THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE FACULTY SENATE ________ Senate Document Number 2688S___ ________ Date of Senate Approval 2-25-88_ _________________________ Signature of Senate Chair _________________________ Action of Vice Chancellor: ________________________ ______________ Approval ________________________ Date ______________ ________________________ ______________ Denied ________________________ Date ______________ Reasons for denial and suggested modifications: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Statement of Faculty Senate Action: FWDC Document #10 February 15, 1988 Modifications to Faculty Senate Document #33 (Second Revision), Faculty Handbook pp. A-7-1 to A-7-3, the Distinguished Teacher Award. Preface, item 5). Change from: ... in the Spring of 1987. to: ... in the Spring of 1993. I. Nominations B) Change from: ... the Chairman of the Faculty Senate ... to: ... the Chair of the University Teaching Council ... Page 2 II. The Review Committee A) Change from: (delete all of A., re: forming the Review Committee) Substitute: A) The University Teaching Council will be responsible for choosing the recipient of the award. B) Change from: ... select a replacement. to: ... select a replacement for the Duty of choosing a recipient of the award. C) (delete all of C.) D) (delete all of D.) E) Change from: The Review Committee is to ... to: C) The University Teaching Council is to ... III. Change from: The Review Committee . . . to be honored. to: The University Teaching Council ... to be honored with the Distinguished Teaching Award. Note: This document was amended on the Senate floor to delete section II. F. Page 3 ___ A-7 1981-1982 Distinguished Teacher Award Faculty Senate Document #33 (Second Revision) Third Revision 1988 by Senate Document #2688S Preface The Concept of a Distinguished Teacher Award carries with it certain assumptions, among which are: 1) Teaching is an art; no exact measurement or measuring device can ever assure an objective determination of successful teaching since no definition of good teaching is ever wholly accurate or even desirable; effectiveness in the classroom carries with it the indefinable factors of character, personality, enthusiasm, and creativity. 2) The selection of an outstanding teacher by one's peers and one's students will always involve a degree of subjectivity; there can be no guarantee that in any given year, the award will recognize the single best instructor ___ on campus; instead, the award will recognize one ___________ outstanding teacher; over a period of years, the probability is that a variety of good instructors from various fields will have an equal opportunity for recognition. 3) The selection process requires a trust in our colleagues; we must assume that those on the Review Committee will act professionally and in the best interest of the faculty and the university. 4) In spite of inherent flaws in attempting to offer an award where total objectivity cannot be guaranteed, such an award is highly desirable; merit always deserves recognition, and the university benefits from the public acknowledgement that we value and emphasize quality in the classroom. 5) This procedure should be reviewed in the Spring of 1993. Page 4 STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR SELECTING A DISTINGUISHED TEACHER Each year the faculty and students of UNCA will participate in selecting one instructor to honor for his or her out- standing teaching abilities. This award shall recognize creative and innovative classroom performance, as well as a personal dedication and commitment to teaching which has inspired and motivated students. I. Nominations A) Any full-time faculty member (Lecturer, Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor) shall be eligible, except for those faculty who have previously won the award. B) During the Spring Semester of each year, the Chair of the University Teaching Council shall send a letter to all faculty and all students calling for written nominations. The Alumni office, through its publications, shall encourage nominations from alumni. C) Letters of nominations must be signed. Student letters must indicate their class (Soph., Jr.). All letters shall detail reasons for the nomination. II. The Review Committee A) The University Teaching Council will be responsible for choosing the recipient of the award. B) In the event that one or more of the members of this committee shall prove to be one of the nominees for the award, he or she will remove himself from the committee and the Faculty Senate will select a replacement for the Duty of choosing a recipient of the award. C) The University Teaching Council is to consult with students during the evaluation process. III. Selection and Announcement of Award Winner A) The University Teaching Council shall meet in the Spring Semester to seriously evaluate all nominations and, in its considered judgment, select the one faculty member from the nominations, if any, to be honored with the Distinguished Teaching Award. The decision of the committee shall be final. Page 5 B) The committee will notify the VCAA of the selection and he in turn will announce it publicly at Spring Graduation Exercises. IV. Value of the Award A) The Distinguished Teacher Award shall include both a citation for outstanding teaching, plus a monetary award. It is hoped that an industry or foundation can be found to support this award. B) Those who receive this award shall be listed in the UNCA Catalog.