
Each year the Faculty Senate Teaching Enhancement Committee selects recipients for a variety of campus-wide teaching awards. The awards and eligibility descriptions are provided below. Awardees are selected following a nomination and dossier-review process.
All tenured faculty are eligible. The Presidential Teaching Fellowship promotes excellence in teaching by establishing a core group of faculty who are given the highest recognition for their effective teaching. Additionally, Fellows carry a special responsibility for ensuring teaching excellence by sharing their expertise with the University Community. One Fellow is selected each year and serves an active term of two years, during which time they may receive special award compensation. Fellows retain their title while employed at UNM and receive a permanent increase to base salary. Nominations can be made by colleagues, students, or alumni. Click here for additional information about the UNM Presidential Teaching Fellows.
Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award
All tenured faculty, clinician educators, and professors of practice are eligible. The Teacher of the Year Award recognizes and rewards teaching excellence and fosters a campus climate that supports teaching improvement and accomplishment. Multiple recipients may be selected for this monetary award. Nominations can be made by colleagues, students, or alumni.
New Teacher of the Year Award
All pre-tenure, tenure-track Assistant Professors are eligible. The New Teacher of the Year Award recognizes the accomplished educators who are recent additions to the UNM faculty prior to the achievement of tenure. Multiple recipients may be selected for this monetary award. Nominations can be made by colleagues, students, or alumni.
Online Teacher of the Year Award
All lecturers, clinician educators, tenure-track and tenured faculty, and formally appointed adjunct faculty who teach at least one fully online course are eligible. This award acknowledges excellence in the challenging teaching and learning arena of online distance education. One recipient may be selected for this monetary award. Nominations can be made by colleagues, students, or alumni.
Lecturer or Affiliated Teacher of the Year Award
All non-tenure track faculty who have taught at least four sections per year (including summer sessions) during a minimum of three consecutive years at UNM are eligible for this award. This award recognizes the contributions to UNM’s teaching mission by consistently employed, nontenure-track faculty. Multiple recipients may be selected for this monetary award. Nominations can be made by colleagues, students, or alumni.
Susan Deese-Roberts Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards
All current teaching assistants are eligible. This award recognizes and rewards teaching achievements of graduate students. Multiple recipients may be selected for this monetary award. Nominations are to be made by department chairs on the basis of one nomination for every ten departmental teaching assistants. Please suggest names of deserving teaching assistants to their department chairperson.
For any questions regarding these awards, please call 277-2229 or email oset@unm.edu.