Initial Role of the Faculty Affairs Committee

The Faculty Affairs Committee shall:

1. use information provided by the Provost’s office to determine the number of nominations to which each college is entitled (based on faculty size);

2. send a memo to each college dean, informing them of the number of nominations that the college can forward to the Faculty Affairs Committee;

3. send to each college dean this document—Guidelines for Selection of Recipients.

Role of the College Deans

The dean of each college shall:

1. solicit nominations for the award;

2. deliver those nominations to the college screening committees by February 17, 2006.

3. give the college screening committee the Guidelines for Selection of Recipients.

Role of the College Screening Committees

The committees shall receive from their respective deans by February 17, 2006, the nominations submitted in their colleges, the Guidelines for Selection of Recipients, and the number of nominations to which the college is entitled (i.e., the number of nominees that the committee is to select from the total number of nominations received by the committee).

The committees shall obtain evaluations of all courses taught by the nominees in the four previous semesters and any other information considered useful in their selection of the nominees from their colleges.

The committees shall prepare a written evaluation of each nominee whose name is to be forwarded to the Faculty Affairs Committee. The evaluation, which must not exceed three single-spaced, typewritten pages, should include, but need not be limited to:

1. a summary of information gleaned from the course evaluations that are being submitted with the committee evaluation; (The summary may include posting of numerical scores on the course evaluations that indicate the professor's ranking is above the mean of his/her department and college and may include written comments taken from the course evaluations that characterize the professor as an outstanding teacher.)

2. a summary of the actual grade distribution in the nominee's courses in the previous four semesters and comments on whether the grade distribution is considered indicative of the rigor of the courses taught by the professor being evaluated;

3. an indication of the level and variety of courses taught by the professor;

4. an indication of the length of the teaching career of the professor, including years of teaching at TU as well as total years;

5. an indication of any innovative teaching methods used.

The committees shall forward the following to the Faculty Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate by March 10, 2006:

1. the three page evaluation(s) of its nominee(s);

2. University of Tulsa Teacher Evaluation computer printouts from the previous four semesters for each nominee;

3. a complete list of all faculty considered for the award;

4. criteria used in the selection process;

5. names of all committee members participating in the evaluation;

6. suggestions for improving the process in future years.

Final Role of the Faculty Affairs Committee

The Faculty Affairs Committee shall review the nominations submitted by the colleges (a total of ten) and select the three faculty members considered most deserving of the Outstanding Teaching Award.

In its decision-making the committee will give weight to the following criteria:

1. numerical rankings on course evaluations that are consistently above the mean of the department and college and recurring comments on course evaluations that are indicative of superior teaching;

2. rigor of the courses, as reflected at least in part by grade distribution;

3. teaching at several levels, e.g., courses for non-majors as well as majors, courses for first year students as well as upperclass students, and, if applicable, graduate courses as well as undergraduate courses.

4. a reputation as an outstanding teacher sustained over a long period;

5. use of innovative teaching methods that may show an unusual dedication to providing an optimal learning situation for students.

The Faculty Affairs Committee shall forward to the Office of the Provost by April 7, 2006, the names of three persons selected to receive the award.


Conflict of Interest Guidelines for Faculty Affairs Committee

1. A member of the Faculty Affairs Committee who is a nominee for the award shall not participate in Faculty Affairs Committee deliberations related to consideration of the nominees or selection of the recipients of the award.

2. Upon learning that a member of the committee is a nominee for the award, the Chairperson of the Faculty Affairs Committee shall so notify the President of the Faculty Senate. The President of the Faculty Senate may replace the member by an alternate person who shall participate as a member of the Faculty Affairs Committee only during discussions of the committee directly related to the selection of the recipients of the award. If the President of the Faculty Senate does not appoint this alternate within seven days of a direct written or e-mail request by the Chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee, only regular members of the Faculty Affairs Committee who are not nominees for the award shall participate in deliberations related to the consideration of nominees and the selection of recipients of the University Outstanding Teacher Award.

3. A member of the committee who is a nominee for the award shall continue to participate in all issues before the Faculty Affairs Committee that are not directly related to consideration of nominees and selection of award recipients.