CAHNR Excellence Awards

The University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources request nominations for the CAHNR Excellence in Engagement Award. This award is designed to recognize UConn CAHNR faculty members and/or staff, demonstrating a superior commitment to an on-going outreach/engagement program.

Nomination Requirements:

1. Must be a UConn faculty or staff;
2. Must be engaged in and show evidence of an on-going outstanding and creative outreach/engagement program.

Nomination/Application Process:

Persons interested in being nominated for this award should make their interest known to faculty or staff who can write letters of nomination and support.

Each department may nominate multiple candidates for the Excellence in Engagement Award.

Previous awardees may be nominated again after 5 years

Nomination packets and letters of support must be submitted in the order listed below as an electronic form as a single pdf titled “ExcellenceEngagementOutreach_NomineeName”.

Please use the following checklist as a Table of Contents in the Nomination Packet

1. Nomination Form
2. No more than two (2) additional letters in support (may be a team nomination) from persons with an intimate knowledge of the nominee’s outreach/engagement program.
3. A non-technical statement from the candidate (3 pages maximum) including

1. 1. overview of the extension program over the past five years;
   2. philosophy and vision regarding engagement;
   3. application of engagement philosophy; and
   4. program innovations over the past five years;
   5. Optional, but recommended: a succinct portfolio of  engagement program materials, impacts, and evaluation documents or preferably a one-page document with brief descriptions and hyperlinks to the supporting exemplars (a link to a program website is not sufficient).

4. The nominee’s curriculum vitae within a 5-page limit to include grants, publications, and service to the department, college, university, and beyond over the past 5 years; and any prior awards for outreach/engagement.

Selection Criteria:

Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of demonstrated excellence and lasting impact in the following areas:

• Outstanding contributions in developing collaborations and partnerships that lead to measurable outcomes;
• The ability to motivate and stimulate participants through outreach or engagement activities;
• Creativity or innovation regarding outreach/engagement methods or techniques for disseminating information;
• Meaningful impact on a community, our state, region, or beyond; or
• Going above and beyond the expected duties of the position for outreach/engagement.

Selection Process:

The CAHNR Excellence Committee will review all nominee materials and select an award candidate based on evaluations of the selection criteria, as outlined above. Members of the Excellence Committee who nominate a candidate for an award or write a letter of recommendation will not be assigned to evaluate that nomination category during preliminary screening. The nominating member may not participate in discussions during the all-committee meeting and will refrain from voting for that award.

Awardee(s) will be notified and recognized at the Spring Honors and Awards Excellence ceremony. Award Funds will be deposited into a university account for the awardee(s)’ use on/before October 1 of the year of the award.

The University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources Kinsman CAHNR Excellence in Teaching Award is designed to recognize superior teaching by early-career UConn CAHNR faculty members.

Nomination Requirements

All current UConn faculty who hold a teaching appointment in CAHNR and have fewer than 5 years of teaching experience in a tenure-track, adjunct, in-residence, or instructor position at any tertiary education institution are eligible for the Kinsman CAHNR Excellence in Teaching Award. Years of service in research and/or extension positions that did not include a teaching component do not count toward eligibility. Years of service in a post-doctoral position that included teaching responsibilities, but were not the primary job duty, do not count toward eligibility.

Each department may nominate at most two candidates for the Kinsman CAHNR Excellence in Teaching Award.

Nomination/Application Process

Persons interested in being nominated for this award should make their interest known to faculty who can write letters of nomination and support.

Nomination packets and letters of support must be submitted in the order listed below as an electronic form as a single pdf titled “KinsmanTeaching_NomineeName”.

Please use the following checklist as a Table of Contents in the Nomination Packet

