2013 OUTSTANDING TEACHING ASSISTANT AWARDS
Call for Nominations
Purpose
The Graduate School is pleased to announce the 26th annual awards program recognizing Outstanding Teaching Assistants. This program was instituted to recognize Teaching Assistants who have made distinguished contributions to Syracuse University by demonstrating excellence in significant instructional capacities such as classroom teachers, laboratory or studio instructors, recitation or discussion section leaders, or assistants to senior faculty members for a high-enrollment course. Nominees must be students in good standing in their programs and making satisfactory progress toward the completion of their graduate degrees.
Regardless of the number of TAs employed in a given department, the Graduate School encourages the nomination of only truly distinguished candidates. On average, the committee envisions recognizing approximately the top 4% of all TAs campus-wide, with no more than one possible nomination for every ten active TA appointments per department or academic unit. Students receiving the Outstanding TA Award will hold that distinction permanently and will not be eligible for future nominations.
Nomination Procedure
Given the wide variation in TA responsibilities across campus, each academic department (or other academic unit for schools and colleges not organized by departments) wishing to nominate graduate students for an award will have considerable latitude in establishing selection criteria and a selection process. However, outstanding teaching is not sufficient: it is important that the nominees be making documented progress toward their academic degrees. Academic units are encouraged to consider ways to solicit undergraduate student recommendations for nominations for Outstanding TA Awards.
Nominations for the Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award must be submitted to the Graduate School Programs office (220 Bowne Hall) by Friday, February 1, 2013. Nomination materials should include:
A. Letter of nomination from a faculty member in the nominee's academic discipline. This letter should include an overview of the nominee's outstanding service to the department, achievements in teaching, and evidence of satisfactory progress toward degree. Please also include a brief description of why the candidate should be considered outstanding in the context of your program.
B. Cover letter of endorsement from the department chair (if other than the nominating faculty)
C. Letters of endorsement from other faculty members with whom the nominee may have served as a Teaching Assistant
D. Letters of endorsement from undergraduate students
Once nominated, each TA will need to prepare a portfolio containing evidence of teaching excellence and progress toward degree.
The portfolio should include:
Departments are responsible for notifying TAs of their nomination and making them aware of the portfolio requirement.
Optional portfolio information sessions will be held in 218 Bowne Hall on the following dates:
Online portfolios are welcome. Portfolios submitted in hard copy may be retrieved after the selection process is complete.
An awards presentation and reception will be held in late April. The TAs honored will receive a certificate of merit and a gift, and will be encouraged to invite their faculty advisors to this event. If you have any questions please contact Lee Pomeory at etpomero@syr.edu
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Each year the Graduate School recognizes Teaching Assistants who have made distinguished contributions to Syracuse University by demonstrating excellence as primary instructors, laboratory or studio leaders, recitation instructors, or assistants to senior faculty members for high-enrollment courses. Graduate students are nominated for the award by their departments, and the selection is made by a university-wide committee of faculty recognized for their teaching excellence. The Outstanding TA Award is given to approximately the top 4% of all TAs campus wide. Congratulations to the 2012 winners!
