Awards Eligibility and Nomination Criteria

All tenure track faculty, professional track faculty, instructors, and teaching assistants (who will be enrolled Fall 2023) are eligible for this award except those who have received the Teaching Award in the past 10 years.

To nominate a person for the award, submit the following documents to www.bsosawards.umd.edu:

1. Curriculum vitae.
2. An assessment of the nominee's teaching record by the department teaching committee, director of undergraduate studies or the chair. Please include evidence of the nominee’s distinctive contribution to teaching (e.g. innovative approaches, development of new courses, special advising, counseling activities, participation in honors or interdisciplinary courses, etc.).
3. A list of all courses (with enrollments) taught by the nominee during the past three years. Specify any unique characteristics of the teaching load (e.g. required versus elective courses, laboratory or field service courses, etc.).
4. Highlights (up to 10 pages) from the Teaching Portfolio that include course syllabi and recent course evaluation reports (no more than three years) as well as any additional qualitative evaluations of teaching innovation and effectiveness.
5. Statements from students in support of the nomination.

This award recognizes service by tenure-track faculty members, professional-track faculty members and staff who have made outstanding contributions to the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences through their work on committees, task forces, and projects. This includes service in external organizations in areas of academic discipline and profession and should be above and beyond their normal duties: research, service and teaching in some combination for faculty; and the job description on file for staff and similar positions.

To nominate a person for the award, submit the following documents to www.bsosawards.umd.edu:

1. A statement from the candidate reflecting on his/her/their service, including a description of the service, outcomes and benefit to the institution.
2. Letter of nomination (typically from the unit head or supervisor, although other nominators are certainly welcome).
3. Supporting letters from internal or external sources (2 maximum) which describe the candidate’s service and explain its importance.

This award recognizes tenured/tenure track and professional track faculty members who have made significant contributions to the research mission of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences during the past year. Outstanding publications, originality or pioneering nature of the research, impact of the research, and/or research productivity may all be considered for this award. All faculty conducting research are eligible except those who have received this award in the past 10 years.

To nominate a person for the award, submit the following documents to www.bsosawards.umd.edu:

1. Curriculum vitae.
2. A research statement from the candidate outlining his/her/their impact on research field and the research mission of the college.
3. Letter of nomination.
4. Supporting letters (no more than two) which describe the candidate’s contributions to his/her/their field.

This award recognizes excellence in mentorship by a faculty member of junior faculty, graduate student, and/or undergraduate student mentees. Faculty who receive this award will be asked to conduct or host one college-wide mentorship-related event or activity in the year following the award. Faculty members with at least three years of service in the college are eligible for this award except those who have received the award in the past 10 years. 

To nominate a person for the award, submit the following documents to www.bsosawards.umd.edu:

1. A summary statement of the nominee’s mentorship record. Please include evidence of the nominee’s distinctive contribution to mentorship (e.g. innovative approaches, unusual dedication, etc.).
2. A list of mentees and/or mentorship leadership activities during the past three years.
3. Letters from mentees (no more than three) and a faculty member (one) in support of this nomination to include the following types of information: the contributions the faculty member has made to mentorship in the department and college, examples of the nominee’s mentorship that deserve particular attention and recognition, and the impact of the nominee on individual students’ and colleagues’ development.

This award recognizes individuals whose work promotes the diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice (DEISJ) mission of our college. Examples might involve innovative efforts that have their primary impacts in the wider college or in BSOS departments and units. Weaving diversity in a course or curriculum, mentoring diverse students, efforts that build community and belongingness among diverse students, faculty, and staff, leadership in TerrapinStrong, our BSOS Anti-Black Racism Initiative, our ADVANCE program, or social justice initiatives, are a few possibilties. This award is open to all members of the college community (faculty, graduate students and staff) except those who have received the award in the past 10 years.

Review criteria includes but are not limited to outcomes such as those below:

• Community engagement in diversity and inclusion dialogues and education,
• Examination and modification of current practices of one’s department/institution that support DEISJ,
• Implementation of initiatives that foster DEISJ,
• Extraordinary participation or leadership in DEISJ activities,
• Noticeable impacts at the college level or unit/department level.

To nominate a person for the award (including self nomination), submit the following documents to www.bsosawards.umd.edu:

1. A statement from the candidate outlining his/her/their commitment to DEISJ.
2. Letter of nomination.
3. Supporting letters (no more than two) which describe the candidate’s contribution and commitment to the college’s DEISJ mission.

These awards recognize the important contributions of faculty and staff who serve as advisors as well as academic or administrative leaders in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. These awards acknowledge their efforts in advancing educational opportunities or enhancing the experiences and outcomes of our students. Faculty and staff are all eligible except those who have received the award in the past 10 years.

