Mission
Old Bylaws (see attached file below)
Revised Bylaws (see attached file below)
Basic Functions
Vision for the Future
Operating Principles
Strategic Directions
Goals, Spring 1998-Spring 2000
Questions for Next Planning Cycle

Appendices:

A: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Barriers
B: Vision Exercise Summary
C: Faculty Senate Document 1041a

About the Teaching Academy

On December 6, 1993 the Faculty Senate established the Teaching Academy of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Teaching Academy gathers together those scholars who have demonstrated excellence in teaching and are concerned about teaching and learning in this research university.

Teaching Academy Executive Committee

Norman Jensen, Medicine (Chair)
Gerry Campbell, Agricultural and Applied Economics
John DeLamater, Sociology
Tony Jacob, Chemistry
George Mejicano, Medicine
Nadine Nehls, Nursing
Kathy Sanders, CCAE
Pam Scheibel, Nursing
Lillian Tong, Center for Biology Education

Standing Task Forces

Task Force on Celebrating Effective Teaching
Task Force on Student Evaluation of Learning
Task Force on Being New and Teacher Preparation
Task Force on the Peer Review of Teaching
Task Force on Instructional Technology

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Mission

The mission of the Teaching Academy is to provide leadership to strengthen undergraduate, graduate, and outreach teaching and learning by the University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty members and instructional staff.

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Basic Functions

1. Provide a forum for dialogue on effective teaching-learning.
2. Communicate the best practices of teaching-learning.
3. Link individuals interested in improving the teaching-learning process.
4. Sponsor professional development events.
5. Analyze issues and make recommendations on University policies affecting teaching-learning.
6. Create a learning community for sharing for the future.

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Vision

The goal of the Teaching Academy is to promote effective teaching-learning on this campus and beyond by encouraging innovation, experimentation, and dialogue among existing faculty, instructional staff, and teachers of the future.

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Operating Principles

1. The work of the Academy is directed at improving what university students know, understand, and are able to do.
2. The environment of the Academy is maintained to allow the free expression of ideas in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
3. Fellows of the Academy are active in fulfilling its mission, through such things as participating in meetings, sharing ideas, concerns, and teaching practices, and working on task forces.
4. Fellows of the Academy disseminate knowledge on teaching and learning to the campus and beyond.
5. Fellows will regularly examine the structure and functions of the Teaching Academy and adapt to changes in pedagogical and educational needs.
6. We hope to transfer our enthusiasm and caring about teaching.

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Strategic Directions

1. The Academy is directed toward production and dissemination of knowledge and skills about teaching-learning.
2. The Academy is directed toward the encouragement and development of new faculty as effective teachers.
3. The Academy is directed toward maintaining continuing communication among it's members and within the campus community.

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Goals

Spring Semester, 1998

1. Secure office, phone, and computer for Teaching Academy project assistant.
2. Enhance and evaluate Web page.
3. Create budget request to support proposed activities.
4. Revisit structure of general meetings to encourage attendance.
5. Identify means of including the perspectives of students and teaching assistants.
6. Revisit the function of current task forces in light of strategic plan.
7. Define our role in campus policy.
8. Prepare a report for the Faculty Senate.
9. Create Teaching Ideas committee to facilitate sharing of teaching ideas.

Fall 1998-Spring 1999

1. Examine RFT for Carnegie Foundation Funding on the scholarship of teaching.
2. Open lines of communication with other teaching academies.
3. Discuss and create a position paper on the scholarship of teaching (e.g. Schulman ideas about making public, investigating, disseminating).
4. Initiate 1-3 pilot teaching-learning projects that are supported and promoted by the Teaching Academy.
5. Discuss implementation of consultation models as a means of increasing access to Teaching Academy members, especially for new faculty.
6. Determine needs of faculty members and instructional staff across the campus and ways in which Teaching Academy members may be of assistance.

Fall 1999-Spring 2000

1. Create Teaching Academy Journal.
2. Implement process for faculty orientation and consultation.

Fall 2001-Spring 2002

1. Implement the Wisconsin Idea at Home by increasing the two-way interaction between the Teaching Academy and the campus on the issues of teaching and learning.
2. Increase the Teaching Academy's Visibility.
3. Distinguish and define roles and responsibilities of the Executive Committee, the Fellowship, the Task Forces, and the Program Committee.
4. Encourage and elicit more participation from fellows.
5. Build connections between the Teaching Academy and graduate students/ future faculty.

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Questions to Consider for Next Planning Cycle

1. What is the Teaching Academy's role in anticipating, envisioning change?
2. What is the appropriate leadership role for the Teaching Academy? Is it appropriately captured in our core processes?
3. What mechanism exists to evaluate teaching activities at the level of divisional committees?
4. Questions?

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Appendix A: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Barriers

Teaching Academy
Executive Committee Meeting
May 2, 2001

Strengths of the Organization

1. Second Project Assistant hired to help produce Newsletter and assist with Task Forces.
2. Members are bright, energetic, committed to scholarship.
3. Administrative and budget support from the Chancellor.
4. A history--the Teaching Academy was established in 1993.
5. We have an upgraded web page.
6. We are now producing a Newsletter entitled "Learning Links."
7. The Summer Institute was a big success last summer and is now in its second year.
8. Co-sponsored Technology Workshop
9. Peer review task force (MOO) has been active and effective in helping departments with new faculty policies.
10. New Faculty Workshops organized with Lindsay Stoddard-Cameron.
11. We have given out nine Teaching and Learning Grants.
12. The Teaching Academy is an integral part of Targeting Tomorrow.
13. Teaching Academy had input into the Chancellor's Departmental Teaching Excellence Award.

