UW News

December 10, 2010

University-wide award deadlines approaching

The deadlines are approaching for several of the university-wide awards given to faculty and staff each year.

The following awards are administered by Undergraduate Academic Affairs and have a deadline of Friday, Dec. 17. They are:

  • The Distinguished Teaching Award, given once during the individual’s lifetime, honors several instructors based on a number of criteria, including but not limited to the ability to engage students both within and outside the classroom; innovative course and curriculum design; ability to rouse independent and original thinking in students and mastery of the subject matter.
  • The Excellence in Teaching Award is given to two graduate teaching assistants for their demonstration of extraordinary ability in the teaching and learning process as a graduate teaching assistant.
  • The S. Sterling Munro Public Service Teaching Award, thanks to a generous gift from the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, is given annually to a faculty member who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in community-based instruction, including public service internships and community partnership projects. Faculty within the University of Washington are eligible to receive the Munro Award.
  • The James D. Clowes Award for the Advancement of Learning Communities honors a faculty or staff member who has a record of helping students learn to function as a learning community while extending their work beyond the classroom into community/internationals contexts. This includes sustaining and renewing students’ efforts at creating peer-designed-and-facilitated learning groups.

To nominate a faculty or staff member or graduate teaching assistant for any of the awards above, please submit an online nomination. Hard copy nominations will not be accepted.

  • The Distinguished Staff Award is given to five individuals or teams who have made extraordinary contributions to their departments and the University. Nominations for this award can be submitted online at the Distinguished Staff Award website. The selection will be made by a committee of staff appointed by the vice president for Human Resources. Complete criteria for the award are listed on the site. The deadline for nominations is 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15.
  • The Distinguished Librarian Award recognizes excellence in librarianship, especially as it benefits the academic community through innovative approaches to practice, research, teaching and learning. Additional factors include creativity, leadership, service, scholarship and demonstration of UW values. More information is available. The deadline for nominations is Wednesday, Dec. 15.
  • The Outstanding Public Service Award recognizes faculty or staff efforts to improve the quality of people’s lives locally, nationally or internationally. The selection committee considers the nature and extent of the public service activity, the amount of time and effort involved, and the lasting impact it has had. To nominate someone for the award, send a letter of no more than two pages including a description of the nature, extent and impact of the service, how long it lasted and whether the nominee received any compensation for it. Nominations should be sent to the Outstanding Public Service Award Committee, Box 351241, or by e-mail to Gus Kravas, gkravas@u.washington.edu. The deadline is Friday, Jan. 21, 2011.
  • The Alumnus Summa Laude Dignatus Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a University of Washington graduate and is presented annually by the University of Washington and the University of Washington Alumni Association. Established in 1938, the award recognizes UW graduates who have made profound contributions not only to their fields, but to society as a whole. The award is not based on the individual’s work for the preceding year, but rather on his or her lifetime record. A committee made up of six representatives of the Alumni Association and six from the UW will make the selection. Nominations will open in December at www.UWalum.com and the deadline is Friday, Jan. 21, 2011.
  • The Distinguished Contributions to Lifelong Learning Award honors faculty who have taught or designed courses, seminars or workshops aimed at working adults and other nontraditional students, and who have received excellent teaching evaluations for that work. To nominate someone for this reward, send a cover letter that describes the number of students served, the length of time the faculty member has participated in lifelong learning activities, and the creativity and innovative nature of these lifelong learning programs. Attach a list of the courses taught and student evaluations in a form that can be compared to a standard UW evaluation form. Nominations should be sent to Dave Szatmary, Box 359492. Or e-mail the material to dszatmar@uw.edu. The deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011.

Nominations have already closed for the Marsha L. Landolt Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award. The David B. Thorud Leadership Award will not be given this year.

All of the award winners will be honored at the annual Awards of Excellence event at the end of spring quarter.