College Faculty Awards Criteria

Each fall the College of Natural and Health Sciences sends out a call for the nominations of NHS faculty excellence awards for advising, scholarship, service, student mentoring, teaching, and academic leadership. Each award carries a $500 faculty development grant. Grant funds may be used for books, materials, software, travel, or other expenses that enhance faculty development.

Below is a list of criteria for each award:

Academic Leadership
Excellence in Advising
Excellence in Scholarship
Excellence in Service
Excellence in Teaching
Faculty Research Mentor of the Year – Undergraduate Level
Faculty Research Mentor of the Year – Graduate Level

Criteria for Academic Leadership Award
Examples of activities that would merit nomination for this award include:
• Provides leadership in mentoring faculty and students.
• Provides leadership in establishing and maintaining academic partnerships with other academic units, colleges or institutions.
• Provides leadership in a scholarly field, as demonstrated by publication of influential work, keynote or other invited addresses, significant service in professional organizations, or receipt of awards or honors of distinction.
• Provides leadership in acquisition of funds that make a major contribution to the discipline and/or have a significant impact on major programs.
• Plays a major leadership role in service efforts having an exceptional impact on the quality or vitality of the community or society.
• Initiates and/or takes major responsibility for University outreach efforts, off-campus initiatives, and partnerships.
• Takes major responsibility for establishing and/or maintaining teaching, research, or service facilities.
• Takes on a major responsibility in campus governance that has an exceptional impact on the quality, vitality, or mission of the University.
• Demonstrates academic leadership in the broader College and University context, beyond advancement of his or her own discipline.

Note: A committee of unit leaders chaired by the Associate Dean will make a recommendation to the Dean for this award.

Criteria for Excellence in Advising Award
All nominees must meet the following general criteria:
• Promotes ample opportunity for student interaction
• Provides career mentoring as well as academic scheduling advisement
• Is widely knowledgeable of university requirements, academic policies, and student support services
• Consistently demonstrates respect, concern, and interest in students and student groups
• Participates in advising student groups

Criteria for Excellence in Scholarship Award
All nominees must meet the following general criteria:
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of the field
• Communicate that knowledge in an effective and organized manner via professional communication, publications and presentations
• Demonstrate a record of contributions to the discipline (relative to time in profession)
• Demonstrate a record of excellence in research and scholarship
• Evidence quality in the impact of one’s scholarship (local, regional, national, international; with greater weight given to international and national)
• Involve students in research and its dissemination

Criteria for Excellence in Service Award
All nominees must meet the following general criteria:
• Contributes significantly to the development of other faculty members
• Contributes significantly to the curriculum and instructional program of the University beyond one’s own courses and department
• Contributes significantly to the discipline/profession
• Provides valuable professional service to the greater community beyond the university (e.g. contributions as an expert to Greeley or the state)

Criteria for Excellence in Teaching Award
Instructor:
• Communicate clearly and well
• Is well-organized
• Employs high academic standards
• Clear goals
• Enthusiastic
• Uses active learning
• Encourages students to think
• Student-centered
• Motivates students to pursue additional knowledge
• Provides college and/or campus leadership for teaching
- Curriculum development
- Mentoring new faculty

Criteria for Faculty Research Mentor of the Year - Undergraduate Level
All nominees must meet the following general criteria:
• Provides additional learning opportunities beyond classroom experience
• Uses innovative research and mentoring methods
• Encourages students to present research findings at professional meetings
• Collaborates with students on publications
• Supportive of the professional growth of undergraduate students
• Communicates well with undergraduate student mentors
• Helps students develop their own knowledge and skills through scholarly research beyond merely doing the work of the faculty member

Criteria for Faculty Research Mentor of the Year - Graduate Level
All nominees must meet the following general criteria:
• Provides additional learning opportunities beyond classroom experience
• Uses innovative research and mentoring methods
• Encourages students to present research findings at professional meetings
• Collaborates with students on publications
• Supportive of the professional growth of graduate students
• Communicates well with graduate student mentors
• Helps students develop their own knowledge and skills through scholarly research beyond merely doing the work of the faculty member

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