Teaching Excellence Award FAQs
Teaching Excellence Award (FAQs) Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many awards can a department give each year?
The number of awards a department or program is entitled to give is based on the numbers of students engaged in teaching for that department. The purpose of the awards is to honor up to the top 10% of outstanding grad-student–teachers. The typical ISU grad student teaching appointment is for 20 hours a week or 50%, and for 9 months. Therefore all data from departments about the numbers of students teaching for them is converted to this standard, and then an average number for the past 3 years. For each 10 students teaching, the department is entitled to one Teaching Excellence award per year. If fewer than 10 students teach per year, then one award may be given every “X” years; e.g. with 5 students teaching, the department is entitled to give an award every 2 years, and so on. A list of current department entitlements is available linked from the Teaching excellence webpage, in the purpose of the program section. And finally, of course, a department is not obliged to give as many, or indeed any, awards for teaching excellence
2. How long does the entitlement last?
It lasts for one year, from the fall semester through the following summer session; a department may make some awards each semester or give all at one time.
3. Supposing our department has 2 equally excellent graduate student teachers, but is only entitled to make one award?
Normally a department needs to select only as many winners as it is entitled to. However, it is possible occasionally to exceed the department entitlement if there is an outstanding student a department wants particularly to honor. In that case, the nomination needs to acknowledge that a department is exceeding the award allocation and justify making this extra award.
4. Can I nominate a student of mine who is teaching for a different department?
No, the department who is organizing and supervising the classes being taught is the one to nominate students for teaching excellence awards
5. Do students need to have instructed their own classes to be nominated for teaching awards?
No, not necessarily. A student has to have taught at ISU for at least 2 semesters, but leading recitations, labs, and studios, as well as generally assisting professors are typical grad student teaching assignments. Each department develops its own criteria to select those students involved with teaching who have been outstanding
6. Can a student nominate him or herself?
No, not to the Graduate College. Each department or program selects its best candidates and officially submits those to the Grad College. Individual departments have different methods and procedures for doing this, so if you are a student consult the professor who is supervising the course that you teach.
Other questions? Call Felicity at 294-1958 or email fdouglas@iastate.edu
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