The Provost's Award for Excellence in Teaching

The Provost's Award for Excellence in Teaching is based on excellence in teaching and meritorious academic pursuits both inside and outside the classroom, as acknowledged by peers and students, including teaching practices and innovations, influences on curriculum, mentoring of students and colleagues, and scholarship with respect to teaching.

Each award recipient will hold the title of Provost Teacher for three years.

Nominations

All Ohio University faculty, alumni, and students may make nominations.

Nominated faculty must be full-time, instructional, non-tenure track faculty from any of Ohio University's campuses.

Instructional, non-tenure track faculty may be identified by the following titles: Assistant Professor of Instruction, Associate Professor of Instruction and Professor of Instruction.

Those making nominations who are unsure about whether or not the teacher they wish to nominate is eligible should check the prospective nominee’s regional campus, department, or school website.

Announcements inviting nominations will be sent out campus-wide during fall semester of each year. While multiple nominations for the same person are gladly accepted, they do not increase that person's chances of being selected for the PAET Award.

Deadline for teaching award nominations is Oct. 15.

Submit Nomination Online

Application  and Selection 

Nominated faculty who meet the eligibility requirements stated in the endowment (full-time instructional faculty from any of Ohio University's campuses) will receive an email notifying them of their nomination and inviting them to apply.

Nominees who wish to be considered should review OHIO’s conceptualization of teaching excellence and must submit a teaching portfolio that includes the following:

Required Materials:

• Cover Page
• Table of Contents
• Teaching Philosophy (1-2 pages)
• List of courses taught and numbers of students enrolled for the last two years
• List of numerical averages from student evaluations for the last two years, with department averages if available
• Sample/representative comments from student evaluations for the last two years
• Teaching schedule for both fall and spring semesters

Suggested Materials:

• A narrative describing and evidence supporting how the applicant’s teaching reflects the conceptualization of excellence, with a focus on expertise and innovation.
• A statement outlining curriculum developed/designed by the applicant and/or the way the applicant has influenced curricular design and deployment.
• A description of the specific ways the applicant mentors and advises undergraduate students related to the curriculum and their future careers.
• A description of thesis and dissertation advising.
• A statement of activities related to mentoring faculty and colleagues.
• An outline of additional promotion of teaching excellence through, but not limited to, the following:
  • Workshops
  • Colloquia
  • Scholarship of Teaching, Learning and Assessment
  • Publications
  • Conferences
  • Teaching-related grants

The complete portfolio must be no more than 20 typed pages using 1.5 line spacing, a 12-point font, one-inch margins, and headers with the applicant’s name and page numbers. Appendices will not be accepted.

The portfolio should be submitted electronically, in either Microsoft Word or PDF format, to the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment at ctla@ohio.edu by the end of the day on Nov. 13.

Selection Committee

The Provost Award for Excellence in Teaching Selection Committee (which also selects the Rising Star recipient) evaluates applicants. The committee, selected by the Vice Provost for Faculty Development, is composed of four instructional, non-tenure track faculty, one undergraduate student, and one graduate student. Faculty members on the committee serve three-year rotating terms. Students serve one-year terms.

The committee selects up to four finalists based on the merit of their portfolios.

Once selected, the committee interviews and observes each finalist in the classroom. The committee then makes a determination as to which, if any, will receive the award.

The committee generally gives one award each year but may elect to not give an award if no applicants meet award standards.

Questions regarding applications and the selection process may be directed to Katie Hartman, Vice Provost for Faculty Development.