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Home » Teaching & Learning » Spotlight on Teaching » Teaching & Learning Awards » Richard Jarrell Excellence in Teaching at the Graduate Level Award

Richard Jarrell Excellence in Teaching at the Graduate Level Award

Complete nomination packages, including all required materials, must be submitted by Friday, October 31, 2025 at 11:59pm ET. Please note that this deadline is for receipt of COMPLETE NOMINATION packages including information such as reference letters etc.

The Richard Jarrell Excellence in Teaching at the Graduate Level Award is 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, Teaching Assistant coordinator), including students from other Faculties.

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE OCTOBER 31 ANNUALLY.

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Nomination Process

Evidence of excellence based on activities within the Faculty of Science will be the primary basis for all awards. Evidence based on activities external to the Faculty of Science will be considered supplemental to the evidence from the Faculty of Science. A winner in any category is not eligible for the same award in the same category within any seven-year period.

The nominee should have demonstrated continuous excellence in Teaching and Learning in the classroom, which may include any of the following (note this list is not exhaustive):

  • responds to diverse student experiences;
  • fosters intellectual growth;
  • supports the development of new insights;
  • deepens critical thinking;
  • communicates passion for the subject matter;
  • nurtures the creation of new knowledge;
  • responds to different needs of students;
  • inspires student learning;
  • uses creative forms to engage students;
  • contributes to the transformation of curriculum and teaching/learning practices on campus and beyond, both within and outside of classrooms;
  • works collaboratively with colleagues to enrich teaching practices;
  • supports the development of teaching/learning capacities and technical skills of graduate and/or undergraduate students;
  • nurtures the intellectual and scholarly growth of graduate and/or undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds;
  • provides mentorship and advising in academics, either formally or informally.

There are two pathways for completing a nomination package:

  1. A nomination is triggered by the accumulation of a minimum number of unique nomination/support letters from students over a four-year period (3 letters for Teaching Assistants). The Chair of CoTL will contact the nominated Teaching Assistant to inform them of the nomination and invite the nominee to complete the package.
  2. A faculty member, student or staff member may initiate and coordinate the preparation and submission of a nomination package.

In both cases the nomination package must include the following:

  1. Minimum required nomination/support letters from undergraduate students taught* by the nominee (3 for Teaching Assistants ).
  2. A minimum of 1 and a maximum of 2 faculty member letters of support
  3. The nominee's current CV (5 pages maximum)
  4. A Teaching Statement by the nominee

    * Note: students must have been taught by the nominee in a course.

Letters should describe and provide evidence for teaching excellence, addressing (without being restricted to) the criteria listed above.
Students may not write a letter for someone who is currently teaching and/or supervising them. Students may wish to encourage other students to write letters to trigger a nomination.

Student letters and other package elements must be submitted using the links provided on the Committee on Teaching and Learning (CoTL) Teaching Awards website. The exception is letters submitted by alumni, which must be submitted via email to the Chair of CoTL (scicotl@yorku.ca) due to the restrictions of Passport York access to Machforms.

If the nominee does not have sufficient letters to trigger a nomination, letters will be kept for four years.

If a nominee has enough letters to trigger a nomination, but is not awarded, their nomination will automatically remain active for consideration the following academic year. CoTL will accept additional materials to the package in the second year, including additional letters of support, and/or updated files. File review in the second year may be delayed for personal leave (e.g., parental leave). The delay will be equivalent to the amount of leave taken, or until the nominee would like to be reconsidered, whichever comes first. Following the two-year period, the nomination expires, and a new nomination process must be initiated.

Nomination Forms

Submit a nomination letter

For students, teaching assistants and faculty: Use this form to submit a letter of support to nominate your teaching assistant.

Submit candidate materials

For teaching assistant nominees: Use this form to submit a current CV and Teaching Statement.

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

Submit referee materials

For faculty members: Use this form to submit a Letter of Reference to nominate a teaching assistant.

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

Are you an alumni?

Submit a nomination by contacting the CoTL Chair at scicotl@yorku.ca.