Nomination Process and Criteria

The Dean’s Awards for Distinguished Teaching in the School of Humanities and Sciences are tangible ways in which we show our institutional and community support for educational excellence and the achievement of our colleagues. The deadline for the 2025-26 nominations will be announced in 2026. We will also consider nominations that were submitted last year.


Established in 1975, the Dean’s Awards honor many categories of teaching excellence. We have raised the dollar amount of the awards, but their primary value is honorific: to celebrate the distinguished teaching of our faculty.

Excellence in Graduate Education (one award)

Nominees must be Academic Council faculty members, senior lecturers, or lecturers whose activities in support of graduate education are exemplary: This includes mentoring, TA training, and/or job placement preparation. The recipient will receive a one-time $7,500 additional compensation payment into their FZ support account.  

 

Achievements in Teaching (up to three awards)

Nominees must be Academic Council faculty members, senior lecturers, or lecturers whose record of the past year(s) shows particular accomplishments in teaching, defined broadly to mean the classroom, laboratory, advising, program leadership, as well as instituting undergraduate or graduate curricular reform. The recipient(s) will receive a one-time $7,500 additional compensation payment into their FZ support account.

 

First Years of Teaching at Stanford (up to two awards)

Nominees must be junior faculty whose teaching deserves special recognition. The recipient(s) will receive a one-time $7,500 additional compensation payment into their FZ support account.

 

Dean’s Award for Lifetime Achievements in Teaching (one award)

Nominees must be emeriti faculty with a long-standing record of stellar contributions in teaching, mentoring, and advising. The recipient will receive a one-time $7,500 additional compensation payment into their FZ support account.

To nominate a colleague for the Dean's Awards for Excellence in Graduate Education, Achievements in Teaching, First Years of Teaching at Stanford, and Lifetime Achievements in Teaching please use this form to submit the following materials:

  • A one-page letter of nomination from the department chair or program director
  • Letters from three students
  • Course evaluation summaries from the past three years (This should be requested from your DFO.)

Please work with your staff to gather all materials and submit one complete form for each nominee.

 

H&S Faculty Mentoring Award (up to three awards)

Nominees must be Academic Council faculty members, senior lecturers, or lecturers who have gone above and beyond their expected responsibilities in mentoring the teaching, research, or career development of another faculty member or lecturer. The mentoring relationship can be either formal (i.e. a designated departmental role) or informal. 

To nominate someone for the H&S Faculty Mentoring Award please use this form.

 

suzi [dot] emanuele-manbeck [at] stanford [dot] edu (Please contact Suzi Emanuele-Manbeck with any questions on the application submission process.)