Criteria and Procedures
Each spring Trustees’ Teaching Awards are made to honor teaching during the previous calendar year. The Merit Review Process will provide the basis for identifying candidates for the Trustees’ Teaching Award. Department chairs may nominate up to 15% of their tenured/tenure track faculty (tenure probationary, tenured, clinical faculty), basing their nominations on evidence of outstanding teaching in the previous year. Teaching will be broadly construed and may be indicated by high student evaluations, colleague evaluations/observations, innovations in teaching, service related to teaching and teaching publications.
Instructions for Chairs
Although the selection of nominees for the Trustees’ Award should be guided by the Merit Review Process, this should not be interpreted to mean that only those ranked highest in the merit review can be nominated. Chairs are also welcome to use nominations to encourage as well as reward strong teaching, and to consider nominating innovative educators who may not have been previously acknowledged.
In addition, in spring 2011, the SOE Policy Council approved the following guideline:
“That Indiana University Bloomington faculty members who have been awarded the Trustees’ Award for two consecutive years be ineligible for a nomination in the subsequent third year but may be re-nominated after a one year gap. (In other words, a faculty member who receives the award in 2011 and 2012 cannot be nominated in 2013, but can be re-nominated in 2014.)”
Criteria for Review of Materials
The Faculty Development Committee will use the following criteria to review each nominee's materials:
- Evidence of course planning that provides high expectations for student performance (such as in critical/creative/design thinking; problem solving and problem finding; collaboration; & students challenging themselves);
- Evidence of student engagement and learning;
- Evidence of reflective and responsive teaching practice;
- Evidence of a clear conceptual teaching framework that is enacted in practice (for example, in consistency between philosophy and practice);
- Evidence of promotion of an inclusive environment; and
- Evidence of innovation and willingness to be creative/take risks in teaching.
Procedures for Submitting Nominee Materials
The nominee should prepare a succinct electronic packet of materials for the Faculty Development Committee reviewers, including:
- A statement (2-3 double -spaced pages) composed by the nominee that includes a discussion of how their educational philosophy is implemented in practice and a critical self-analysis of their teaching during the 2024 calendar year. The statement must not exceed 3 double-spaced pages, 12 pt. font, one inch margins. Nominees may attach a list of references if needed.
- Copies of student evaluations from the previous year;
- A copy of the syllabus from each course taught during the previous year; and
- A teaching Vita which lists all teaching activities and publications in the previous year.
Do not include any additional material as it will not be considered. Each file should be converted to PDF format and appropriately named. Candidates should request a link to submit materials from Maria Jensen (jensen5@iu.edu). Materials are due March 1, 2025. The Faculty Development Committee will determine the recipient. The Teaching Awards are presented at the annual Celebration of Excellence Ceremony held in the School of Education Auditorium each spring.
In addition to a monetary award, recipients will receive a certificate and have their names placed on a plaque honoring previous and current winners.
