Nominations for distinguished teaching awardS

There are many excellent teachers in the North Central Section (NCS). The NCS recognizes excellence in teaching mathematics through two awards, namely the MAA-NCS Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics and the MAA-NCS Carol Crawford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching.

The section asks for your help to nominate individuals for recognition of their excellence in teaching. Please bring this announcement to the attention of colleagues in your departments. Self-nomination is not allowed, but anyone else may make a nomination. Eligibility and guidelines are listed below.

Nominations for the section teaching awards are due at a date which is determined each year at the fall section meeting. The Selection Committee will determine the recipient of the award from those nominated, and the awardee will be honored at the spring section meeting. Please keep in mind that even if a nominee is not selected this year, it is an honor for the individual to be nominated for this award, and the same person can be nominated again another year.

Eligibility

Nominees for the MAA-NCS Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics must:

  • Be College or University teachers who teach mathematical science courses at least half time during the academic year in either the United States or Canada. Those on approved leave (sabbatical or other) during the academic year in which they are nominated qualify if they fulfilled the requirements in the previous year.

  • Have at least three years experience in teaching mathematical sciences.

Nominees for the MAA-NCS Carol Crawford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching must:

  • Be College or University teachers who teach mathematical science courses at least half time during the academic year in either the United States or Canada. Those on approved leave (sabbatical or other) during the academic year in which they are nominated qualify if they fulfilled the requirements in the previous year.

  • Have at least seven years experience in teaching mathematical sciences.

  • Hold membership in the Mathematical Association of America to be eligible for monetary honor associated to the award.

Additionally, the nominator(s) of the successful nominee for the Crawford Award receives recognition and a small monetary gift for the effort put forth in the nomination process. The nominator(s) must hold membership in the Mathematical Association of America to be eligible for the monetary gift.

Nominations

Nominations must be submitted using the Nomination form (link above). Please follow the instructions on that form to assure uniformity in the selection process. Nominees will be considered for both teaching awards unless specified otherwise in the nomination packet.

(2025 Submission Information) Please contact Jeremiah Bartz (jeremiah.bartz@und.edu) with questions about the MAA NCS Teaching Awards.  Nominations for next award cycle are due by February 21, 2025.

Unsuccessful nominations will be retained for ONE year for consideration by the following year’s committee. After one year, nominators wishing to re-nominate a candidate should update the nomination packet and resubmit.

National nominations

The winner of the MAA-NCS Carol Crawford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching receives priority and is strongly encouraged to be the section’s nominee for the national MAA Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics. In general, the section’s Haimo Award nominee will usually be chosen from the pool of eligible winners of recent section teaching awards. The nominator for that year’s Haimo Award nominee will be asked to work with the winner and the chair of the Selection committee for that year to prepare a complete application. More information about that process can be found here. The section nominee will be notified after the spring section meeting and the Haimo Award nomination packet is due August 1st.

The winner of the MAA-NCS Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics with no more than seven years experience in teaching mathematical sciences is eligible and receives priority to be the section’s nominee for the MAA Henry L. Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Beginning College or University Mathematics Faculty Member. The nominator for that year’s Alder Award nominee will be asked to work with the winner and the chair of the Selection committee for that year to prepare a complete application. More information about that process can be found here. The section nominee will be notified after the spring section meeting and the Alder Award nomination packet is due October 1st.

Avoiding Implicit Bias: Guidelines for MAA Selection Committees found here.

The selection committee for the section's teaching awards consist of the Past-President, Member-at-Large in their last term and the two most recent Award winners excluding the most recent winner, other than the Past-President.