Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching

To be eligible for nomination, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Employment:  Must be a full-time faculty member (tenured or fixed-term).
• Tenure at UNCW:  Must have taught in their respective area at UNCW for at least five years.
• Active Status:  Must be teaching students during the academic year of their nomination and selection.
• Exclusivity:  This system-wide award can only be received once in a lifetime.

The Provost's Office initiates the recommendation process through two primary channels:

• Automatic Eligibility:  Recent recipients (within the past four years) of the UNCW Distinguished Teaching Professorship Award or the Board of Trustees Teaching Excellence Award are automatically eligible.
• Dean Recommendations:  Deans may recommend candidates as follows:
  
  • Cameron School of Business (CSB), one candidate
  • College of Health and Human Services (CHHS), one candidate
  • College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts (CHSSA), up to two candidates
  • College of Science and Engineering (CSE), up to two candidates
  • Watson College of Education (WCE), one candidate

Note: All nominees must submit their application materials electronically.

Committee Composition:

The Provost's Office appoints a six-member selection committee. The committee is composed of previous recipients of the Distinguished Teaching Professorship Award, the Board of Trustees Teaching Excellence Award, or the Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching. Ideally, the committee includes one representative from each of the five colleges listed above. If a college lacks a previous award winner able to serve, the Provost will appoint a suitable representative. The sixth member of the committee will be the most recent recipient of the Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, who will also serve as committee chair.

Selection Steps:

• Finalists:  The committee selects three nominees to forward to the Provost and Chancellor.
• Institutional Selection:  The Chancellor makes the final selection from the three nominees.
• Submission:  The Chancellor's Office submits the final selection and supporting evidence to the President.
• Final Approval:  The Board of Governors Committee on Teaching Awards reviews the documentation and recommends the final recipient to the Board of Governors.

Nominees are evaluated based on their achievements and contributions in the following areas:

• Instructional Excellence:  Teaching philosophy, pedagogical techniques, mastery of subject matter, and course/curriculum development.
• Student Support:  Advising, career development, involvement with student organizations, and guidance in research, honors projects, or independent studies.
• Service and Leadership:  Educational service to the university and community, leadership initiatives, and participation in professional teaching excellence activities.
• Impact and Recognition:  Peer reviews, student ratings/perceptions, and recognition as a faculty member with a significant positive impact on students' lives.
• Sustained Excellence:  A sustained record of outstanding undergraduate teaching, evidenced by continued effectiveness, dedication to student learning, and lasting contributions to educational excellence.

Nominees must submit an electronic portfolio (PDF or Word) containing separate files for each of the following:

• Statement of teaching philosophy and methodology.
• Summary of all other teaching-related activities.
• Syllabi and relevant course materials.
• Official summary of student ratings (from the previous four years).
• Available peer teaching evaluations.
• Current Resume or Curriculum Vitae.
• At least three letters of nomination (from colleagues, students, chair/director, or deans).
• Any additional relevant supporting materials.