Program & Department Awards

The awards committee will seek compelling evidence that reflects the following key aspects of effective High-Impact Practices Implementation:

• Integration of HIPs: Clear demonstration of how the department or program has seamlessly integrated some or several High-Impact Practices into their curriculum and co-curricular activities. This should include consistent identification of HIPs in Banner.
• Evidence of Impact: Showcase of concrete and measurable outcomes that illustrate the positive impact of High-Impact Practices on student engagement, learning, and overall academic success.
• Innovative Pedagogical Approaches: Description of innovative teaching and learning strategies employed, which could include collaborative learning, undergraduate research, service-learning, global learning, internships, e-portfolios, and capstone projects.
• Assessment and Continuous Improvement: Evidence of thoughtful assessment methods and data-driven practices used to continually enhance and refine the implementation of High-Impact Practices.
• Faculty Development and Support: Clear indication of the department's efforts to support faculty in effectively implementing and facilitating High-Impact Practices.

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 must include the following components.

• A Table of Contents for the portfolio. NOTE The TOC does not count toward the 15-page limit.
• A narrative statement from the department or program that articulates its philosophy, goals, and strategies for implementing High-Impact Practices to enhance student engagement and learning. This statement should address the criteria described above (2-3 pages).
• A concise fact profile, summarizing key information about the department or program (1-2 pages).
• A well-organized collection of evidence highlighting the department's or program's innovative and effective utilization of High-Impact Practices. This evidence should clarify how each piece reflects the excellence of the department's commitment to student engagement and learning (3+ pages).

Deadline for Nominations

The award nomination material must be submitted by Monday, April 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. 

Complete the Excellence in High-Impact Practices and Experiential Learning application.

The award committee will look for persuasive evidence that nominees have:

• Fostered purposeful choice among students and have assisted in the development of a productive mindset among advisees which best aligns with student’s aspirations, aptitudes, and potential for success.
• Engaged students in a program of study that provides a clear path to graduation and a career or further study (encouraged to explore and examine their stated interest during their first year, and to complete essential courses within the core curriculum that enable further development within a discipline).
• Engaged in institutional advising practices which promote the metrics of the Momentum Year:Engaged in institutional advising practices which promote the metrics of the Momentum Approach:
  • Students attempt initial math and English requirements in the first year
  • Students attempt 9 hours in an academic focus area in the first year
  • Students attempt 30 hours of a clear pathway in the first year
• Engaged in the systematic examination of issues about student success and engagement which promote retention, progression, and graduation.
• Documented the use of strategies employed for advising students that encourage a strong start to the first year.

Nomination portfolios are limited to 15 pages, including any appendices (1” margins, minimum 12-point font for each section below). Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee will want to select only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Each portfolio must include the following information. NOTE: The TOC does not count toward the maximum of 15 pages

• A Table of Contents for the portfolio.
• A narrative that articulates goals and strategies for making a difference in the academic success of first-year students, describing concrete modifications to previous practices and indicating a data-driven, research-based approach to evaluating success. (1-3 pages)
• Data/evidence of the impact of their innovative advising techniques/practices on student advising and success.
• One or two letters of support from colleagues, one or two letters of support from students qualified to comment on the value and quality of the nominee’s advising activities, and its impact in improving undergraduate retention, progression/persistence. These letters should describe how the nominee’s activities have contributed to institutional success (Momentum Year Results/Measures).

Deadline for Nominations

The award nomination material must be submitted by Monday, April 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. 

Complete the Momentum Award for Excellence in Advising and Student Success application.

