2008 Academic Staff Distinguished Achievement Award

The School’s academic staff employees make essential contributions to the stature of the School of Education. These professionals teach classes, support instruction, conduct research, participate in the School’s outreach and service missions, and help administer programs and units.

In order to recognize the many significant contributions made by its academic staff, the School of Education has a program of academic staff recognition and professional development. As part of this program, two Academic Staff Distinguished Achievement Awards will be presented each year at an awards celebration, which also will honor award recipients from the faculty and classified staff. Each academic staff award recipient will receive a $1,000 cash award, made possible by gifts from the School's alumni. This year's reception will be held on Tuesday, April 22, at 4:00 p.m. in the Virginia F. Harrison Parlor on the first floor of Lathrop Hall. All faculty and staff members in the School are invited to attend the event.

There are many individuals who are deserving of this honor. Regrettably, only two awards can be presented each year, and inevitably some outstanding candidates will be passed over the first year they are put forward. Nominations remain active for two years beyond the year of submission.

Eligibility: Any academic staff employee of the School of Education who has made an exemplary contribution to the operation of the School, department, center, program, or other unit within the School is eligible. Nominees may be from any area, e.g., teaching, research, administration, advising, or public service. Nominees must have had at least a half-time appointment in the School for three years.

Criteria:

• Originality of the contributions within and, where applicable, outside the unit
• Impact on the mission of the unit
• Outstanding performance in comparison with others in the unit, on campus, and/or in the profession (nominees who teach should be compared with others offering instruction in the unit)

Nomination Procedures: The nomination packet should include the following items:

• Letter of nomination
• Two-page résumé containing highlights of the nominee’s career
• At least two but not more than three letters of support that meet these criteria:

  1) The letters should make clear to someone outside the nominee’s unit why the work is outstanding.
  
  2) Neither the dean nor any member of the review committee may nominate or write letters of support.

  3) The most effective letters of support will come from persons familiar with the nominee’s work and will contain a detailed analysis of why the person’s work advances the unit's mission and merits recognition.

Review: The packets will be reviewed by a committee appointed by the Dean. The 2008 committee will consist of Frances Breit, Corissa Lotta (2007 award recipients) and Associate Dean Hardin Coleman.

Selection: The Dean will make the final selection based on the recommendations of the review committee. Recipients will be informed in March and will be recognized at the awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 22.

Submission: Submit nomination packets to Judy Holt, 427 Education Building, no later than Tuesday, February 26, 2008. For more information, call Judy at 265-7875.