PTSP 2011 - nominations of University of Colorado faculty for selection of the 2011 President's Teaching Scholars

President Bruce Benson solicits nominations of University of Colorado faculty for selection
of the 2011 President's Teaching Scholars. The lifetime appointment as a CU President's
Teaching Scholar constitutes the University's highest recognition of excellence in and active
commitment to teaching as well as active and substantial contributions to scholarly work in
one's discipline or, in the case of a less senior scholar, indications of path-breaking
contributions to his or her field. Chancellors, deans, departments and other faculty
nominators are all encouraged to nominate candidates for this designation and commitment;
self-nominations will not be accepted.
All tenured faculty members are eligible to be nominated. In addition, Clinical Teaching
Track (CTT) faculty members who hold the rank of Associate Professor or Professor are
eligible to be nominated, as are tenure-track faculty members in the School of Medicine who
hold the rank of Associate Professor or Professor. Please note that the PTSP designation is
not an end-of-career-at-CU award, but rather membership in an active society of scholars
and teachers. The Selection Committee will evaluate applications based on past
achievements and on furthering the goals of the President’s Teaching Scholars Program.
The President's Teaching Scholars are a group of faculty from all campuses chosen not only
for skill in their own teaching, but also for their promise of improving education for students
and enlarging educational possibilities across the University. Designees to the program
become part of a participatory, service oriented and collegial community. Over time, the
program has found that this group is composed of members who enjoy the opportunity and
make a commitment to interact, engage and grow with colleagues whose values, generosity
of spirit and concerns about education are shared. Those appointed as Teaching Scholars
will receive a $3,000 stipend for each of the first two years; a one-time teaching development
fund of $2,000; and an addition of $2,000 to the base salary beginning the third year.
The faculty member being nominated must have been a CU faculty member for at least five
consecutive years. Nominees must be teaching on their campus in the Spring 2011 semester.
The individual selected will have the following attributes:
? Enthusiasm and vitality in teaching and for learning
? Evidence of continuous growth and leadership in the field of study
? Effective ability to design and redesign courses to produce intellectual challenge
? Active and effective engagement in advising students and in guiding student learning
and research projects
? Encouragement of intellectual interests in beginning students and/or of greater
achievement with advanced students
? Highest level of responsiveness to, and understanding of, a diverse student body
? Willingness and ability to participate actively in the PTSP and continue working on
PTS program initiatives with the Teaching Scholars
To be an outstanding teacher, the individuals should combine state-of-the-art knowledge in
their field of expertise with effectiveness in developing knowledge and intellectual skills in
their students. The appointment expects and presumes collegiality and active engagement
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with Teaching Scholar colleagues at retreats, in projects focused on teaching and learning
developed individually and collectively, and in stimulating discussion, innovation and critical
reflection on teaching and student learning. If designated, a nominee commits to spending
time with Teaching Scholar peers, for example, at the annual fall retreat; commits to
spending time in service and committee work capacities; commits time to present “Teaching
Scholar Teaching” presentations at group gatherings; and, commits to time in leadership
activities on one’s campus.
Preparing the Candidate's Dossier
The nominator should provide six copies of the nominee's dossier. The dossier must be
bound with tabs for each section. The nominator should work with the nominee in
requesting current letters from faculty peers and students, both current and former, in
support of the candidate. In case a nominee's career or teaching experiences are nontraditional,
the nominator should explain in detail in the letter of nomination.
Dossiers must include, in the following order:
? A cover letter from the nominator naming the faculty member as a candidate
? A three-to-five page statement by the nominator describing the candidate's research
in the discipline and its importance and contribution to the field.
? A current curriculum vitae
? Three current letters from faculty members here or elsewhere addressing superb
teaching as described above
? Three current letters from faculty members here or elsewhere addressing active,
substantial research and/or creative work in the discipline
? The official summary sheets of five years of results of CU faculty course
questionnaires. (Or alternative student evaluation data, if summary sheets are not
available).
? Five letters from current or former students addressing the nominee's teaching and
integration of research into teaching
? Evidence of having been nominated for or having received a teaching award at the
University of Colorado. (Concurrent nominations are not acceptable.)
? Evidence that the nominee has assisted in the development of teaching beyond the
classroom
? A three-to-five page statement by the nominee describing his or her views of the
four core tasks of teaching: course planning and preparation, actual teaching,
evaluating student learning and providing feedback, and keeping up with the
professional field in teaching and integrating new knowledge into one's courses
? A one-page proposal from the nominee for a research project measuring classroom
learning (usually in one of the candidate’s courses) that will be undertaken as a
Teaching Scholar (Please read description below). This project should be completed
and submitted for publication within the first two years of joining the Teaching
Scholars Program.
Project Guidelines
The central work of President's Teaching Scholars is to contribute to both the scholarship
and the practice of teaching across fields. As a part of this work, each scholar designs and
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undertakes a new investigation aimed at deepening an understanding of teaching practice
related to an important issue in a particular course by collecting data that measures
appropriate outcomes.
The project:
? Should center on finding solutions to learning barriers among one's students
? Should focus on quality of student learning resulting from teacher practice
? May demonstrate a commitment to the personal and social development of students
in addition to intellectual development
? Should, if possible, link to prior areas of research and widely recognized issues
though establishing a literature review in the substance of the proposal.
? Should eventually be submitted to an appropriate refereed journal
? Should be shared with the PTSP and other university faculty via presentations, web
pages, etc. Project descriptions will be made available on the PTSP URL under
Gallery of Teaching Scholars' Projects on Learning
(Adopted and adapted from The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
and Learning, with permission.)
Dossiers must be no more than 80 pages in length. Please submit one dossier in bound or
loose-leaf notebook format and six copies. The dossiers are not returnable. A system-wide
committee composed of Teaching Scholars will select up to three new 2011 President's
Teaching Scholars.
Nominations should be sent to:
Mary Ann Shea, Director, President’s Teaching Scholars Program, University of Colorado at
Boulder, 360 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0360
Direct questions regarding logistics to Meg Clarke at ftep-AT-colorado.edu or 303-492-4985
This call begins April 5, 2010 and dossiers will be accepted no later than November 12,
2010.
For more information regarding the President's Teaching Scholar's Program, please go to
http://www.colorado.edu/ptsp/
We benefited from reviewing the distinguished teaching award guidelines and procedures
used by the University of California, Berkeley, and the SUNY Office of Academic Affairs.