CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL FACULTY AND STAFF

On behalf of the Board of Regents, the University System of Georgia (USG) Office of Academic Affairs invites nominations for the Regents’ Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Award. This award honors faculty whose work exemplifies the principles of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning as articulated in Boyer’s Scholarship Reconsidered and supported by the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

The award supports and recognizes faculty members who rigorously investigate teaching and learning and contribute to the improvement of student learning through public, peer-reviewed, and impactful scholarly work. Two awards may be given each year. Sector is not a consideration for this award.

Award Criteria

Nominations will be evaluated based on persuasive evidence of excellence in the following areas:

1. Systematic SoTL Inquiry
   Engages in the systematic investigation of questions related to student learning and the conditions that support it, grounded in prior scholarship and relevant theories.
    
2. Impact on Teaching Practice
   Demonstrates how SoTL research has informed and improved the nominee’s own teaching practices.
    
3. Public and Peer-Reviewed Scholarship
   Produces scholarly work that has been reviewed by peers and shared through respected journals, conferences, or other academic forums within the discipline or SoTL community.
    
4. Contributions to Knowledge
   Advances teaching and learning by contributing new insights, methodologies, or questions to the SoTL field.
    
5. Philosophical Alignment
   Clearly articulates a teaching philosophy that informs and is informed by the nominee’s scholarly inquiry.
    
6. Dissemination and Documentation
   Includes a well-organized annotated bibliography that summarizes SoTL projects, questions, methodologies, and findings.
    
7. Leadership and Engagement in the SoTL Community
   Supports and promotes SoTL beyond their own scholarship through mentoring, leading workshops or learning communities, reviewing for journals or conferences, or similar roles.

Eligibility and Nomination Procedures

Nominees must be full-time faculty or academic staff at a USG institution. Each institution may submit one nomination for this award. Campus nomination procedures should be determined by institutional leadership. Each nomination must be endorsed by the institution’s chief academic officer.

Required Documentation

Nomination portfolios should not exceed 15 pages, including any supporting materials (1” margins, minimum 12-point font for each section below). To ensure a focused presentation, nominees should select the most compelling and relevant evidence. 

Each portfolio submission should include the following components:

1. Table of Contents
   A list of all portfolio components.
   (Note: Does not count toward the 15-page limit.)
    
2. Nomination Letter (1–2 pages)
   A letter from the institution’s chief academic officer endorsing the nominee and highlighting the value of their SoTL work.
   (Note: Does not count toward the 15-page limit.)
    
3. Teaching Philosophy Narrative (1–2 pages)
   A statement that explains how the nominee’s teaching philosophy connects to their SoTL inquiry—describing how goals, theories, and methods shape and are shaped by their approach to teaching.
    
4. SoTL Narrative and Impact (3+ pages)
   This section is the heart of the portfolio. It should provide a reflective summary of the nominee’s SoTL work. This narrative should:
   • Describe primary research questions or themes explored
   • Summarize methods and findings across key SoTL projects
   • Reflect on how this scholarship has informed and improved teaching practices
   • Highlight evidence of impact on student learning or the broader teaching and learning community
      
5. Annotated Bibliography of SoTL Scholarship (1–2 pages)
   A curated, annotated bibliography of the nominee’s peer-reviewed SoTL publications or presentations. Each entry should briefly summarize:
   • The research problem or question
   • Methodology
   • Key results or insights
      
6. SoTL Leadership and Engagement (1–2 pages)
   A description of how the nominee supports or promotes SoTL beyond their own research. This may include activities such as:
   • Mentoring others engaging in SoTL
   • Leading SoTL-related workshops or learning communities
   • Contributing to SoTL journals, conferences, or initiatives
      
7. Condensed Curriculum Vitae (2–3 pages)
   A focused CV highlighting the nominee’s SoTL-related activities, such as publications, presentations, collaborative projects, and service roles.
    

Submission Guidelines

• All materials must be combined into a single PDF file and submitted via the Regents Portfolio Submission System.
• Portfolios must follow formatting requirements (1-inch margins, minimum 12-point font) and may not exceed 15 pages.
• External links will not be reviewed. Only the contents of the portfolio will be considered by reviewers.

Award Committee

A special committee composed of faculty and administrators from across the USG who are experienced in teaching and learning practices will review the nomination portfolios and recommend finalists for each award.