Professional Development
Outstanding Undergraduate Academic Teaching Awards Guidelines
The Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Awards recognize excellence, innovation and effectiveness in teaching in our undergraduate programs.
AWARD DESCRIPTION
The goal of the Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award program is to encourage excellence in teaching at the undergraduate level. The University intends to ensure that the foundation courses of the undergraduate curriculum receive the proper emphasis in preparing students for work in the major, as well as providing the proper foundation in critical thinking, problem-solving, and written and oral communication skills.
Up to twelve winners will be selected as recipients of the Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, with each winner awarded $2,000.
SPECIFIC CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF APPLICANTS
Applicants for the Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Awards must be full-time continuing faculty (including Instructors) on any of the USF campuses who taught a minimum of two undergraduate courses during the prior academic year; who were in a continuing faculty position in the prior two academic years; and who have not received this award during the previous three years. Visiting faculty are not eligible, nor are faculty who taught a majority of graduate-level courses during the prior academic year.
The evaluation process will consider evidence of the applicant’s commitment to excellence in undergraduate teaching as demonstrated by:
- Evidence of effective teaching, i.e., teaching that results in demonstrable student learning.
- Exemplary commitment toward students and the student success initiative.
- A learning-focused approach to the primary roles of teaching (presenting content, opportunities for student practice, and effective assessment of student performance).
- Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement.
DESIGN OF APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS
Applicants self-nominate for the award and submit a digital portfolio (a collection of electronic files combined in one single ZIP or PDF file).
Required application materials:
- A cover sheet with the name, rank or title, and unit/program of the applicant.
- A copy of the applicant’s curriculum vitae or resume.
- A short statement (500-1,000 words) describing the applicant’s philosophy of teaching.
- A short statement (500-1,000 words) describing the activities in teaching during the prior academic year in which the applicant is to be judged, and explaining how the applicant uses specific teaching methods that match the applicant’s philosophy of teaching.
- A short statement (500-1,000 words) that describes the evidence of student success as a result of the applicant’s efforts; particular attention should be paid to special populations.
- A short statement (500-1,000 words) that explains how the applicant’s efforts are innovative or particularly successful, and how the applicant is dedicated to continuous improvement in teaching.
- One-page summary of student evaluation results from the prior two years.
- Letter of support from the chair/director, which should also certify the student evaluation results as presented by the applicant.
Optional application materials:
- List of teaching-related publications in the past three years, if appropriate.
- Documentation of peer observations received.
- A statement of professional development activities related to teaching.
- A short video recording (maximum five minutes) of the applicant teaching class and interacting with students. This file can be linked from YouTube or provided directly (not to exceed 100 MB). Letters of support from students, current or former, should not be included in the file.
Timeline: Nominations will be submitted by the applicant online here; see link below as well, no later than Monday, October 3, 2022. For questions, please contact Madeleine Hershberger, Provost’s Office at mhershberger@usf.edu.
Nominations will be reviewed by a committee of five faculty members, some of whom will be previous award winners, selected each year by the Provost's designee in consultation with Regional Vice Chancellors. The committee will include representation from all three USF campuses. No member of the committee may also be an applicant. The committee should consider USF’s Principles of Community document which stresses “excellence with equity”, “diversity with inclusion” and states that “excellence entails a responsibility to ensure that every member of our community has the opportunity to succeed.
The committee will evaluate each application using this rubric:
Download a copy of the rubric.
The committee will make recommendations for awards to the Provost's designee during the Fall 2022 semester. Notifications of the winners will be sent via email from the Office of the Provost; regrets will be sent by email at the same time.