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Nominations invited for annual awards in honor of excellent undergraduate teaching, instruction

November 2, 2012
Clockwise, from top left: Terrence Bishop, Nancy LaCursia, Matt Swan and Andrea Radasanu

Clockwise, from top left: Terrence Bishop, Nancy LaCursia, Matt Swan and Andrea Radasanu

The Committee on the Improvement of Undergraduate Education invites nominations for the 2013 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and Excellence in Undergraduate Instruction awards.

These awards honor excellent undergraduate teaching in the university, encourage the improvement of instruction and promote discussion among members of the university community on the subject of teaching.

Recipients should be among the most outstanding teachers and instructors on campus.

This fact should be attested to by those with direct knowledge of effective teaching and instruction on the part of the nominee, such as students and alumni who have been taught by the nominee and/or instructors or faculty who have observed the nominee’s teaching.

Evidence should be provided by students, instructors or faculty (including those in departments other than the nominee’s), administrators and others who know of the nominee’s reputation.

Committee members especially seek the following qualities in a nominee:

  • One who instills and develops in students an intensity of interest in, and an apprecia­tion for the value of, his or her subject while applying rigorous standards to student performance and stimulating student growth.
  • One who demonstrates extraordinary commitment to students and their welfare, who is not only knowledgeable and prepared for class but also available to them outside of class.
  • One who works actively with students, faculty, and administrators to improve under­graduate education at NIU, through extra-classroom programming, curricu­lum improvement, and other activities directed toward the improvement of instruc­tion.
  • One who has previously been recognized for outstanding teaching and service to students and/or who has published or given lectures, presentations or public speeches related to instructional improvement or teaching excellence.
  • One who has demonstrated continuous teaching excellence over the period of time employed at Northern Illinois University.

Teaching

The nominee is an NIU employee with regular teaching responsibilities who is a tenured or tenure-track faculty member and has completed a minimum of five full academic years at NIU. Over the last three years, at least half of the nominee’s teaching load has been at the undergraduate level. The nominee has not previously received the award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching nor is a current member of the Committee for the Improvement of Undergraduate Education.

Instruction

Nominees must be NIU employees with regular teaching responsibilities who are not tenured or tenure-track faculty members. They must have completed a minimum of five full academic years at NIU. In each of the last three years, the nominee taught at least four undergraduate courses. The nominee has not previously received the award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching nor is a current member of the Committee for the Improvement of Undergraduate Education.

Timetable

  • Friday, Dec. 7: Suggested date for submission of nominations to the departmental chair or student advisory committee.
  • Jan. 25, 2013: Suggested deadline for departmental nominations to be forwarded to the college student advisory committee.
  • Feb. 18, 2013: Firm deadline by which each college must submit nomination packets to CIUE.
  • April 18, 2012: Presentation of awards.

Each nomina­tion packet should be forwarded to the committee via email to jrat@niu.edu.

Any questions or comments regarding these nomination and selection procedures should be directed to Brian Mackie, chair, Committee on the Improvement of Undergraduate Education, Department of Operations Management, at (815) 753-5896 or via email at bmackie@niu.edu.