Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching

Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching

The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes faculty who create opportunities for student success.

A $3,000 award will be added to one full-time faculty member's base salary.

A $2,000 one-time cash award will be given to one part-time faculty member.

The review committee may elect not to recommend the award be given based on qualifications of nominees in a given year.

Nominations for this award are open.

Nominations must be submitted online via this form by 11:59 p.m., Monday, February 17, 2025.

Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching
CategoryDetails
EligibilityFull-time faculty teaching at IU Indianapolis for at least three years.

Part-time faculty teaching in the award cycle. Part-time faculty with several years of teaching experience will be given preference.

Nominees are eligible to be nominated for up to three successive years.

Past award winners are not eligible.
NominatorMembers of the campus community may serve as nominators. Nominations prepared jointly by faculty and students are encouraged.

Schools are encouraged to submit one nomination in each category.
CriteriaFull- and part-time faculty nominated for this award should best exemplify the high standards of teaching expected at IU Indianapolis and have earned respect and admiration from colleagues and students alike for the gift of instilling a love of learning and respect for knowledge.

For full-time faculty, excellence in the classroom is necessary but not sufficient. Nominees should be known for and able to demonstrate their teaching excellence beyond the classroom by their teaching-related activities within the department, school, and across campus.

Involvement in promoting teaching excellence among students is expected, as well as faculty mentoring, curriculum development, or campus policy making.

Strong nominees can provide evidence of their reflection and professional growth in teaching and some level of involvement in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

The selection committee welcomes part-time faculty nominees who are involved in scholarly research, publication, and professional service; however, these elements are not required.

Part-time faculty nominees should be exemplars of excellent teaching. This may include an ability to bring the discipline alive in the classroom. Nomination material should demonstrate that the candidate is known for their impact on students, in or out of the classroom, their growth and development as instructors, and their contributions to the improvement of student learning.
DocumentationDocumentation should include:
  • Nomination letter. A nomination letter that is concise, substantive, and specific, and demonstrates why the candidate being nominated makes a distinctive contribution.
  • Letters of support. A letter of support written by the department chair or dean, if they are not the nominator, and up to six letters of support, addressed to the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Selection Committee, from current or former students, faculty, and other academic colleagues. Letters should support the nomination letter.
  • Curriculum Vitae. A CV that focuses on the candidate’s teaching career, teaching-related scholarship, and teaching activities. All publications and presentations related to teaching should be highlighted in the CV.
  • List of courses. A list of courses taught by the faculty member.
  • Teaching philosophy. A statement of the candidate’s teaching philosophy that outlines a reflection of growth as a classroom instructor as well as goals related to teaching.
  • Peer teaching evaluation. A peer teaching evaluation from the past two years is required. The candidate should reflect on that evaluation and describe plans to enhance teaching based on the feedback.
  • Evaluations. Up to six evaluations by students, colleagues, and administrators from inside and outside the university, either solicited or unsolicited. The method of obtaining the solicited evaluations should be accompanied by a brief explanation of the evaluator’s credentials. Explanations for evaluations can be placed into one document OR can be uploaded as individual documents.

Note: Original files from evaluators should not be altered to include this information.

  • Summaries. Summaries of research, publications, or presentations related to teaching. Submit abstracts if possible.
  • Evidence documents.
    • Evidence of activities and leadership roles in teaching on the department, school, university, community, or national levels.
    • Evidence of administrative and service activities related to teaching.
    • Evidence of professional development activities related to teaching within their discipline or higher education.
    • Evidence of course or program development including syllabi and other descriptions of curriculum development efforts.
    • Evidence of having received grants related to teaching.

Submitted material should summarize the candidate’s best examples of teaching excellence.

Part-time faculty are not expected to be able to address all of the bulleted items above. Rather, evidence of teaching excellence should be provided where it exists.

Nomination Process

By the deadline, compete the electronic nomination form and upload the required documentation.

 

Longevity of Nomination

Nominees are eligible for reconsideration for up to three successive years.

Nominees who elect to resubmit are encouraged to update the letters and other material in their portfolio.

SelectionA review committee, comprised of past award winners and colleagues recognized for excellent teaching, selects the top candidates. The top nominations are then presented to the Chancellor.

The review committee might recommend that an award not be given based on the nominee’s qualifications.

Questions

For answers to your questions about the nomination process, contact the Office of Academic Affairs.