Arts & Sciences Certificate for Outstanding Teaching

To recognize excellence in undergraduate instruction by Teaching Assistants, the College of Arts & Sciences has established the Certificate for Outstanding Teaching award.  Fifteen Teaching Assistants, five per area (Math/Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities), will receive a certificate and monetary award.

Eligibility
The A&S Outstanding Teaching Certificate is open to graduate student Teaching Assistants in an A&S graduate program who have not received a terminal degree in the award year and who had responsibility for instruction in some or all of a course offered by the College of Arts & Sciences.  The eligibility for the award includes courses offered by A&S departments as well as those offered by A&S interdisciplinary programs or through other programs. The award is for cumulative teaching history, not exclusively for the semesters of the award year. Graduate students may only win the award once; past recipients are ineligible.

Nomination Process
Each A&S department or program may nominate up to three Teaching Assistants for recognition.  For each candidate, the following material must be provided:

1. Maximum of 3 letters of recommendation including one from a supervising faculty member.  The other letters may be from faculty or students.
2. A Graduate School classroom observation form from a recent semester.
3. A curriculum vitae.
4. A statement by the nominee of her/his teaching philosophy.
5. A list of all courses taught by the nominee, the approximate number of students in each class,  and the student evaluation scores for “Quality of Instruction” and “Quality of Course” or its departmental student evaluation form equivalent.
6. Nominees may include individual student evaluations and/or teaching evaluation forms in the dossier, but the application dossier may not exceed 20 pages.
7. Nominee must be a student in an A&S graduate program and not have received a terminal degree in the award year.
8. The award is for cumulative teaching history, not exclusively for the semesters of the award year.

Method of Selection
The A&S Educational Policy Committee (EPC) will be responsible for awarding the Certificates.  The three area subcommittees will serve as respective selection committees for each set of area awards.

Deadline for Nominations
One hard copy of the nomination with all appropriate documentation must be submitted to the office of the Associate Dean of Research and Academic Programs, 275 Patterson Office Tower, no later than noon on Monday, February 23, 2009.  For questions, please contact Associate Dean Leonidas Bachas at bachas@email.uky.edu.