Distinguished Teaching Award

1. Includes all full-time UMN Crookston faculty and staff engaged in a minimum of 50 percent time teaching at UMN Crookston and have completed three or more (3+) years of employment prior to the nomination of the award.
2. Nominations will be accepted from UMN Crookston students, colleagues, alumni, clubs or organizations, academic units, and/or individual faculty and staff.
3. Previous recipients are eligible after five (5) years have passed from the last time the award was received.
4. The files of unsuccessful nominees will remain active for two (2) additional years for later consideration. These files are encouraged to be updated during this time period. 

Any award nominee information put forward to be considered by the voting committee members should be evaluated based on the nominee’s time at UMN Crookston. If the nominee has received the award in the past, then only the previous five (5) years should be used as an evaluation timeline (as stated in eligibility requirements).

1. Teaching Effectiveness
   1. Use of current, innovative, and effective teaching practices
   2. Ability to stimulate students to be successful academically
   3. Course material presented is current
2. Student Development
   1. Success in helping students develop their leadership and social skills.
   2. Availability and willingness to help students
3. Educational Leadership
   1. Contributions to teaching through seminars, articles, and other professional activities
   2. Educational contributions to UMN Crookston

Nominations should include the following information, which can be uploaded to the appropriate Google Drive folder.

1. Letter of nomination (submitted by the nominator) summarizing the nominee’s qualifications as they relate to the Evaluation Criteria.
2. Vitae with:
       a. departmental, collegiate, and university committee involvement;
       b. publication record;
       c. courses taught;
       d. course development;
       e. advising assignments;
       f. list of teaching related materials which have been developed.
3. A philosophy of teaching statement written by the candidate in which they have an opportunity to describe their philosophy of teaching and provide evidence of improvement of teaching.
4. Letters of support that address pertinent items listed under Evaluation Criteria. 
   1. Peer or colleague evaluations: maximum of three (3) letters supporting the nomination; letters should address teaching effectiveness, student development, and educational leadership (more specifics provided in evaluation criteria). 
   2. Alumni evaluations: maximum of three (3) letters supporting the nomination; letters should address teaching effectiveness, student development, and educational leadership (more specifics provided in evaluation criteria).

Note: Letters of support need to be solicited by an individual other than the nominee (e.g., nominator).

Review of all nominations and selection of the Distinguished Teaching Award recipient is the responsibility of the Faculty Awards Committee.