Davis Division of the Academic Senate
Distinguished Teaching Awards
2007 Call for Nominations

November 20, 2007

The Davis Division of the Academic Senate invites nominations of candidates for the 2007-08 Distinguished Teaching Awards.

Please note there are two separate categories:

• Distinguished Teaching Award - for Undergraduate Teaching
• Distinguished Teaching Award - for Graduate and Professional Teaching

Nominations must clearly designate the appropriate category and are sought from any member of the academic community: students, faculty, staff, alumni, departments or units. Successful nominations provide the perspective of both students and faculty.

Nominations must be submitted electronically as one packet and include the following :

• A nomination form which can be downloaded here:[PDF] or [Word Doc].
• Two letters each containing no more than 1200 words:
• written by a student or alumni who has been a direct beneficiary of the candidate's teaching. The letter should contain the student perspective and reference excellence in terms of lecture/presentation, course organization, innovation, student advising, mentoring, etc. It is strongly recommended that this letter be written by one or more current or former students.
• written by a faculty member (the nominee's department (unit) Chair or by a colleague who is familiar with the nominee's qualifications for the award.) The letter should document a long-term perspective of excellence and high standards in all aspects of the nominee's contributions to the teaching program.
• (For Graduate/Professional Teaching category nominations only) A list of students for whom the nominee has served as major professor.

Send your nomination packet (be sure to include the nomination form) electronically to Bryan Rodman, Academic Senate, at: bdrodman@ucdavis.edu .

The nominators should identify excellence in a broad range of teaching activities, including mentoring. The letters should provide a reasonably comprehensive account of the special qualities and accomplishments that warrant the candidate's being considered as a Distinguished Teacher, and may draw upon a wide range of comments. Those who prepare the letters should keep in mind that the committee is especially interested in receiving information that documents an instructor's effectiveness.

Previous Committees on Distinguished Teaching Awards have found that characteristics such as the following are important:

(Nominators should view this as a suggestive, rather than exhaustive, list.)

• The objectives, philosophy, and principles associated with the selection of course content.
• The organization, clarity of lectures/presentations, and integration of lectures with class work.
• The use of evaluation as a pedagogical tool.
• The command of subject matter and the ability to relate the subject to current developments, to historical precedents, and to future research and educational activities on the part of the students.
• The ability to stimulate thought and involvement in the educational process, and the ability to teach students how to learn so that they can develop an independent program of sustained learning.
• Significant contributions to improved and innovative teaching.
• Responsiveness and concern for the education and welfare of students.
• Advising and mentoring in terms of the academic activities, career objectives, and personal welfare of students.
• Accomplishments as measured by the success of students in subsequent academic and career activities.

Supporting material, other than the two letters (and the list in the case of the Graduate/Professional category), should not be submitted with the original nomination; however, the nominators should insure that documentary evidence to support the nomination will be available if requested by the Committee. The Committee relies heavily upon material presented to it; therefore it is important that the letters of preliminary nomination make the best case possible within the space limitation.

Dossiers for Finalists: The Academic Senate Committee on Distinguished Teaching Awards will review the nominations and will select a slate of final candidates for further consideration. A more complete dossier for each of these finalists will be requested for close review by the Committee. The Committee is permitted to select between one and six awardees for each academic year.

Eligibility: All members of the Academic Senate, Lecturers (100 percent) with Security of Employment, Assistant, Associate, Full Professors, and Emeriti who have not previously won the award are eligible. Previous nominees who have not received the award may be renominated. Normally a candidate must have taught at UC Davis for at least four years to be considered. Awardees receive cash awards which may be used in any manner to improve teaching on the Davis campus.

Deadline for Nominations: All nominations must be received as one packet electronically in the Academic Senate Office by 5:00 PM, Friday, January 11, 2008.

Nominations should be addressed to: The Committee on Distinguished Teaching Awards, Academic Senate Office, 402 Mrak Hall. The Committee is normally composed of five faculty representatives, two undergraduate students and one graduate student.

Questions concerning nominations may be addressed to Bryan Rodman, Academic Senate office (752-3920) at the above address.

Sincerely,
Krishnan Nambiar, Chair
Academic Senate Distinguished Teaching Awards Committee

Previous DTA Recipients