All-University Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards: Dossier Requirements and Format

The most competitive dossiers offer clear evidence of teaching excellence and include the following:

• Letter of nomination summarizes the reasons for the nomination and provides a job description: In what capacity does the GTA teach and grade students' work? How much freedom for innovation is there? What constitutes the most effective teaching in this situation?
• The nominee's reflective statement (one page): How does the nominee view his or her role as a teacher?
• Report of classroom observation by a faculty member.
• Synthesis of student evaluations, rather than copies of individual evaluation forms.

Dossier  format

• Cover sheet (click to download template)
• 12 pages maximum total
• 12 point font, Times New Roman
• 5 copies
• No folders or binders

NB: No letters of recommendation from former or current students of the GTA should be sought or included.

Five (5) copies of the dossier and one cover sheet should be delivered to the Teaching Resource Center, PO Box 400136, Hotel D, East Range by 5:00 pm on February 4, 2013.

Dossiers of departmental winners in the School of Engineering should be delivered to the SEAS Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs one week prior to the deadline above (February 1, 2013). That office will select three candidates for the School’s funded awards for inclusion in the All-University award pool.

Samples of award-winning packets are available for consultation at the Teaching Resource Center, Hotel D, 24 East Range, 982-2815, trc-uva@virginia.edu. Additional information can be obtained from the offices of academic deans and department chairs or from the Teaching Resource Center.