Awards for Extraordinary Teaching in Extraordinary Times

October 16, 2020

 Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education

The Academic Senate’s Committee on Teaching is pleased to announce an initial call for nominations to recognize Extraordinary Teaching in Extraordinary Times. This awards program will run in lieu of the Distinguished Teaching Award this year.

Purpose of the Award
The award is intended to honor UC Berkeley faculty, staff, and graduate student instructors who in 2020 embraced the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and engaged in or supported excellent teaching. These instructors and staff used innovative methods and worked beyond their traditional roles to ensure that students remained engaged and supported, and were challenged to do meaningful work under extraordinary circumstances.

Nature of the Award
Up to 25 recipients will receive a $2,000 cash award from the campus and be recognized by the Academic Senate. 

Eligibility
All members of the Academic Senate and non-Senate faculty/instructors with continuing appointments are eligible. Also eligible are graduate student instructors, as well as staff who have supported excellent teaching.

The nominees must have taught in Spring 2020, Summer 2020, and/or Fall 2020, or have worked in a role supporting teaching (e.g. as a dean of teaching excellence or curriculum, an instructional designer, a technical support staff member).

Nomination and Selection Process
Initial nomination: The stage 1 nomination should be a 300-word description of the efforts by the nominee to transform traditional, in-person courses into remote teaching environments while maintaining excellence, inclusivity, and student engagement. Nominees may be recognized for developing methods or infrastructure that supported classes taught by others. Concrete examples are preferred. Please consider nominating one of your teachers, a colleague, or yourself.

Submit an initial nomination by 5 p.m. on December 15, 2020

The Committee on Teaching will screen the initial nominations and select a subset of nominees for stage 2, who will be invited to submit additional materials in support of their nomination. The requested materials for stage 2 will not be extensive, but should include up to five tangible examples of remote teaching excellence, such as videos, course syllabi and materials, examples of student work (with permission), student evaluations of teaching, or other evidence. Finalists will be notified by January 31, 2021, and supporting materials will be due by February 28, 2021

The Committee on Teaching will evaluate the supporting materials. Recipients will be announced by April 15, 2021. Receiving this award does not preclude recipients from being nominated for a Distinguished Teaching Award in the future.

If you have questions about the award guidelines, procedures or application, please contact Glynda Hull (glynda@berkeley.edu), Chair of the Committee on Teaching, or email teaching@berkeley.edu.

Sincerely,

Catherine P. Koshland
Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education

Lisa García Bedolla 
Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Dean of the Graduate Division

Glynda A. Hull
Chair, Committee on Teaching


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