• Nomination Form
• A completed nomination form from a current employee of UConn. This includes any member of the faculty, staff, or administration. A single nomination form signed by multiple individuals (a team nomination) is also permissible. The nomination form must clearly state the category of nomination (Kinsman CAHNR Excellence in Teaching Award) and the discipline of the nominee’s teaching program. It is recommended that nomination form are dated in the academic year for which the nominee is being considered.
• At least three letters of support from current or former students that address the nomination form questions.  Additional letters of support addressing the selection criteria are optional, but strongly encouraged. Student letters of support must be dated within two academic years of the one for which the nominee is being considered, e.g., letters of support for the 2020-2021 Kinsman CAHNR Excellence in Teaching Award must be dated no later than August 2018.
• A non-technical statement from the nominee (3- pages maximum) that provides an overview of their teaching program, describes their teaching philosophy, and addresses the selection criteria listed below.
• A curriculum vitae that includes current appointment at UConn, educational and employment history, and the following information for the preceding five years: courses taught; graduate students supervised (with post-degree placement, if available); peer-reviewed publications; sources and amount of extramural funding; service to the department, college, university, and community; and awards or distinctions earned. Curriculum vitae must be limited to five pages or fewer.
• OIR teaching evaluations for all courses taught only in the preceding four semesters. The nominee is encouraged to refer to these evaluations in their application statement to provide additional context. Student comments should not be included.
• A learning module portfolio for one class/laboratory including class goal, learning objectives, class activities, examination questions and assignments linked to one class to illustrate how the nominee meets the selection criteria of the award and are referenced in the non-technical statement (see above) is optional, but encouraged.  Nominees are encouraged to submit succinct supporting exemplars or to provide a one-page document with brief descriptions and hyperlinks to the supporting exemplars (a link to a nominees website is not sufficient).

Selection Criteria:

Eligible candidates for the Kinsman CAHNR Excellence in Teaching Award will be evaluated on the basis of excellence and lasting impact in teaching. Award applications should therefore address the nominee’s demonstration of the following:

1. Outstanding contributions to the teaching program offered by the university, college, and department;
2. Ability to motivate and stimulate student learning through their teaching and advising activities;
3. Development and use of new course materials, technological innovations, and pedagogical approaches that measurably improve student learning outcomes;
4. Partnerships with other faculty, staff, and/or professionals that enhance the value of their teaching and/or advising program;
5. Collaboration with undergraduate and/or graduate students on research projects, including the presentation of results at conferences, publication of peer-reviewed articles, and acquisition of extra-mural funding;
6. Successful placement of former students in graduate programs, fellowships, and/or professional positions.

Selection and Notification Process

The CAHNR Excellence Committee will review all nominee materials and select an award candidate based on evaluations of the selection criteria, as outlined above. Members of the Excellence Committee who nominate a candidate for an award or write a letter of recommendation will not be assigned to evaluate that nomination category during preliminary screening. The nominating member may not participate in discussions during the all-committee meeting and will refrain from voting for that award.

Awardee(s) will be notified and recognized at the Spring Honors and Awards Excellence ceremony.

Award Funds will be deposited into a university account for the awardee(s)’ use on/before October 1 of the year of the award.

Epsilon Sigma Phi Fund Extension Awards

Eligibility: Cooperative Extension staff and faculty who meet the criteria established for the awards.

Purpose: To recognize outstanding Cooperative Extension faculty and staff and provide support for programmatic enhancements for the honoree. Honorees shall be selected for the following awards based on the criteria established for each award.

• The Arland R. Meade Communications Award will recognize an Extension faculty or staff member who has helped improve communications within or for Cooperative Extension.
• The Doris Lane Award shall be an outstanding Cooperative Extension member who has been employed for at least two years.
• The Alpha Chi Chapter honoree shall be a Cooperative Extension member who has pursued a program of personal professional improvement.
• The Mary “Lib” Jacobsen Award will recognize an individual who has pursued coursework or workshops in Nutrition.

Submit: A letter of nomination not to exceed three pages. The letter should designate the specific award that applies.

Selection Process:

The CAHNR Excellence Committee will review all nominee materials and select an award candidate based on evaluations of the selection criteria. Members of the Excellence Committee who nominate a candidate for an award or write a letter of recommendation will not be assigned to evaluate that nomination category during preliminary screening. The nominating member may not participate in discussions during the all-committee meeting and will refrain from voting for that award.

Awardee(s) will be notified and recognized at the Spring Extension All-Hands Meeting in the spring.

Description:  

• The CAHNR Spirit of the Land Grant Award recognizes faculty that embraces the Land Grant Mission in our college. This award will be given to a CAHNR faculty member who integrates research, teaching, and extension in their program.   

The Land Grant Mission 

• The Morrill Act of 1862 was created to establish state institutions to educate people in agriculture and mechanics arts without excluding scientific and classic studies. Since then, Land Grant Universities have received incentives from the federal government to generate and pass along new information in food and agriculture, economic development, among others, as stated in the hatch Act of 1887 and the Smith-Lever Act 1914, for instance.  

