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Teaching Council
May 2001

TEACHING COUNCIL
Annual Report 2000-2001

• Work with the chief academic officer to recognize excellence in teaching and advising: The professional awards subcommittee recommended faculty and advisors for awards which were presented at the University Honors Banquet. The Council noted the absence of Context and hopes next year to find better ways to communicate with faculty to increase the number of nominees for those awards and refine and formalize the selection process.
  
  
• Work with the Center for Undergraduate Excellence to run a campus wide program that involves faculty and staff in addressing issues central to improving instruction and advising: The Teaching Council supported the dissemination of information about CUE fellowships for teaching and the results of the CUE awards. We would like to assume a greater role in providing programs related to teaching and learning across disciplines and formats and plan to investigate the role of the Teaching Council in developing teaching skills of new faculty. The Teaching Council also monitored changes in the Student Assessment of Instruction System and will continue to do so next year.
  
  
• Examines policies related to teaching: The Teaching Council extensively reviewed proposals from the Task Force on Faculty Titles and made recommendations regarding proposed changes. The Task Force subsequently decided not to bring its proposals to the Senate for approval this year. A member of the Teaching Council, Susan Smith, has reported to us on the work of the Task Force on contingent employment and shared with them our concerns. This will hopefully continue next year.