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Excellence In Teaching - Tenure Track Guidelines

In Recognition of Excellence in Teaching

The Tenure Track Excellence in Teaching Award at SUNY Cortland is designed to recognize and reward outstanding teaching performance. Unlike other campus awards, this honor focuses solely on exceptional classroom performance, where nominees must demonstrate mastery of teaching techniques and adapt their instructional approach to meet the diverse needs and interests of students. The award highlights the importance of flexibility and innovation in teaching. The recipient will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and will be recognized at the annual Teaching-Research-Service Awards ceremony.

Eligibility

Eligibility is open to tenure track faculty, teaching at the graduate or undergraduate level. Nominees must have completed at least four semesters of teaching at SUNY Cortland prior to the year of nomination. There will be a one-year waiting period before a nominee who did not receive the award may be nominated again.

Use this link, Excellence in Teaching Nomination form (Adobe On-line), which requires information regarding your nominee along with attachment of your letter of nomination by the Oct. 15 due date. Your nomination when submitted will automatically be routed to the Faculty Development Center and will notify the nominated faculty member shortly after the deadline date.

Self-nominations are not accepted.

Questions or additional information regarding this process can be directed to Betsy Barylski via email or phone at 607-753-4753.

Criteria for Selection

The sole criterion for the Excellence in Teaching Award is skill in teaching. In the selection of persons for this award, the following criteria will be considered:

  • There must be positive evidence that the nominee performs superbly in the classroom.
  • The nominee must maintain a flexible instructional style that adapts readily to student needs, interests, and problems.
  • Nominees must set high standards for students and help them attain academic excellence. 
  • Nominees must work actively with individual students to help them improve their scholarly and/or artistic performance.
  • Consideration will be given to the number of students per course and different teaching techniques employed in various courses as well as to the quality, quantity, and difficulty of the tasks or work assigned to students.
  • The Faculty Development Committee uses a Teaching Observation Report (Word) to evaluate nominees.

Selection Process 

Nominations for these awards can arise from faculty, students, and administration based on continuing and recognized teaching quality. Names of potential candidates will be sought through a campus-wide email announcement using the link noted above for the Adobe On-line Nomination Form. 

  1. Nominations should be submitted though this link, Excellence in Teaching Nomination Form (Adobe On-Line) no later than Oct. 15, or the following business day in the event the due date should fall on a weekend. 
  2. The FDC will contact each nominee to inquire whether they are interested in being considered and will provide each potential candidate a list of materials that must be submitted by March 15, or the following business day if the due date should fall on a weekend.
  3. Faculty Development Committee members will make classroom observations once during the fall semester and once during the spring semester at the convenience of the nominee. Note, it is the nominee's responsibility to communicate with their observer dates/times not relevant for observations and/or identify best times for observations during their teaching schedule for fall and spring.
  4. The committee will complete deliberations in late spring and all nominees will be notified of the outcome immediately.


    Documentation Required of Candidates

    Nominees will not be considered unless all documentation is provided to the Faculty Development Office in the approved form by the deadline.
    Candidates who accept their nomination are asked to provide the following supporting evidence by March 15 or the following business day if the due date should fall on a weekend. 

    1. Syllabi for all courses taught in the current academic year (fall/spring).
    2. Statement of Teaching Philosophy of no more than two pages.
    3. Supporting evidence that documents the effectiveness of their techniques. Evidence can include, but is not limited to: teaching materials; student work and/or evaluations that target the specific category for which the nomination has been made; and/or students’ statements on how the nominee’s work in the targeted category has impacted their learning.
    4. A minimum of two years course teaching evaluations (CTEs) from the candidate's most recent teaching assignments.
    5. A letter of support from either the appropriate Chair or Dean.