The Academic Senate’s Committee on Teaching is pleased to announce an initial call for nominations to recognize Extraordinary Teaching in Extraordinary Times. This award is intended to honor UC Berkeley faculty, staff, and student instructors who in 2020 embraced the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and engaged in or supported excellent teaching.

Up to 25 recipients will receive a $2,000 cash award. All members of the Academic Senate and non-Senate faculty/instructors, graduate and undergraduate student instructors, as well as staff who have supported excellent teaching, are eligible.

Submit a nomination by December 15, 2020.

Eligibility

All members of the Academic Senate and non-Senate faculty/instructors are eligible. Also eligible are graduate and undergraduate student instructors, as well as staff who have supported excellent teaching.

The nominees must have taught in Spring 2020, Summer 2020, and/or Fall 2020, or have worked in a role supporting teaching (e.g., as a dean of teaching excellence or curriculum, an instructional designer, a technical support staff member, a student instructor).

Nomination and Selection Process

Initial nomination: The stage 1 nomination should be a 300-word description of the efforts by the nominee to transform traditional, in-person courses into remote teaching environments while maintaining excellence, inclusivity, and student engagement. Nominees may be recognized for developing methods or infrastructure that supported classes taught by others. Concrete examples are preferred. Please consider nominating one of your teachers, a colleague, or yourself.

The Committee on Teaching will screen the initial nominations and select a subset of nominees for stage 2, who will be invited to submit additional materials in support of their nomination. The requested materials for stage 2 will not be extensive, but should include up to five tangible examples of remote teaching excellence, such as videos, course syllabi and materials, examples of student work (with permission), student evaluations of teaching, or other evidence. Finalists will be notified by January 31, 2021, and supporting materials will be due by February 28, 2021.

The Committee on Teaching will evaluate the supporting materials. Recipients will be announced by April 15, 2021. Receiving this award does not preclude recipients from being nominated for a Distinguished Teaching Award in the future.

If you have questions about the award guidelines, procedures or application, please contact Glynda Hull ([email protected](, Chair of the Committee on Teaching, or email [email protected].