Policy Title: University Distinguished Teaching Professorship

1. Policy Statement

   The University Distinguished Teaching Professorship award recognizes tenured faculty who perform outstanding teaching, teach at the introductory levels of their disciplines, promote the continuous development of teaching excellence, and promote improved teaching among their colleagues in the UNT community.  

2. Application of Policy

   Faculty at the rank of associate professor or professor

3. Award
   

The award consists of the designation "University Distinguished Teaching Professor" and a one-time supplement of five thousand dollars ($5000) added to the recipient’s base salary. Up to five awards may be made per year with the restriction that no more than 5 percent of the total faculty at the rank of associate professor and professor can hold the designation “University Distinguished Teaching Professor" at any one time.

4. Eligibility
   

   To be eligible for this award, an individual must:
   1. be a full-time, tenured associate professor or professor;
   2. have a distinguished record of teaching;
   3. demonstrate the potential for continued excellence in  teaching performance; and

4. demonstrate a commitment to the further development and promotion of excellent teaching performance.

5. Selection Procedure
   

Nominations for the designation of University Distinguished Teaching Professor shall be made by the department chair and submitted to the school or college dean. The nomination dossier must contain a letter of nomination, a letter of support by the personnel affairs committee (or other unit-level committee duly constituted for the purpose of reviewing such nominations), and a letter by the department chair.  A candidate’s nomination should be based upon a record of excellence consisting of a teaching portfolio covering teaching performance over the 5 year period prior to nomination, and upon evidence therein of sustained excellent performance since promotion to the rank of associate professor.

School or college nominations shall be forwarded by the dean to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for consideration, and shall include a letter of evaluation of the candidate by the dean. Final nominations for the awards shall be submitted to the President by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, acting in light of the recommendation of the University Distinguished Teaching Professor Selection and Review Committee. 

6. Requirements for University Distinguished Teaching Professors
   

All University Distinguished Teaching Professors shall teach at least two courses or the equivalent in individual instruction each semester.  At least one course per year must be offered at the introductory level of the discipline, consistent with the needs of the faculty member’s department.

All University Distinguished Teaching Professors shall encourage excellent teaching performance among the faculty and/or graduate students of their unit, of the university, and/or the profession by mentoring, teaching, and/or sharing good teaching practices.

7. Exceptions
   

1. A University Distinguished Teaching Professor on full-time leave is exempt from the workload requirements for the duration of the leave. If partial faculty responsibilities continue, the workload requirement shall apply proportionally to the terms of the leave.

2.  A newly selected University Distinguished Teaching Professor may defer compliance with the workload requirements for the first year of the appointment due to existing scheduling commitments.

8. Review of Performance
   

The designation of University Distinguished Teaching Professor shall be reviewed by the University Distinguished Teaching Professor Selection and Review Committee in the third year after designation has been awarded and every third year thereafter as long as the designation is held. The committee will insure continued eligibility for the designation, based on the faculty member’s ongoing teaching performance evaluations and on his/her continuing efforts to maintain and improve his/her own teaching excellence and promote quality teaching among graduate students, colleagues, and broader professional communities.  The committee shall recommend whether the designation of University Distinguished Teaching Professor should or should not continue. In the event the determination is made that a person should not continue to be a University Distinguished Teaching Professor, the salary supplement that accompanied the initial designation shall be retained.

Specific procedures for the conduct of these reviews shall be adopted and published by the University Distinguished Teaching Professor Selection and Review Committee.

Salary supplement earned during regular service immediately prior to retirement shall be included as part of the base salary for the purpose of calculating the salary of a University Distinguished Teaching Professor who goes on modified service. 

9. Composition of Selection and Review Committee
   

The University Distinguished Teaching Professor Selection and Review Committee  shall consist of six tenured faculty members serving staggered three year terms, three student members (one graduate, two undergraduates) serving one year terms, and the Director of the Center for Learning Enhancement, Assessment, and Redesign (CLEAR). Three faculty committee members shall be selected by the Faculty Senate and three by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The graduate student shall be selected by the Dean of the Graduate School.  The undergraduate students shall be selected by the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. At least one-half of the committee’s faculty members shall be University Distinguished Teaching Professors and at least two of the  members shall be associate professors.* The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, or designee, shall serve as chair of the University Distinguished Teaching Professor Selection and Review Committee.

The University Distinguished Teaching Professor Selection and Review Committee may adopt and publish additional procedures and application standards for review of candidates for the award consistent with this policy.

(*Until such time as at least twenty University Distinguished Teaching Professors have been appointed, tenured faculty who have won major university or external teaching awards, or others who have in other ways demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to teaching and learning, may be named to the committee in place of the University Distinguished Teaching Professors as required above). 

Approved: 4/7/2009
Effective: 4/7/2009
Revised: