University Service-Learning Teaching Excellence Award

Selection Procedures for Annual Service-Learning Teaching Excellence Award

Objective

The Service-Learning Teaching Excellence Award recognizes a faculty member’s unique time, effort, and planning for successful academic service-learning instruction. Service-learning is rooted in an academic discipline and provides learning experiences for students with meaningful assistance to the community. Through organized community-based learning activities, students address community needs and provide meaningful connections with community experiences, employing regular reflective practices for the purpose of personalizing the learning experience.

Awards Per Year

One award will be awarded annually. The award will carry a $1,000 monetary prize and will be included in the annual celebratory event.

Eligibility

All full-time faculty who have been involved in ECU service-learning course work in the academic year in which they are selected and in at least one previous year.

Nominees must:

  • have had experience teaching a designated service-learning course within an academic year,
  • have demonstrated results/impact in student’s learning from community-based experiences in the
    course(s),
  • have demonstrated excellence in teaching with respect to service-learning, as evidenced by
    innovative projects and partnerships, course evaluations and incorporation of service-learning best
    practices in the course,
  • have demonstrated meaningful positive difference/change/impact in the community related to the
    service-learning course(s),
  • have demonstrated collaborative work/planning with the community organization or constituents to
    build student learning while “doing good” in the community
  • have demonstrated how the service-learning work described has enhanced ECU’s strategic
    priorities, and
  • have demonstrated how service-learning has enhanced the faculty member’s professional
    development in teaching, scholarship, and/ or service.

Nomination Procedures and Guidelines

Nominations may be made in the following ways:

  1. by the department-level academic units (including areas of concentration)
  2. by other representatives in the faculty member’s field of work, including community partners
  3. by deans and department heads
  4. by representatives from the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement

Nomination letters should:

  1. provide evidence that the scholarship positively impacted the community(ies);
  2. provide evidence of leadership and sustained, equal relationships with the community(ies) for the purpose of scholarship;
  3. provide evidence of a relationship between the scholarship, departmental/academic unit goals, and ECU’s Strategic Plan;
  4. cite examples of SOE-generated products such as: 1) professional juried presentations and publications, and 2) research studies of partnerships; and
  5. cite examples of: 1) leadership in SOE, 2) community response to the engagement and outreach, and
  6. assessment of the engagement disseminated in reports and policies.

Nominations are made in the following two steps: (1) Nominee names and basic information must be submitted to a survey link posted on the Faculty Senate website by September 15 at 5:00 pm (or the next business day if the 15th falls on a weekend). Nominees will be contacted by the OFE following the survey nomination deadline and provided with information about the application packet that must be submitted if they wish to pursue the award. (2) A nomination letter specifying why the nominee deserves the award should be provided to the nominee by 5 p.m. on October 15, or the next business day if the 15th falls on a weekend.

Nominees who wish to pursue the award must submit their application packets no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT on November 1st, or the next business day if the 1st falls on a weekend. In addition, nominees will be asked to complete the provided information sheet template and submit a photograph at least 2.5” x 3” with a minimum resolution of 300.

The application packet:

  1. should include representative examples of the faculty member’s instruction methods, including the incorporation of student reflection.
  2. must contain the following in this order:
    • Contents: itemized list of all materials in the application packet
    • Nomination letter
    • 500-word essay describing the nominee’s excellence in teaching with respect to service-
      learning, including the impact on student’s reflective learning from community-based
      experiences in the course(s) and how the service-learning course has enhanced ECU’s
      strategic priorities and the related academic discipline
    • CV: a complete curriculum vitae, highlighting the nominee’s innovative projects and
      partnerships, course evaluations
    • Supportive letter from a community partner that addresses the reciprocity of the partnership
      and clear positive difference/change/impact in the community related to the service-learning course
    • Additional supporting materials (evidence that the nominee exemplifies the award criteria): At
      least 1, and no more than 3, examples of service-learning activity that can be submitted electronically. Examples include, but are not limited to: 1) course syllabi; 2) scholarly publications; 3) description of projects; 4) peer teaching reviews; 5) departmental awards; 6) letters of support from current and former students.
  3. must adhere to the specifications presented here; those that do not may be disqualified.
  4. should utilize appropriate margins, fonts, type sizes, and colors to ensure readability.
  5. must not exceed 50 pages. This page limit does not include the itemized list, information sheet, photograph, and vitae.

    Evaluation Procedures

    In September, the selection committee will be convened by the Chair of the Academic Awards Committe and will consist of 2 members of the Academic Awards Committee, elected by the committee; 1 faculty member elected by the Service-Learning Committee; 1 faculty member appointed by the Chair of the Faculty; and 1 member appointed by the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement. The selection committee will have at least one faculty member experienced in successful academic service-learning instruction; preferably a previous service-learning teaching excellence award winner.

    In November, packets will be made available to members of the selection committee, and the selection committee will review and evaluate the submitted materials according to the developed checklist and rubric. The checklist and rubric must mirror the award guidelines.

    In early January, the selection committee will identify their top candidates in rank order for committee discussion and, by scoring determine the recipient(s) of the Service-Learning Teaching Excellence Award. The committee will forward the name(s) of the recommended recipient of the award and make their academic service-learning award packet available to the Provost. Based on the award guidelines, the Provost either concurs or will meet with the selection committee to seek resolution.

    In the Spring, the award recipient(s) will be recognized during a celebratory event. Following the public announcement of this award, the Provost will send letters of recognition to the recipient and letters of appreciation to nominees.

    The award-winning portfolio(s) will be kept on file for public review in the Office for Faculty Excellence, Joyner Library.

    (Faculty Senate Resolutions #18-07; #19-82, #21-34, #23-28, editorially revised in April 2024)