Arts Awards for Excellence in Service, Teaching, and Research

Excellence in Service | Excellence in Teaching | Excellence in Research

Arts Award for Excellence in Service — criteria

For staff, students, tenure-stream faculty, and continuous and definite term lecturers

In recognition of exceptional service, the Faculty of Arts presents up to four Arts Service Awards each year. The adjudication committee will seek to ensure that the full range of service provided by members of the Arts community is recognized in its selections.

Who can submit nominations

For faculty and staff based in Faculty of Arts units, the candidate’s Chair/Director or supervisor is responsible for preparing and submitting nominations (or co-signing and submitting worthy nominations originating from another party). For students, the nominator will normally be the Undergraduate or Graduate Officer for the student’s major, the ASU or GSA president, or another significant faculty or staff contact.

Nomination package

A nomination package will include the candidate’s full CV (for tenure stream faculty only) and a letter of nomination (of no more than 750 words) incorporating evidence of:

• The nominees’ exemplary service within the last 5 years.
• A specific, high-impact project or initiative, or impact that goes substantially beyond the usual standard of excellence that benefits the individual’s unit or peers, the Faculty of Arts, or the broader university community.

Other important considerations and information

• Staff and students are eligible to receive one Excellence in Service award every 10 years.
• Tenure-stream faculty may receive only one Excellence in Service award over their career.
• Only one Excellence in Service nomination from a specific Department/School/Unit will be accepted in an award year, which includes nominations for all staff, students, and faculty.  

Nominators are encouraged to keep nominations confidential. Best practice will be for Chairs/Directors to solicit updated CVs from all faculty members on an annual cycle rather than individually soliciting nominee CVs.

These awards are adjudicated by the multi-disciplinary Arts Honours & Awards Committee. Sitting members of this committee are ineligible for these awards. While holding their administrative positions, Chairs/Directors, Associate Deans, and the Dean are also ineligible.

Deadlines and dates

The nomination deadline for all Arts Awards is in March, and the announcement of these awards takes place in the Spring/Summer, with the formal celebration event taking place in the Fall. Specific dates are established by the committee on an ongoing basis.

Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching — criteria

For tenure-stream faculty, continuous and definite term lecturers, sessional instructors, and graduate student instructors

In recognition of exceptional teaching, the Faculty of Arts presents up to four Arts Teaching Awards each year to faculty members (tenured and tenure-track professors, staff instructors, and definite term or continuing lecturers), sessional instructors, and/or graduate student instructors.  The adjudication committee will seek to ensure that the full range of Arts instructors is recognized in its selections.

Who can submit nominations

For faculty and other eligible instructors based in Faculty of Arts units or AFIW*, the candidate’s Chair/Director or supervisor is responsible for preparing and submitting nominations (or co-signing and submitting worthy nominations originating from another party).

Nomination package

A nomination package will include the candidate’s full CV (for tenure-stream faculty only) and a letter of nomination (of no more than 750 words) incorporating evidence of:

• The nominees’ exemplary teaching within the last 5-years.
• The candidate’s teaching effectiveness, demonstrated by appropriately contextualized information from course evaluations, and/or other relevant indicators.
• Proven consistency in teaching excellence over time, and between different levels and course sizes. Implementation of new and varied approaches related to course development; structure and delivery.
• Mentoring of colleagues and graduate students for the purpose of promoting better teaching.

Other important considerations and information

• Faculty and other eligible instructors based in Faculty of Arts units or AFIW* may receive only one Excellence in Teaching award over their career.
• Only one Excellence in Teaching nomination from a specific Department/School/Unit/ AFIW will be accepted in an award year, which includes nominations for all tenure-stream faculty, continuous and definite term lecturers, sessional instructors, and graduate student instructors. 

Nominators are encouraged to keep nominations confidential. Best practice will be for Chairs/Directors to solicit updated CVs from all faculty members on an annual cycle rather than individually soliciting nominee CVs.

These awards are adjudicated by the multi-disciplinary Arts Honours & Awards Committee. Sitting members of this committee are ineligible for these awards. While holding their administrative positions, Chairs/Directors, Associate Deans, and the Dean are also ineligible.

* For AFIW nominees affiliated with a Faculty of Arts Department/School (i.e., adjunct or cross-appointment), the AFIW nominator should have the letter endorsed by a Faculty of Arts Chair/Director/Supervisor from the unit in which the nominee is an adjunct or cross-appointee. 

Deadlines and dates

The nomination deadline for all Arts Awards is in March, and the announcement of these awards takes place in the Spring/Summer, with the formal celebration event taking place in the Fall. Specific dates are established by the committee on an ongoing basis.

Arts Award for Excellence in Research — criteria

For tenure-stream faculty only

In recognition of exceptional research achievement, the Faculty of Arts presents up to four Arts Research Awards each year. Awards will be presented to regular faculty members (tenured and tenure-track professors) only.  The adjudication committee will seek to ensure that the full spectrum of Arts research (social sciences, humanities, languages, culture/research-creation, interdisciplinary) is recognized in its selections. Nominations may be submitted for emerging researchers, mid-career researchers, and/or senior researchers (and candidates’ achievements will be assessed in relation to their peers at the same career stage).

Who can submit nominations

For faculty based in Faculty of Arts units or AFIW*, the candidate’s Chair/Director or supervisor is responsible for preparing and submitting nominations (or co-signing and submitting worthy nominations originating from another party).

Nomination package

A nomination package will include the candidate’s full CV and a letter of nomination (of no more than 750 words) incorporating evidence of:

• The nominee’s exemplary research within the last 5 years.
• Research achievement in comparison to peers at the same career stage (i.e., emerging, mid-career, or senior).
• Quantity and quality of research contributions in the context of the candidate’s discipline (e.g., social sciences, humanities, culture/research-creation, etc.).
• Success in securing research grants, awards, and/or prizes.
• Disciplinary or interdisciplinary impact.
• Leadership in research teams, networks, and/or centres.
• Research impact and success in communicating research findings to audiences outside of academia.

Other important considerations and information

• Faculty based in Faculty of Arts units or AFIW* may receive only one Excellence in Research award over their career.
• Only one Excellence in Research nomination from a specific Department/School/AFIW will be accepted in an award year, which includes nominations for all tenure-stream faculty only. 

Nominators are encouraged to keep nominations confidential. Best practice will be for Chairs/Directors to solicit updated CVs from all faculty members on an annual cycle rather than individually soliciting nominee CVs.

These awards are adjudicated by the multi-disciplinary Arts Honours & Awards Committee. Sitting members of this committee are ineligible for these awards. While holding their administrative positions, Chairs/Directors, Associate Deans, and the Dean are also ineligible.

*For AFIW nominees affiliated with a Faculty of Arts Department/School (i.e., adjunct or cross-appointment), the AFIW nominator should have the letter endorsed by a Faculty of Arts Chair/Director/Supervisor from the unit in which the nominee is an adjunct or cross-appointee. 

Deadlines and dates

The nomination deadline for all Arts Awards is in March, and the announcement of these awards takes place in the Spring/Summer, with the formal celebration event taking place in the Fall. Specific dates are established by the committee on an ongoing basis.