Purpose of the Award

This award serves the following major purposes:

• To recognize and reward outstanding faculty instructors in CEHD.
• To provide models that promote excellence in teaching among other CEHD faculty.
• To highlight the college’s commitment to excellence in teaching.

One award may be given in a calendar year for excellence in teaching by a faculty member.

The award recipient will be announced at the CEHD All College Meeting and will receive a certificate of recognition and $1,000.

Criteria of Excellence

The award honors an individual who demonstrates most of the following qualities and characteristics:

• Employs a scholarly approach to teaching and learning.
• Teaches in a thought-provoking and intellectually demanding way
• Relates course content to other fields, contemporary issues and student experiences.
• Promotes critical reading, thinking and writing.
• Engages students and stimulates participation.
• Conveys enthusiasm about teaching.
• Exhibits open-mindedness, fairness and respect of differences among students.
• Cares about individual students and their development.
• Inspires students to excel.

Eligibility for the Award

• A person nominated for this award must be a full-time UD faculty member in the college. (“Faculty” refers to having a primary, secondary or joint appointment as an instructor, assistant professor, associate professor or full professor.)
• The person nominated for this award must have had full responsibility for teaching at least one course section in the college during the previous calendar year. The nominee may teach either undergraduate or graduate students or both.
• The person nominated for this award has not won this award in the last five years.
• The person nominated for this award has not nominated himself/herself and has not solicited this nomination in any manner.

Nomination Process

To nominate a faculty member for this award, you must be familiar with the individual’s teaching expertise. Please submit this form and share examples of the nominee’s success in and dedication to teaching, plus give specific examples of how the individual fulfills the award criteria (listed above). Members of the CEHD Faculty Council are not eligible to nominate faculty for this award.

Nominees will be notified once nominations have been submitted and will be asked to write a statement reflecting on their teaching (no more than two pages in length).

Selection Process

The awardee will be selected by the CEHD Faculty Council. The council will compare the evidence provided in the nomination letter and by the relevant department chair against the criteria for excellence in teaching that are listed above. The council will also consider the nominee’s reflective statement. The number of nominations that a person receives is not a relevant factor in the council’s deliberations.

Rita M. Fillos was the founding director of the Center for Educational Leadership and Evaluation, which was the precursor to the CEHD Center for Research in Education and Social Policy. Fillos first came to UD as a secretary, and during her employment as a staff member, completed a Ph.D. in Education. As a result, she was deeply dedicated to ongoing professional development.

To recognize her accomplishments, friends of Fillos collaborated with the dean of the college to create an award in her memory.

Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be enrolled in an academic degree program at the University of Delaware.
• Provide evidence of distinctive accomplishments in support of the college’s mission.

The recipient of the award will receive $2,000.

Application

To be considered for the Fillos Award, the applicant or nominating supervisor must complete the award form and submit the following information to the CEHD Director of Human Resources:

• Degree being pursued.
• Anticipated date of completion.
• Long-term aspirations.
• Letter of support from applicant’s supervisor stating evidence of distinctive accomplishments in support of the college’s mission.

Selection Process

The awardee will be selected by the CEHD Staff Council.

Recipients of this award will receive $500 (paid from college gift funds), a certificate and recognized at the All College Meeting.

Criteria

• Generates an idea to increase efficiency and/or streamline a work process.
• Develops a proposal for a cost savings solution.
• Seeks possibilities for opportunities related to the college’s and/or UD Strategic Plan.
• Shares suggestions as to how to make the college or university a more inclusive environment

Selection Process

The awardee will be selected by the CEHD Staff Council.

Recipients of this award will receive $500 (paid from college gift funds), a certificate and recognition at the All College Meeting.

Criteria

• Goes above and beyond regular responsibilities.
• Consistently provides exemplary service to faculty, staff and/or students.
• Demonstrates a willingness to help colleagues with projects, activities and other work-related needs.
• Fosters and promotes a positive work environment.
• Fosters and promotes a sense of community and collaboration and encourages different viewpoints.

Selection Process

The awardee will be selected by the CEHD Staff Council.