arrange for a committee of faculty, students, and alumni to select award recipients from nominations received from the deans.

    6. Typically, Alumni Awards are not given for combined accomplishment but may be considered if the nominee’s credentials are unusually noteworthy.

  2. Nominee Considerations
    1. Nominees shall not have received the Charles and Nadine Baum Faculty Teaching Award or the Alumni Distinguished Faculty Achievement Awards (research, service, rising teaching) previously in the same category. However, a candidate who has received an award in one category but not another is eligible for another category (i.e., previous recipient for Baum is eligible for research or service.)

    2. Candidates who are non-tenure track faculty are eligible for consideration—recognizing that they will be evaluated on their workload expectations.

    3. Nominating materials should indicate which category or categories of accomplishment are supported by documentation.

  3. Deadlines
    1. Nominations are due in the office of the dean of the college or unit to which the nominee is assigned no later than March 15 or the first working day following that date.

    2. Nominations are due in the Office of the Provost no later than March 28 or the first working day following that date.

  4. Documentation for Baum Teaching Award and/or Faculty Distinguished Achievement Award Nomination (Rising Teaching; Research; Service)
    NOTE: The Baum Teaching Award is designated for a faculty member whose status is full, university or distinguished professor. The award for the “Rising Teaching Award” is for a faculty member who is an assistant or associate professor. This award is considered a “Rising Teaching Award” because the faculty member is early in their career, but has brought distinguished results.
    1. Nomination materials are limited to no more than 25 pages. [Do not submit copies or reprints of publications, including books, conference reports, technical reports, etc. If these are desired, the selection committee will request them. Detailed teacher evaluations should be summarized rather than submitted.]

    2. A traditional vita must be attached in the nomination materials.

    3. List the courses taught each semester for the past three years. Provide course number and title and enrollment for each course. Include the direction of graduate student research and provide descriptions as appropriate.

    4. Provide a consolidated syllabus (or assignment sheet) for each course.

    5. Include descriptions of innovative or unusual teaching techniques or procedures.

    6. Provide information on any participation in course and curriculum development or revision and on any individual teaching development activities.

    7. Provide any other documentation, such as a personal statement on teaching philosophy, practice and goals; synopsis of student activities under the nominee’s direction; or a teaching portfolio.

    8. Describe any awards, honors, or recognition received for teaching or received by students for accomplishments under the nominee’s direction.

    9. Evaluations
      • Include an evaluation by the chairperson for the past year.
      • Include three-to-six peer evaluations.
      • Include a consolidated chart reporting student evaluation of each class taught in the past three years and copies of the evaluation summary sheet for each class if available.
      • Evaluations by former students may be included. If the evaluations were solicited for the nomination process, the solicitation process should be described.
      • Include any evidence of the accomplishments of former students.

  5. Documentation for Outstanding Research, Scholarship or Creative Activity
    Nominating Statement
    This portion of the nomination letter should specifically state the basis for the nomination in this category and serve as a guide to the research materials submitted in support of the nomination. It should link assertions concerning accomplishment or ability to supporting evidence. It should be interpretive and evaluative. It should state the most important contributions of the nominee to his or her field(s) of research or creative endeavor.
    1. Publications and Research Reports (or Creative Activity)
      1. A traditional vita must be attached in the nomination materials (which includes bibliography of refereed and non-refereed publications, scholarship, and/or creative activity in the past five years).

      2. List papers/ presentations (title, date, audience or group addressed, and whether refereed or not refereed.)

      3. List reports for proprietary agencies, etc.

    2. Evaluations
      1. State the significance of the research, scholarship or creative endeavor to the discipline or field. (This statement must be made by someone other than the nominee.) List citations of most important work.

      2. Describe ways in which the research or creative activities have benefited students at the University, including descriptions of the work of students of the nominee and their achievements.

    3. Research Support
      1. List grants received from outside the University: title of project, funding agency, period of support.

      2. Describe any grants or special allocations of University funds to support the research or creative activity of the nominee. Include a statement of how much release time, per year, has been allowed for research.

  6. Documentation for Outstanding Public Service
    Nominating Statement
    This portion of the nomination letter should specifically state the basis for the nomination in this category and serve as a guide to the public service materials submitted in support of the nomination. It should link assertions concerning accomplishment or ability to supporting evidence. It should be interpretive and evaluative. It should state the most important contributions of the nominee to his or her field(s) of public service, identifying public service to the institution separately from public service to the profession.
    1. Professionally-Related Public Service Activities
      1. A traditional vita must be attached in the nomination materials.

      2. For each public service activity to the university, region, state, country, or internationally, supply such data as the following: (a) nature of the activity; (b) contributions made by the nominee, with dates; and (c) statement on benefits, especially those to the institution, to students, and to colleagues from this activity.

      3. For each professional organization to which service has been contributed, supply such data as the following: (a) contributions made by the nominee to the organization (include offices held with dates, special activities, meetings attended); (b) statement on benefits to nominee, to students, and to colleagues from participation in this organization; and (c) contributions of the organization to the profession and other accomplishments.

      4. Detail other kinds of public service, including data concerning numbers of individuals or groups served and nature of contributions. [Such service might include applied research, consulting and technical assistance, or clinical work and performance, for example.

    2. Evaluations
      1. State the significance of the professionally-related public service described above. An evaluation by a known authority would be valuable.

      2. Describe ways in which the professionally-related public service activities have benefited students, colleagues, the University, the state, or others.

      3. Provide data on awards or recognition of other kinds for public service activities.

  7. Award Venue
    1. The Charles and Nadine Baum Faculty Teaching Award and the Alumni Awards will be presented during the Homecoming Weekend during the Alumni Awards Celebration.

Reformatted for Web October 9, 2014
2/14/13