The College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources has its roots in serving the public with the most updated scientific information. Additionally, the outreach and research is combined with formal teaching. The spirit of the Land Grant Award aims to honor faculty that reinforces our mission of integrating education, research, and outreach, going above and beyond their formal appointment.    

Eligibility:  

• Faculty or Staff in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural

Resources.  

Nomination 

• Nominations should be submitted by a CAHNR employee.
• Nominations will not be acceptedfor groups. 
• Nominations packets should follow the guidelines and include all required

documents.  

Nomination required documents: 

• A nomination cover letter should be no longer than one page. 
• The cover letter should mention, in a non-technical way, why the candidate is suitable for the award based on the award criteria.
• A content section, no more than three pages that should be divided into the following topics:
  

• • Summary 
    • Description of the candidate's career and its highlights on teaching, research, and extension.  
  • Evidence of Research Innovation
    • The candidate should demonstrate how the research program is successful by publications, grants, patents, among others
      

• • Evidence of Education Success 
    • The candidate should show evidence of teaching and learning success in educational activities for K12, undergraduate and graduate students, and/or professionals. Surveys, student evaluation of teaching and/or other evidence of teaching success should be used. 
  • Extension and Outreach 
    • A description of the candidate's participation in extension or outreach programs and their impacts should be stated in this section. Focus on the involvement of the candidate should be a priority instead of a detailed program description.
      

• • Integration and the Land Grand Mission 
    • In this section, the candidate should demonstrate how their career aligns with the Land Grant Mission, especially showing the integration of teaching, research, and education.
      

• Only the first page of the nomination cover letter and the first three pages of the nomination section will be evaluated in case they exceed the maximum length. 
• Up to three letters of support
• The Excellence Committee recommends that at least one letter of support comes from an external source (i.e., not from UConn).
  
• If more than three letters of support are submitted, only the first three will be used, and the subsequent ones will be ignored.
  
• Candidate's Curriculum Vitae should contain the following sections:
  • Education
  • Appointments 
  • Memberships
  • Service
  • Funded Grants
  • Awards
  • Publications 

Nomination Requirements:   

1. All current UConn staff, faculty or students in CAHNR. Three awards

will be given: student, faculty and staff.

2. Must be engaged in and show evidence of impactful change in the

realms of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion  

Nomination/Application Process:   

Persons interested in being nominated for this award should make their interest known to those who can write letters of nomination and support.    

Nomination packets and letters of support must be submitted in electronic form using pdf format in one file. Required documents are listed below. The pdf file name format is Justice_NomineeName.   

Please use the following checklist as a Table of Contents for the Nomination Packet   

• A letter of nomination dated in the academic year for which the nominee is being considered from a colleague or peer demonstrating how the nominee meets the criteria 
• No more than two (2) additional letters in support from persons with an intimate knowledge of ways the meets the award criteria
• A non-technical statement from the candidate (3 pages maximum) including background, philosophy and vision related to antiracism and justice in CAHNR, overview of activities demonstrating a commitment to Justice, Equity, Anti-racism and Inclusion of underserved minorities and minoritized communities within or served by the work and programs of CAHNR.
• Demonstrable impacts or changes made as a result of the candidate activities

Review process:   CAHNR WGSR will review of nominations make recommendations made to Excellence Committee  

Reference Materials (these should be uploaded to a public place as educational resources):

• For reference please view the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Presentation “Move Toward Being an Antiracist and Justice Oriented University” 
• View the mission, values, and areas of focus of the Working Group on Structural Racism 
  

Selection Criteria:    

Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of demonstrated impact in one or more of the following areas:   

• Evidence of innovation in developing research collaborations and partnerships that promotes JEDI; 
• Evidence of excellence in research focusing on priority issues tied to the College Academic Plan or the input of stakeholders; 
• Evidence of increasing activity and development of an emerging research program; 
• Creativity or innovation pertaining to research methods; 
• Evidence of going above and beyond the expected duties of the position. 
• Identifying barriers to justice, inclusion and equity in policies of practice
• Creating a welcoming environment within the College
• Furthering efforts to discuss, understand and address elements of structural racism and exclusion from participating in CAHNR teaching, outreach and research
• Promoting justice, equity and inclusion in our Communities
• Advance the mission, values and work of the SGSR

Selection Process:   

The CAHNR Excellence Committee will review all nominee materials and select an award candidate based on evaluations of the selection criteria and recommendations of WGSR.  Members of the Excellence Committee who nominate a candidate for an award or write a letter of recommendation will not be assigned to evaluate that nomination category during preliminary screening.  The nominating member may not participate in discussions during the all-committee meeting and will refrain from voting for that award.    