The award committee will look for persuasive evidence that nominees have:

• Evidence of class assignments or teaching pedagogies that foster connections to students' purpose, including through engagement in high-impact practices, active career exploration, and engagement in deep and integrative learning.
• Evidence of class assignments or teaching pedagogies that develop productive academic mindsets, specifically by helping students discover purpose and value in coursework, develop constructive responses to academic challenges, and cultivate a sense of belonging.
• Evidence of engagement beyond individual classes, such as program alignments or collaboration with other campus unite, employers, or community partners.
• Evidence of participation in an iterative, data-driven process for reviewing and reshaping courses and curricula.
• Engaged in the systematic examination of issues about student learning and instructional conditions which promote success, building on previous scholarship, the research literature and emerging practice.
• Developed a well-articulated teaching philosophy which propels the work of the USG's Momentum Approach

Nomination portfolios are limited to 15 pages, including any appendices (1” margins, minimum 12-point font for each section below). Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee will want to select only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Each portfolio must include the following information. Note: The TOC and the nomination letter do not count toward the maximum of 15 pages.

• A Table of Contents for the portfolio. NOTE: The TOC does not count toward the maximum of 15 pages.
• A nomination letter from the institution’s chief academic officer. NOTE: The nomination letter does not count toward the maximum of 15 pages.
• A narrative statement that describes how the program fosters connections to purpose, supports productive mindsets and is (or substantially contributes to) students’ pathways to degree completion (1-2 pages).
• Data/evidence of the impact of their teaching techniques/pedagogies on student learning and its potential impact on teaching and learning in the discipline
• One letter of support from colleagues and one letter of support from a student qualified to comment on the value and quality of the nominee’s activities.

Deadline for Nominations

The award nomination material must be submitted by Monday, April 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

Complete the Momentum Award for Excellence in Teaching and Curricular Design application.

The award committee will look for persuasive evidence such as those illustrated by the following examples:

• Individual and collective faculty efforts to improve teaching and student learning.
• Methods of assessment of student learning, achievements that go beyond student evaluations, and the use of assessment results to inform teaching practices, and curriculum development and revision. 
• Active support to enable faculty to use innovative and effective forms of pedagogy and technology (e.g., critical thinking, collaborative learning, cooperative learning, problem-based learning, learning communities, etc.). 
• Strong links between good teaching and various rewards (e.g., compensation, promotion, tenure, grants, leaves, travel, departmental or program-based awards, etc.).
• Department/unit policies that encourage collaborative faculty efforts, including team teaching, teaching discussion groups, common assessments, interdisciplinary courses, learning communities, mentoring, etc.
• An on-going and data-driven process for reviewing and reshaping curricula so that achieving academic excellence and serving the needs of all students remain as top priorities. 
• Exemplary programs for advising, mentoring, recruiting, and retaining students; co-curricular work with students; out-of-class learning. 
• Success of the department’s or program’s students (e.g., graduation, job placement, acceptance in graduate school, etc.). 
• Clear articulation of how quality is defined, promoted, and assessed by the department or program.

Nomination portfolios are limited to 15 pages, including any appendices (1” margins, minimum 12-point font for each section below). Incorporating every kind of evidence will be impossible. Instead, each nominee will want to select only the strongest and most relevant evidence. Each portfolio must include the following information. Note: The TOC and the nomination letter do not count toward the maximum of 15 pages.

• A Table of Contents for the portfolio. NOTE the TOC does not count toward the 15-page limit.
• A narrative statement from the department or program that outlines its philosophy as a community of faculty, and its goals and strategies for making a difference in the academic success of students. This statement should address the criteria for the award (2-3 pages).
• A one-page fact profile for the department or program. This might include an overview of personnel involved in the program, and information (as appropriate) that shows breadth and scope of impact, partnerships, students impacted by program, recognitions, etc.
• Data showing student success such as graduation rates, student retention, job placement, acceptance to other schools, etc.
• A concise, clear, and well-organized collection of evidence that details the department's or program's distinctive efforts to foster good teaching and therefore student learning. Suggestions for the kinds of evidence that might be included in this collection are found in the award criteria (above). These documents should be accompanied by a brief explanation of why they are included in the dossier, i.e., how they should document the excellence of the department's teaching.

Deadline for Nominations

The award nomination material must be submitted by Monday, April 7, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. 

Complete the Teaching Excellence Award for Department or Program application.