Presidential Awards for Outstanding Teaching

The Presidential Awards for Outstanding Teaching were established in 1996 as a way to honor the University’s best teachers. They are conferred based on the original criteria for the awards for faculty and graduate student instructors. To receive this award is a great honor, as it demonstrates commitment to excellent and often innovative teaching as recognized by the entire Columbia community.

The nomination period is currently closed. The next round of awards will be announced in Fall 2021. Individuals may submit nominations for faculty or graduate student instructors by clicking on the links below which are active during the nominations period only.

Faculty Nomination Form – use this form to submit a nomination for a faculty member.

Graduate Student Instructor (Teaching Assistant) Nomination Form – use this form to submit a nomination for a graduate student instructor (teaching assistant).

View the Selection Committee members for both the Faculty and Graduate Student Instructor awards.

If you have questions about the Presidential Awards for Outstanding Teaching, please contact the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Programs (OVPAP) at ovpap@columbia.edu

 

Five faculty recipients are recognized each year during University Commencement in May. Faculty winners receive a certificate signed by President Bollinger, a formal citation written by their department, and an honorarium of $20,000. Additionally, the winners may also be recognized in University-wide and departmental publications.

Click here to view prior faculty teaching award winners.

Selection Process

The selection process begins with an open nominations period when anyone in the Columbia community (anyone with an active Columbia UNI) can nominate an eligible faculty member. The nomination period is currently open.

The Selection Committee reviews all nominations, requests dossiers for a pool of finalists they wish to consider for the award, and ultimately chooses 5 winners to recommend to President Bollinger.

The Selection Committee is comprised of 6-10 faculty members, including prior winners of the Presidential Awards for Outstanding Teaching. There is representation from both the Morningside and Medical Center campuses, as well as across disciplines. Information about the current Selection Committee can be found here.

Eligibility requirements

  • While Columbia is fortunate to have a relationship with both Barnard and Teacher’s College that permits students to experience a wide range of teaching excellence, faculty at Barnard and Teacher’s College are not eligible for the Presidential Awards for Outstanding Teaching.
  • Faculty members with an official academic appointment are eligible to be nominated. This includes full-time, part-time and adjunct faculty in any department. Tenure status does not factor into eligibility for the awards.
  • Visiting faculty are not eligible for this award.
  • Student officers of instruction may not be nominated for a faculty teaching award. If eligible, they may be nominated for a graduate student instructor teaching award.
  • This award is bestowed as a once in a lifetime achievement. Past winners are not eligible to receive a second award.

Three graduate student instructor (teaching assistant) recipients are recognized each year during the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Convocation ceremony in May. Winners receive a certificate signed by President Bollinger, a formal citation written by their department, and an honorarium of $8,000. Additionally, the winners may also be recognized in University-wide and departmental publications.

Click here to view prior graduate student instructor (teaching assistant) winners.

Selection Process

The selection process begins with an open nominations period when anyone in the Columbia community (anyone with an active Columbia UNI) can nominate an eligible graduate student instructor (teaching assistant). The nomination period is currently open.

The Selection Committee reviews all nominations, requests dossiers for a pool of finalists they wish to consider for the award, and ultimately selects 3 winners to recommend to President Bollinger.

The Selection Committee is comprised of 5-8 faculty and student members, including prior winners of the Presidential Awards for Outstanding Teaching. There is representation from both the Morningside and Medical Center campuses, as well as across disciplines. 

Eligibility requirements

  • While Columbia is fortunate to have a relationship with both Barnard and Teacher’s College that permits students to experience a wide range of teaching excellence, graduate student instructors (teaching assistants) at Barnard and Teacher’s College are not eligible for the Presidential Awards for Outstanding Teaching.
  • To be eligible for this award, graduate student instructors (teaching assistants) must be appointed in an instructional* role, and currently enrolled in a degree program at the University. They do not, however, need to be teaching in the year in which they are nominated.
  • This award is bestowed as once in a lifetime achievement. Past winners are not eligible to receive a second award.

 

 

*Instructional roles include: teaching assistants, preceptors, readers, graders, and teaching fellows. Students appointed in a casual, administrative, or other non-instructional role are not eligible to be nominated for or receive a teaching award, even if they engage in teaching-related activities.