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K-State Today

February 14, 2013

Accepting nominations for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

Submitted by Gail Zeak

The president’s office and the Curtin Companies are offering four Presidential Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. An honorarium of $2,500 is provided for each award. 

The original and current purpose of these awards is to recognize excellence in teaching performance in the undergraduate program and to provide an incentive to achieve that goal.

One award will go to a graduate teaching assistant, and three awards are open to all undergraduate teachers with some preference given to teachers of large freshman and sophomore classes. Nominations should be made by department heads and forwarded to their dean. Each dean may submit up to four nominations — one for the Graduate Teaching Assistant award and three for the other undergraduate teaching awards — from his or her college to the provost’s office for review by the advisory committee. Because students in the College of Veterinary Medicine are not considered undergraduates, teachers, faculty and graduate teaching assistants in this college are not eligible for this award.

Each nomination packet should include:  

  1. Letter of nomination that describes in detail why the nominee is deserving of this award.
  2. Nominee’s current curriculum vitae.
  3. Summary of courses taught within the last two years (include title, number of students enrolled and short description of course).
  4. Student evaluations (as administered by the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning) of at least two, but not more than three, undergraduate courses taught by the nominee within the last three semesters (fall 2012, spring 2012, or fall 2011). If a nominee has taught any large freshman and sophomore courses within the last three semesters, those evaluations should be submitted. Student comments should also be submitted along with the numerical evaluation summaries.
  5. Letters of support from students (not more than three letters), additional letters will not be considered.
  6. Paragraph from nominee on his/her teaching philosophy.
  7. Contributions made by the nominee to the teaching field within the last two years (one-page limit).

Please submit all nomination materials electronically in PDF format to Gail Zeak at gaill@k-state.edu. Enclosed is additional information about the criteria for selection and the nomination process.

Nominations must be received by the office of the provost by 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 1. The monetary award and a plaque will be presented at a reception sponsored by the president’s office for all of the recipients of the Presidential Awards for Excellence. These awards provide a wonderful opportunity to recognize the efforts of both graduate teaching assistants and faculty. Please nominate deserving individuals from your departments and colleges.