Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for Graduate Teaching Assistants

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, in fulfillment of its mission, is devoted to excellence in undergraduate teaching. The LAS College Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for Graduate Teaching Assistants was established in 1990 by the LAS Committee on Undergraduate Education. The LAS Awards Committee will review and rank the applications received. Final recipient recommendations will be approved by the Dean of the college. Up to six awards may be made annually. If a graduate TA receives any LAS college award they will not be eligible for a second college award during the next five-year period.

Criteria

Nominations will be evaluated in terms of achievement according to the following established criteria:

  1. Sustained excellence in undergraduate teaching.
  2. Innovative approaches to undergraduate teaching.
  3. The overall positive impact on undergraduate student learning.
  4. Other contributions to improve undergraduate instruction. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: Engaging students in the classroom; developing courses and curricula; mentoring graduate teaching assistants; leading workshops on pedagogy; advancing the scholarship of teaching and learning; or making other multidimensional contributions beyond the classroom, laboratory, or studio.

Award

Recipients receive a $2,000 award and a commemorative plaque. Both are presented to the winners at the LAS Recognition of Teaching Excellence.

Eligibility

The eligibility requirements for this award and the Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching are the same. Further, a graduate student who receives any LAS college award will not be eligible for a second college award during the next five-year period, although such a person may be nominated again through this process for the Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching during that five-year period, if she/he remains eligible for that award.

Nomination

The nomination for this award and the Campus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching are the same. The criteria and procedures are defined in the Provost's Guidelines on Awards for Excellence in Instruction, Advising, and Research. The LAS Awards Committee will review and rank the applications received. In addition to the campus procedures, all materials must be typed in 12 point, Times New Roman font, single-spaced.

Each graduate assistant selected as a recipient of the LAS Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching will be nominated for the campus award, if eligible. In cases in which a graduate assistant is not eligible in a given year for a college award but is eligible for a campus award, the strongest nominations as determined by the Awards Committee will be forwarded. A pdf of the nomination packet should be sent to lasdean@illinois.edu. If needed, a paper copy can be sent to: LAS AWARDS COMMITTEE, 2090 Lincoln Hall MC-448.

The deadlines for submission to the department and to the college correspond to those for the campus awards:

Date Deadlines
Mid-November, 2024 Recommended deadline for nominations to departmental selection committee.
January 5, 2025, 5pm Deadline for nominations from departments to the college.
February 1, 2025 Deadline for college nominations to the campus.