Adjunct Teaching Excellence Award

We recognize the importance of the adjunct members of our Ferris faculty. The Adjunct Teaching Excellence Award recipient is recognized by colleagues and students for demonstrated excellence in teaching. Recipients will receive a plaque and a $1,500 monetary award. 

Criteria for Evaluation 

Nominees will be evaluated based on the significance of their contributions in these areas: 

1. Exceptional teaching as evidenced by students’ performance and/or students’ ratings of instruction
2. Development and/or implementation of innovative teaching and learning strategies
3. Unusual effort devoted to ensuring the quality of the students’ learning experience
4. Possession of high scholarly standards for both the rigor and currency of course content and for the level of student performance with respect to these standards
5. Evidence of creativity in instructional approaches 

Eligibility 

1. The individual must be classified as an adjunct faculty member. They may be teaching full or part-time but is not on a tenure track.  
2. Nominees must have taught at least one course during the most recent one-year period, at any location. For example, a person who taught in Spring 2022, Summer 2022, or Fall 2022 may be recognized in 2023.
3. The nominee must have taught for Ferris State University for a minimum of four semesters that do not need to be consecutive, and they must have taught at least 12 credits.
4. Although the individual may be teaching in Spring 2023, that semester cannot be counted toward either the total credits or the number of semesters, because it will not be completed by the time of nomination.
5. Past recipients of this award are not eligible. 

Nomination Process 

Nominations are welcomed from any source: students, other faculty members, administrators, or a self-nomination. Students are strongly encouraged to nominate instructors they believe merit this distinction.

Please electronically submit the following:

1. Nominee’s name, Ferris department and college, and phone number
2. Letter of nomination that specifically addresses the criteria for evaluation  

All nominations must be received electronically at email address [email protected]. Please include the subject line “Adjunct Teaching Excellence Award Nomination” in your email. You will receive a confirmation email indicating that your nomination was received. Please submit a separate nomination for each nominee. 

The Secretary of the Academic Senate will follow up with nominees, providing them with a copy of the Adjunct Teaching Excellence Award, and requesting of them the following: 

1. A minimum of a one-page paper, not to exceed three pages, describing your teaching philosophies, challenges, achievements, or comments on perceived areas of teaching excellence (required)
2. Current vita or resume (required)
3. Nomination letter or email (attached in this email)
4. Up to three additional letters of recommendation or support from students, faculty, or administrators who can speak to your excellence in teaching, as appropriate, will be accepted but they are not required (optional)
5. Other supporting documentation such as letters of recognition, comments from students, instructor ratings, and/or notes from colleagues or other professionals, as appropriate, will be accepted but they are not required (optional) 

Deadline  

The deadline to submit nominations is by 5 pm, Friday February 13, 2023.  No late nominations will be accepted.