Awardee(s) will be notified and recognized at the CAHNR Honors and Awards ceremony.  Award Funds will be deposited into a university account for the awardee(s)’ use on/before October 1 of the year of the award.  

The University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources Graduate Student Teaching Assistant Award is designed to recognize the superior teaching ability of UConn CAHNR graduate students.

Nomination Requirements
Current graduate students with assigned teaching responsibilities at time of nomination will be evaluated on the basis of demonstrated teaching excellence and lasting impact in the following areas:
• Successful classroom performance
• Enthusiasm and commitment
• Satisfactory progress toward a degree
• Mentoring to peers and/or undergraduates

Nomination/Application Process
Students may not self-nominate.
A department may nominate ONE graduate student for the CAHNR Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.
Nomination packets and letters of support must be submitted in the order listed below as an electronic form as a single pdf titled “GradStudentTeaching_NomineeName”.

Please use the following checklist as a Table of Contents in the Nomination Packet
1. Nomination Form.  It is recommended that nomination form is dated in the academic year for which the nominee is being considered.
2. Minimum of two letters of evaluation required (three maximum) from faculty, graduate student, colleagues and/or undergraduate students. At least one letter must be from an undergraduate student.
3. Candidate's resume or curriculum vitae within a 5-page limit.

Selection Process
The CAHNR Excellence Committee will review all nominee materials and select an award candidate based on evaluations of the selection criteria, as outlined above. Members of the Excellence Committee who nominate a candidate for an award or write a letter of recommendation will not be assigned to evaluate that nomination category during preliminary screening. The nominating member may not participate in discussions during the all-committee meeting and will refrain from voting for that award.
Awardee(s) will be recognized at the Spring Honors and Awards Excellence ceremony.

The University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources and the College Alumni Board request nominations to recognize exceptional staff.

Nomination Requirements

1. Staff members with a minimum of three years of service within the College
2. Nominees must provide exceptional support and assistance to faculty, students or other staff in the College
3. Nominees must work well with students, faculty, co-workers, stakeholders and the public
4. Nominees must strive for professional improvement

Nomination/Application Process

1. Persons interested in being nominated for this award should make their interest known to faculty or staff who can write letters of nomination and support
2. Nomination packets and letters of support must be submitted in the order listed below as an electronic form as a single pdf titled CAHNR Staff _NomineeName
3. Each department may nominate multiple candidates
4. Previous awardees may be nominated again after 5 years

Required Documents for the Nomination packet:

1. A letter of nomination from the Dean or Department Head to include the name of the award and specific examples of how the nominee meets the selection criteria. It is recommended that nomination letters are dated in the academic year for which the nominee is being considered.
2. No more than two (2) additional support letters that address the selection criteria as appropriate (optional).

Selection Criteria:

CAHNR Excellence Committee members will review the nomination packet. Eligible candidates will be evaluated on the basis of demonstrated excellence and lasting impact in the following areas:

1. Initiative
2. Commitment above and beyond the expected duties of the position
3. Work ethic and dedication to Department and College
4.  Demonstrated pursuit of professional development for the continued improvement of skills associated with the position

Selection and Notification Process

The CAHNR Excellence Committee will review all nominee materials and select an award candidate based on evaluations of the selection criteria, as outlined above. Members of the Excellence Committee who nominate a candidate for an award or write a letter of recommendation will not be assigned to evaluate that nomination category during preliminary screening. The nominating member may not participate in discussions during the all-committee meeting and will refrain from voting for that award.

Award candidate selections will be presented to UCAHNRA Board for approval.

Awardee(s) will be notified and recognized at the Spring Honors and Awards Excellence ceremony.

Award Funds for use by the Awardee are disbursed on or before Oct 1 through the Dean’s Office.

The University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources and the College Alumni Board request nominations for the UCAHNRA Excellence in Teaching Award. This award is designed to recognize superior teaching by UConn CAHNR faculty members.

Nomination Requirements

1. Must be a UConn faculty;
2. Must show evidence of outstanding teaching and advising contributions to the university, college, and department.

