Call for Nominations

2017 Student Scholarships and Faculty Awards

I. Honors Convocation Scholarships

It is time to nominate three undergraduate students for the awards presented at this year’s Honors Convocation. Out of the 24 nominees that we should receive, the following awards will be presented:

Eight University Scholars (one from each College with undergraduates) - $1,000 each
One Phi Kappa Phi Scholar - $2,500
One Stan and Renee Wimberly Scholar - $2,500
One Distinguished Student Award - $1,500
One University Club Merit Award - $3,000

Required Documentation

The following materials must be submitted in PDF or Microsoft Word format for each of your three nominees (please include the student’s Z-number):

A detailed letter of nomination from a faculty member listing the attributes that indicate the student is eligible for an award.
A current transcript (unofficial transcript from MyFAU is fine).
Evidence of scholarship, research, and/or creative activities. Documentation of scholarship can include a written assignment or project that exemplifies the student’s high achievement beyond what can be seen in the transcript. As the committee will be constrained for time, please limit samples to one project.
Optional: a one-page resume or curriculum vitae.

Eligibility

Awards are given on the basis of academic excellence. Scholarship nominees must have completed at least 90 undergraduate semester credits by the end of the Fall 2016 semester (20 of which must have been completed at FAU) and have a GPA of 3.6 or above. Please see the attached list of the students who meet these requirements.

In addition, the Distinguished Student Award will be awarded to the nominee who most enhances the learning environment by making an outstanding contribution, or by inspiring others, or by achieving at a high level in the face of exceptional circumstances.

Deadline

Please send all nominations to mturtz@fau.edu in the Provost’s Office at mturtz@fau.edu no later than February 20, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.

II. Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Teaching and Advising Awards

It is also time to begin the selection process for the teaching and advising awards. Please send me the names of three nominees (two faculty nominees for the teaching awards and one faculty or staff nominee for the advising award). The following awards will be given on an at-large basis:

Four awards for Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Teaching - $4,000 each
Three awards for Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Advising - $2,000 each

Deadlines

By February 6, 2017 at 5:00 p.m., nominations for both teaching and advising awards should be forwarded by departments to College screening committees for review. These committees shall contain student representation. Nominations should be in PDF or Microsoft Word format.

By February 20, 2017 at 5:00 p.m., each College screening committee will select the candidates and forward those names and electronic nomination materials to Michael Turtz in the Provost’s Office at mturtz@fau.edu.

By March 6, 2017, the Honors and Awards Committee of the University Faculty Senate will select the award recipients and forward their names to the Provost.

Initial Nominations

All nominations and applications must be forwarded through the appropriate academic department to the College awards screening committee. Nominations may be offered by students, faculty members or others capable of determining the merits of the nominee’s contributions to teaching or advising. Individuals are free to apply for the awards as well.

Eligibility

Teaching Award: Eligibility will be limited to faculty members who teach at least two undergraduate courses during the academic year 2016-17, and who have held positions as tenured or tenure-earning ranked faculty or full-time instructors at the institution for at least the two preceding academic years.
Advising Award: Eligibility for selection will be limited to individuals (including faculty members and professional advisors) who have significant responsibilities in undergraduate advising during the academic year 2015-16. Faculty members must have held their positions for at least the two preceding years, and professional advisors must have been employed by the institution for at least the two preceding years.
No recipient of one of these awards for undergraduate teaching or advising within the past two academic years (2014-15) and (2015-16) shall be eligible for an award in 2017.
No individual who is a current member of a College awards screening committee or the University Faculty Senate Honors and Awards Committee shall be eligible for an award.

Criteria for Selection

Candidates must have demonstrated excellence through stimulating and effective teaching or advising. Although excellence is difficult to assess, a number of indicators may be considered, including: student, peer, and administrative evaluations; previous awards, honors, etc., received in recognition of excellence; evidence of innovation in teaching or advising as reflected in the development or use of new methods and techniques; and recent publications or presentations related to teaching or advising, particularly including new methods and/or techniques.

Documentation in support of each nomination and application should include the following in PDF or Microsoft Word format:

At least one letter describing the reasons for the nomination or application
The candidate’s current curriculum vitae.
Information from recent student, peer, and/or administrative evaluations of the candidate’s teaching or advising, including annual evaluations for the past two years (the latter may be limited to the teaching and/or advising portion of the annual evaluation). For teaching awards, include overall SPOT evaluation results for the past two years with the course number and title of each course, the number of students enrolled, and the department average.
Information concerning previous awards, honors, etc. received in recognition of excellence in teaching or advising.
Electronic copies of recent publications or presentations concerning teaching or advising, particularly including new methods and/or techniques.
A statement of Teaching Philosophy or Advising Philosophy, depending on the award.
Any other relevant documentation.

Documentation is to be submitted in PDF or Microsoft Word format.

III. Barnes & Noble Faculty Service Award

In recognition of the many contributions of professional service provided by FAU faculty to our local communities, I am pleased to announce the call for nominations for the Barnes & Noble Faculty Service Award. Please send me the name of one faculty nominee. This award will be presented to one faculty member judged most outstanding in the area of service to the community. The funding for the award has been provided through the gracious donation of the Barnes & Noble University Bookstore and provides for one $1,200 award (pre-tax) that will be presented at the annual Employee Service Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 26, 2017.

Deadlines

By February 6, 2017 at 5:00 p.m., nominations and accompanying documentation must be submitted to the Dean of the faculty member's College in PDF or Microsoft Word format.

By February 20, 2017 at 5:00 p.m., Deans should forward one nomination to Michael Turtz in the Provost’s Office at mturtz@fau.edu in PDF or Microsoft Word format.

By March 6, 2017, the Honors and Awards Committee of the University Faculty Senate will select the award recipient and forward the name to the Provost.

Initial Nominations

Faculty members who meet the award criteria may nominate themselves or be nominated by anyone within the University community. Please make sure that this opportunity is well-noticed within your academic departments and that your high-performing and committed faculty members who are eligible for such recognition are aware of and apply for this prestigious award.

Eligibility

Permanent faculty including instructors, research and library faculty, multi-year appointees, and those in tenured or tenure-earning lines who have been employed for one continuous year (including an academic year for faculty) are eligible to apply. Visiting faculty are not eligible.

Criteria for Selection

The award will be based upon the achievements of the faculty for service to the regional, national and/or international community. Service must be performed without compensation.

Service must be substantiated by at least one letter, which may or may not be from the benefiting agency/entity.
Service should be related to the profession or discipline of the faculty member; however, extraordinary service in an unrelated area will be considered.
Service may or may not be a component of a faculty member's normal assignment.