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Nominate a Teaching Assistant for a Teaching Award

The Richard Jarrell Excellence in Teaching at the Graduate Level Award

Awarded to any graduate student or senior undergraduate working as a Teaching Assistant in the Faculty of Science (e.g., lab demonstrator, marker/grader, tutorial leader, TA coordinator), including students from other Faculties. A maximum of two awarded annually.

Nomination Process

Students who have been taught by the nominee (and not only supervised) submit a letter of support for a TA and/or an instructor of choice through the provided MachForms via the CoTL Teaching Awards website. Letters should describe and provide evidence for teaching excellence, addressing (without being restricted to) the criteria listed in the Awards and CriteriaLetters will be kept for four years.

Once a minimum of five letters have been collected over a four year period, this triggers formation of a nomination package. The chair of CoTL will contact the nominated TAs/instructors to inform them of the nomination and allow for the package preparation. The full package is described above.

NOTE: *Students may not write a letter for someone who is currently teaching and/or supervising them.*

NOTE: *Students are encouraged to motivate other students to write letters so that the nomination may proceed.*

If coordinating the nomination of a Faculty, or a TA with substantial direct interaction with students, such as a Lab Demonstrator, the Faculty Member must:

  • Coordinate the submission of at  least FIVE UNIQUE letters from York students/alumni (undergraduate or graduate) who have been taught by the nominee but are neither currently enrolled in courses taught by the nominee, nor being supervised by the nominee (i.e., where nominee is TA Coordinator). The letters should have been prepared within the four years preceding the nomination. In the case of instructors, TAs may write letters of support, but they must be in addition to student letters, not replacing them.
  • Coordinate referral letters from a maximum of two York Faculty Members familiar with the nominee’s undergraduate teaching. Coordinating Faculty may submit a referral letter. The letters should have been prepared within the four years preceding the nomination.
  • Have the nominee submit a current CV (up to five pages) prepared by the nominee.
  • Have the nominee submit a Teaching Statement (teaching philosophy, maximum 1,000 words) prepared by the nominee.

NOTE: *Letters cannot be submitted by students who are currently being taught/supervised by the instructor/TA.*

NOTE: *Student letters, Faculty letters, and the nominee’s CV and Teaching Statement should be submitted to the appropriate MachForms on the CoTL website.*

TAs Without Substantial Student Contact

If the Faculty is nominating a TA with little to no direct interaction with students, such as a TA Coordinator or Marker/Grader, the nominating Faculty Member must:

  • Submit a nomination letter. The nominating Faculty may coordinate a referral letter from a second York Faculty Member or from other TAs familiar with the nominee’s undergraduate teaching. The letters should have been prepared within the four years preceding the nomination.
  • Have the nominee submit a current CV (up to five pages) prepared by the nominee.
  • Have the nominee submit a Teaching Statement (teaching philosophy, maximum 1,000 words) prepared by the nominee.

Nomination Forms

Students, TAs, & Faculty: Write a nomination letter!

Submit a letter of support to nominate your TA (for Students, TAs, & Faculty only).

View Letter Machform

TA Nominees: Submit candidate materials!

Submit a current CV and Teaching Statement (for TA nominees only).

* Please only submit if you have been informed that you have been officially nominated.

View Materials MachForm

Faculty - submit referee materials!

Submit Letters of Reference to nominate a TA (Faculty Members only).

* Please only submit for candidates who have been informed that they are officially nominated.

View Reference MachForm

Are you an Alumni? Submit a nomination by contacting the CoTL Chair.