One of the outcomes of the extensive consultations around Memorial’s new Teaching and Learning Framework is the need to better recognize the importance of teaching and student mentoring throughout the university.

Following on a recommendation in the framework, Dr. Gary Kachanoski, Memorial’s president, has now created three new teaching awards to be added to the suite of President’s Awards that are presented annually.


The new awards include:

Two President’s Awards for Outstanding Teaching

• One for faculty members with five to 10 years of service to the university;

• One for lecturers and instructional staff with a minimum of five course sections taught.

The President’s Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Supervision

• For faculty members with a minimum of five years of supervisory responsibilities, and successful graduation of graduate students.

“Teaching and learning together with research and engagement form the foundation for the university’s mission,” said Dr. Kachanoski.  “Our consultations indicated that there is a need for more tangible acknowledgment of teaching and the important role it plays in our students’ success. So the goal of the new awards – and the existing ones – is to recognize educators at all stages of their careers, whether they are a per-course instructor or a seasoned, tenured faculty member.”

Dr. Kachanoski observed that this and other new initiatives are a direct result of the extensive and ongoing planning process at the university.

“This is a good example of collegial governance leading to the allocation of resources,” he said. “It connects the effort that our university community puts into planning to the end result of resource allocation. The university community can expect to see more of this kind of direct tangible result from our planning processes. It’s how we will connect our institutional aspirations to the means to achieve them.”

Since 1989, the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching was the sole teaching award. Eligibility for the award required applicants to be tenured faculty and to have at least five years experience. As a result of the creation of the three new teaching awards, the eligibility for the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching is now a minimum of 10 years of continuous service.

The 2012 nomination deadlines for all awards, including the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching, are from Apr. 26-30. Specific deadlines for each award, including eligibility, nomination and application requirements can be found by visiting www.mun.ca/president/awards/.

For more information on the President’s Award for Outstanding Teaching (both categories) and President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching please contact the Instructional Development Office at instrdev@mun.ca or 709-864-3028.

For information on the President’s Award for Outstanding Graduate Supervision please contact Andrew Kim with the School of Graduate Studies at akim@mun.ca or 709-864-8847.