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’ Teaching Excellence Award for Online Teaching. This award honors individual faculty or academic staff who demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence in online teaching, student engagement, and success in virtual learning environments.

Award Criteria

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

1. Commitment to Quality Online Teaching and Learning
   The nominee demonstrates a sustained commitment to high-quality online instruction, course design, service, and scholarly activity that supports excellence in online education.
    
2. Effective and Innovative Online Teaching Practices
   The nominee employs creative, research-informed instructional strategies that promote student engagement, satisfaction, and achievement of learning outcomes in the online environment.
    
3. Student Success and Support
   The nominee fosters strong rapport with online learners and provides meaningful academic and personal support both in and beyond the virtual classroom.
    
4. Assessment and Course Improvement
   The nominee uses student learning data and feedback to refine instructional approaches and improve online course design through an ongoing, data-informed process.
    
5. Interactive and Collaborative Online Strategies
   The nominee integrates collaborative tools and activities that promote peer interaction, group learning, and a strong sense of online community.
    
6. Adherence to Online Course Quality Standards
   The nominee’s online courses reflect high standards of quality and alignment with nationally recognized frameworks or best practices for online course design (e.g., Quality Matters or equivalent models).

Eligibility and Nomination Procedures

To be eligible, nominees must:

• Be full-time teaching faculty or academic staff at a USG institution.
• Have taught a total of at least 12 credit hours of fully online courses (defined as 95% or more online delivery) across the most recent three consecutive semesters. (Note: This means 12 credit hours combined over the previous three semesters, not 12 credits in each semester.)
• Be endorsed by the institution’s chief academic officer.

Each USG institution may submit one nomination. Campus nomination procedures should be determined locally.

Required Documentation

Nomination portfolios must not exceed 15 pages total, including supporting materials (1-inch margins, minimum 12-point font). Portfolios that exceed the limit or do not follow formatting guidelines will not be accepted.

All portfolios 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 briefly describing their impact and effectiveness as an online educator.
   (Note: Does not count toward the 15-page limit.)
    
3. Condensed Curriculum Vitae (2–3 pages)
   A CV that includes:
   • Course titles and numbers for each fully online course taught in the past 3 years
   • A brief description of each online course
   • Semesters in which each course was taught and number of sections taught per course
   • Relevant online teaching credentials, certifications, or achievements
      
4. Reflective Teaching Statement (1–2 pages)
   A summary of the nominee’s online teaching philosophy, instructional objectives, and strategies for supporting student learning and engagement.
    
5. Teaching Artifacts and Innovations (1–2 pages)
   A summary of 3–4 innovative teaching practices or tools used to enhance online learning. May include legible screenshots or visuals of course features (e.g., discussion boards, assessments, or multimedia content).
    
6. Evidence of Online Teaching Excellence (4+ pages)
   This section is the heart of the portfolio. It should include a curated selection of materials that demonstrate strong performance in each of the award criteria. A narrative should be woven throughout to explain the significance and context of each piece. Examples may include:
   • Student success data (e.g., course completion, achievement, or retention)
   • Student evaluation summaries (quantitative and qualitative)
   • Peer evaluations or teaching observations
   • Screenshots or descriptions of interactive tools and activities
   • Evidence of course alignment with Quality Matters or other frameworks
   • Mentoring or support of students or colleagues
   • Scholarly or service contributions to online education
      
7. Letter of Support (1 page)
   A letter from the nominee’s department chair or program director that speaks to the nominee’s teaching excellence and impact on student learning in the online environment.

Submission Guidelines

• All materials must be combined into a single PDF file and submitted through the Regents Portfolio Submission System.
• Portfolios must follow formatting guidelines (1-inch margins, minimum 12-point font) and not exceed 15 pages.
• Reviewers will assess only the contents of the portfolio. Links to external materials will not be reviewed.

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.