Nomination/Application Process

1. Persons interested in being nominated for this award should make their interest known to faculty or staff who can write letters of nomination and support.
2. Application packets must include the following documents in the order listed below and be submitted as an electronic document in a single pdf titled UCAHNRATeaching_NomineeName.
3. Each department may nominate multiple candidates for the UCAHNRA Excellence in Teaching Award
4. Previous awardees may be nominated again after 5 years

Please use the following checklist as a Table of Contents in the Nomination Packet

1. A letter of nomination from the Dean or Department Head that addresses the teaching program, the name of the award and how the nominee meets the selection criteria.
2. No more than two (2) additional letters in support from persons with an intimate knowledge of the nominee’s teaching program.
3. Three letters of support from current or former students that address the selection criteria.
4. A non-technical statement from the nominee (three pages maximum) that provides an overview of their teaching program, describes their teaching philosophy and vision regarding teaching, program innovations, impact and/or evaluation and addresses the selection criteria.
5. A curriculum vitae of no more than 5 pages.
6. A succinct portfolio of teaching materials that demonstrates innovation and excellence in teaching. Include OIR teaching evaluations for all courses taught in the preceding four semesters. Additional evaluations from prior semesters are optional. The nominee is encouraged to refer to these evaluations in their application statement to provide additional context. Student comments should not be included.

Selection Criteria

Eligible candidates for the UCAHNRA Excellence in Teaching Award will be evaluated on the basis of excellence and lasting impact in teaching. Award applications should therefore address the nominee’s demonstration of the following:

1. Ability to motivate and stimulate student learning through their teaching and advising activities;
2. Development and use of new course materials, technological innovations, and pedagogical approaches that measurably improve student learning outcomes;
3. Focus on priority issues tied to the University, College or Department strategic initiatives, Academic Plans or the input of stakeholders;
4. Partnerships with other faculty, staff, and/or professionals that enhance the value of their teaching and/or advising program.
5. Demonstrated pursuit of professional development for the continued improvement of teaching and student learning.

Selection and Notification Process

The CAHNR Excellence Committee will review all nominee materials and select an award candidate based on evaluations of the selection criteria, as outlined above. Members of the Excellence Committee who nominate a candidate for an award or write a letter of recommendation will not be assigned to evaluate that nomination category during preliminary screening. The nominating member may not participate in discussions during the all-committee meeting and will refrain from voting for that award.

Award candidate selections will be presented to UCAHNRA Board for approval.

Awardee(s) will be notified and recognized at the Spring Honors and Awards Excellence ceremony. Award Funds for use by the Awardee are disbursed on or before Oct 1 through the Dean’s Office.

UCAHNRA Distinguished Alumni Award:

Nomination Requirements

Nominee must:

1. be a graduate of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources or alumni of schools/programs under the current organization of the college. All degrees received under the college are eligible;
2. demonstrate excellence in the award category;
3. have made significant contributions to the University of Connecticut and the programs and degrees within the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. Examples of contributions can include, but not limited to;
   1. Contributions to the educational experience of current UConn students (i.e. clinical instructors, mentors, providing internship opportunities to students, etc.)
   2. Supporting research endeavors for current students and/or faculty
   3. Active participation with program advisory boards or committees within the University
   4. Participation in alumni engagement opportunities such as event host, panelist and/or volunteer
4. has contributed to his/her professional environment and has been an inspiration to others
5. demonstrate dedication to community service efforts.

Nomination /Application Process

1. Persons interested in being nominated/nominating a candidate for this award may submit a letter of nomination and letters of support.
2. Self-nominations are accepted.
3. Application packets must include the following documents in the order listed below and be submitted as an electronic document in a single pdf titled UCAHNRADistinguishedAlumni_NomineeName

Please use the following checklist as a Table of Contents in the Nomination Packet

1. A letter from the individual making the nomination to include name, year of graduation, degree and major, and description of the significant contributions to CAHNR, abilities, characteristics and achievements that make this nominee an outstanding candidate for the award. Self-nominations accepted.
2. A copy of the nominee’s curriculum vitae or resume within a 5-page limit.
3. Two additional letters of support will be accepted but are not required.

Selection Process

Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of demonstrated excellence and significant contributions, as outlined above. Award candidate selections will be presented to UCAHNRA Board.

Awardee will be notified and recognized at the CAHNR Awards and Honors Event in the spring.