To nominate a person for the award, submit a letter of nomination and supporting letters (maximum of two) to www.bsosawards.umd.edu. Nominators are encouraged to solicit letters from others who are familiar with the nominee’s work. Student nominators are encouraged to describe how the advisor has assisted them both academically and personally and why she/he/they merits special recognition. The college does not narrowly define the criteria for this award, rather, the nominator determines the attributes and behaviors that she/he/they believes constitute consistently excellent advising or administration for either graduate or undergraduate students. Examples of attributes that nominators may want to consider include, but are not limited to, the following: accessibility, dedication, problem-solving skills, dependability, communication skills, motivation/attitude, knowledge/skills and innovation.

Our staff members are invaluable members of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences community. They are partners in our efforts to achieve our goals and fulfill our mission. The college’s annual Outstanding Staff Award: Exceptional Contribution recognizes staff members who:  

• Contributed a creative and innovative approach to process improvements and/or

• Supplied an original idea that contributed to the success of the unit/institution and/or

• In a non-leadership position, provided leadership, team building and/or facilitated a team or project that enhanced the organization and/or

• In a leadership position, consistently grew their organization by mentoring each of their subordinates.

Staff whose appointments are 50% or greater and who have been employed by the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences for at least two years are eligible to be nominated except those who have received the award in the past 10 years.

To nominate a person for the award, submit the following documents to www.bsosawards.umd.edu:

1. A letter of nomination that includes a concise description of the nominee’s contributions to the department or college.
2. A statement by nominator or nominee with the one of the following contributions addressed: contributed approach to process improvements; contributed to the success of the unit/institution; facilitated a team or project that enhanced the organization; consistently grows their organization by mentoring and growing each of their subordinates.
3. Nominators are encouraged to solicit supporting letters (maximum of  two) from other people who are familiar with the nominee’s work.

Our staff members are invaluable members of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences community. They are partners in our efforts to achieve our goals and fulfill our mission. The college’s annual Outstanding Staff Award: Service to Students recognizes a staff member:  

• Who consistently makes a difference and impact on students lives and/or

• Contributed to an innovative, original idea that implemented and transformed an aspect of the “student experience”

Staff whose appointments are 50% or greater and who have been employed by the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences for at least two years are eligible to be nominated except those who have received the award in the past 10 years.

To nominate a person for the award, submit the following documents to www.bsosawards.umd.edu:

1. A letter of nomination that includes a concise description of the nominee’s service to students.
2. A statement by nominator or nominee with the following issues addressed: innovation, knowledge and skills, and dedication.
3. Nominators are encouraged to solicit letters from other people who are familiar with the nominee’s work with at least one from a student (maximum of three)

Our staff members are invaluable members of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences community. They are partners in our efforts to achieve our goals and fulfill our mission. The college’s annual Outstanding Staff Award: Extraordinary Public Service to the Community recognizes:  

• A personal dedication to a project or cause that definitively improved the greater community whether that is the college, campus or surrounding area and/or

• Staff employee who throughout his/her/their career has, in a collaborative and sustained manner, made a difference and/or

• A staff member with a sustained record of service over a period of years carried out through the individual’s role(s) at the University in addition to that as a private citizen

Staff whose appointments are 50% or greater and who have been employed by the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences for at least two years are eligible to be nominated except those who have received the award in the past 10 years.

To nominate a person for the award, submit the following documents to www.bsosawards.umd.edu:

1. A statement by nominator or nominee with the following issues addressed: description of service and explanation on impact of that service.
2. Nominators are encouraged to solicit letters (maximum of three) from other people who are familiar with the nominee’s work.

This is an award to formally recognize graduate students who have made significant contributions to topics involving community and public concerns. All graduate students are eligible for this award except those who have previously received the award.

An $2,500 tuition scholarship will be presented at the Faculty and Staff Recognition Event. This scholarship will provide support for the 2024-2025 academic year. Awardees will receive the funds directly into their student account during the Fall 2024 semester. 

Graduate students engaged in master’s thesis research or doctoral dissertation research dealing with social issues or public policy questions are eligible for this award. Winner must be enrolled for the Fall 2024 semester. Nominators should be a faculty member familiar with the student’s work. 

To nominate a person for the award, submit the following documents to www.bsosawards.umd.edu:

1. Curriculum vitae.

2. A letter of nomination that includes a concise description of the nominee’s research and its contributions to our knowledge about a particular social, public policy question or community program.

3. Nominators are encouraged to solicit letters (maximum of two) from other people who are familiar with the nominee’s work with at least one from a faculty member.

This award recognizes early-career PTK and TTK faculty (no more than eight years from award of terminal degree in nominee's field) whose work creates possible solutions to society's grand challenges and brings exceptional public visibility to these efforts. These faculty members might be using innovative strategies to bring awareness and visibility to their research and collaborations, and to communicate the impact of their work, both inside and outside of academia. 

To nominate a person for the award, submit the following documents to www.bsosawards.umd.edu:

1. Curriculum vitae.
2. Personal Statement on the grand challenges addressed in their work and a brief discussion of future career goals.
3. Nomination letter from department chair, center director, or equivalent.