UTDPP1024
Committee on Effective Teaching

Policy Statement

The Committee on Effective Teaching is a Standing Committee of The University of Texas at Dallas appointed by the President.

Committee Charge

The Committee oversees and encourages the development of a wide range of tools and facilities to promote excellence in teaching across all disciplines and levels within the University. It will, on a continuing basis, refine the definition and measurement of excellence in teaching, and advise the University of needs for and availability of new technology and training for teachers. The Committee will also be responsible for facilitating coordination and sharing of best practices related to required annual assessments of student learning.

The Committee will contact each individual School Committee on Effective Teaching, or its equivalent, and offer to support the work of the School committees. The Committee will create and refine procedures for the training of and monitoring of the teaching effectiveness of graduate teaching assistants, including periodically examining the value and processes of the Graduate Teaching Certificate and Advanced Graduate Teaching Certificate programs (and their postdoctoral equivalents).

The Committee will create and refine procedures for the training of and monitoring of the teaching effectiveness of graduate teaching assistants.

The Committee will receive complaints about and requests for improvements in the teaching environments on campus and pass on recommendations for improvements to the University administration.

The Committee will advise the Center for Teaching and Learning in inviting renowned speakers to give seminars on campus.

The competitions for all University level teaching awards and the annual assessment awards will be managed by the Committee. It will forward its recommendations for award winners to the President.

Membership

The Committee is composed of voting members that include one faculty member from each School nominated by the Committee on University Service, one undergraduate student nominated by Student Government, and one graduate student nominated by Graduate Student Assembly.

In addition, technical experts from the Office of the Provost and Office of Information Technology will be appointed by their vice presidents, respectively as ex-officio, non-voting members. The Dean of Graduate Education, the Dean of Undergraduate Education and Associate Deans for Undergraduate Education of the schools who have not been appointed as voting members serve as ex-officio, non-voting members. The Center of Teaching and Learning (CTL) Director will serve as a non-voting member, ex officio.

Unless specified otherwise in this charge, Committee members are appointed to two-year terms, and the Chair and Vice Chair are appointed annually by the President. The terms for appointed members shall be staggered so that no more than one-half of the terms expire in any one year. Members may be reappointed by the President for additional terms. If for any reason a Committee member resigns, the President shall appoint another individual to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.

Reporting Requirement

Annually, but no later than August 31, the Chair of the Committee will provide the President and Provost with a written report of the Committee's activities for the prior academic year.

Responsible University Official (RUO)

The Chief Academic Officer and Provost shall serve as the RUO for this committee.