Third Annual Presidential Teacher Award
The Presidential Teacher Award recognizes outstanding undergraduate teaching, advising, and mentoring at Adams State College. Each year, three winners will be selected by a student committee. The winners will carry the designation of Presidential Teacher for the following academic year.
The Award
Each Presidential Teacher will receive $1500 to support his or her professional development. Whenever possible, winners will also be given the opportunity to teach a special Presidential Teacher Course during the next academic year. That course can be on any subject the award winner chooses. The Provost's office will work with the winner's departments to help find ways to allow them to replace the course that will be lost when the award winner is teaching the PT course. If a faculty member is on a one year contract, winning the award will not guarantee employment for the following year. However, if the winner were not continuing on the faculty, he or she would still receive the professional development portion of the award.
Eligibility
All full-time faculty members are eligible for the award. Faculty who are teaching part-time, adjuncts, or those on transitional retirement are not eligible.
The Selection Process
Each fall, based on recommendations from the Chairs, the Provost will convene a Presidential Teacher Selection Committee composed of undergraduate students from across the disciplines. This committee will be responsible for the selection of that year's Presidential Teachers.
During registration for Spring semester, the Selection Committee will announce the nomination process to all undergraduate students. All ASC undergraduate students, faculty, and staff will have the opportunity to nominate a professor.
The student committee will review the nominations and announce the finalists (4 or 5) as soon as school begins in January (potential finalists will be contacted in advance to make sure they are willing and able to accept the award). During Spring semester, the selection committee will visit two classes of each finalist to observe their teaching. The committee will also interview each candidate and discuss their teaching philosophy, classroom practices, non-classroom advising and mentoring activities, and the Presidential Teacher course the finalist is proposing. The Selection Committee will then deliberate and make a final selection of the three winners. The Provost will announce the winners at the annual Faculty Recognition banquet.
Previous Presidential Teacher Award Winners:
- 2007-08 - Eva Brown (Sociology), Kim Kelso (Psychology), Gene Schilling (Art)
- 2008-09 – Tim Armstrong (Biology), Marty Jones (Chemistry), John Taylor (Theater)