Weaknesses or Limitations of the Organization

1. 1. Low meeting attendance. Only about 20% of the members attend.
2. 2. Lack of student voices.
3. 3. We have not had a consistent process for publicizing the Teaching Academy and transmitting what we are doing.
4. 4. We lack representation at AAHE, where new ideas are often unveiled.
5. 5. Task forces have not changed.
6. 6. We have not yet connected with the Carnegie Foundation.
7. 7. Paper on Scholarship of Teaching has yet to be written, though this might be a project for the newly proposed Task Force on the Scholarship of Teaching.
8. 8. More publicity for Teaching Ideas Network.

Opportunities on Which the Organization Can Capitalize

1. 1. Be represented at national meetings.
2. 2. Climate nationally and locally supportive of improving teaching.
3. 3. Grants opportunities are available for faculty development through Undergraduate Teaching Improvement Council grants and others.
4. 4. Teaching Academy has opportunity to form relationship with graduate students.
5. 5. Current model of higher education is changing very quickly. We are in the middle of a paradigm shift. The Teaching Academy can effect the change.
6. 6. We teach every day. There are occurrences every day from which we can learn.
7. 7. The quality of our students challenges us to be our best.
8. 8. Input into the university's strategic plan.
9. 9. UW foundation and opportunities for improvement.
10. 10. Meeting with new chancellor.
11. 11. WISCAPE.
12. 12. Work on connecting school of education graduate students with faculty.

Threats and Barriers Beyond the Organization

1. 1. Time is in short supply.
2. 2. General cultural skepticism about whether teaching can really be improved.
3. 3. Lack of awareness of pedagogy.
4. 4. Belief that teaching competes with, detracts from other more valuable activities.
5. 5. Belief that teaching on this campus is not rewarded adequately.
6. 6. Funding and administrative support for teaching improvement is limited.

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Appendix B:

Visioning Exercise Summary

Teaching Academy
Meeting Minutes
December 5, 1997

I. Leadership In Assessment of Student Learning

A. Consistent and meaningful assessment of students.

II. Powerful Impact on Campus Recognition of Teaching and Learning

A. Elevating and rewarding teaching as we do with research.

B. Teaching and learning is highly valued and recognized by internal and external constituencies.

1. promoting scholarship of teaching.

2. creating positive and supportive culture for teaching.

C. Teaching Academy is as important to campus life as the athletic board.

D. Real recognition of teaching in merit, tenure, and tenure processes.

E. Election of fellow is prized across the campus.

III. Sharing Our Own Best Practices With Each Other And The Campus

A. Teaching Academy is hub for sharing teaching/learning ideas that work.

B. Inspiration!

C. Created campus-wide, inter-departmental teaching and mentoring support.

D. Teaching Academy meetings require a room with a capacity of 100.

IV. Has a Collective Voice in Campus Policies Related to Teaching

A. Became effective and responsive voice for faculty on teaching issues.

B. Creating a learning community where all voices are heard--faculty, staff, students, and TAs.

C. Lower the barriers so faculty can accomplish their best ideas

1. collaborative teaching

2. facilities

3. support staff

V. Create and Implement New Models and Visions of Teaching

A. New curriculum and pedagogy across campus (collaborative).

B. Openness and a tolerance for radical and controversial voices.

C. New models of inter-disciplinary freshmen instruction.

D. Uses technology to create an array of effective learning models.

E. Students are members of the Teaching Academy.

F. Revolution!

VI. Supports and Mentors all Teachers

A. Preparing and motivating the next generation of higher education teachers.

B. Create effective models of TA training in communication and pedagogy.

C. Professional development in teaching and learning.

D. Developmental career track for faculty, staff, and instructors.

VII. Miscellaneous

A. Has avoided the burden of administering teaching improvement.

B. Teaching Academy has significant hard money.

C. Timeline (3 stages)

1. generator of ideas.

2. implements initiatives.

3. policy change.

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Appendix C:

University of Wisconsin Madison

Faculty Document 1041a

2 May 1994

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

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MADISON TEACHING ACADEMY (as revised and approved by the Faculty Senate 2 May 1994)

Background

The reports of both the Future Directions Committee and the Taylor Committee on Teaching Quality, Evaluation and Rewards recommend the institution of a "university teaching committee" (Report of the Future Directions Committee, 1989) or "Teaching Academy" (the Taylor Report, October 1992, amended and adopted by the Faculty Senate in February of 1993). Accordingly, in early Spring 1993, Interim Vice Chancellor Richard Barrows appointed a committee to propose the structure and functions of a Teaching Academy for potential institution in the Fall of 1993. Following this report, the Ad Hoc Steering Committee was appointed to develop this proposal for Faculty Senate approval.

Teaching and learning issues confronting researchers, teachers and students on this campus involve complex and continuing changes: for example, in the administrative organization of teaching, the teaching rewards structure or instructional or curricular innovation. Contemporary teaching issues do not lend themselves to simple or uniform solutions. The Teaching Academy will help this university furfill its teaching mission at the threshold of the 21st Century.

Recommended Purpose

As a focal center for scholarly dialogues, the Teaching Academy will gather together those scholars who have demonstrated excellence and expertise in teaching and are concerned about teaching and learning in this research university. The purpose of the Teaching Academy is to provide leadership to strengthen undergraduate, graduate and outreach teaching by University of Wisconsin-Madison faculty members and instructional staff. The Academy will identify contemporary issues of undergraduate, graduate and outreach teaching and learning in the context of a research university. Dialogue and discussion across departments and disciplines will be fostered.

Recommended Scope

The Teaching Academy will include outstanding teachers who represent a broad range of content, teaching styles, and learner characteristics. The Teaching Academy will focus campus and departmental deliberation on issues that are central for strengthening teaching and learning. Within the scope of the Teaching Academy are: clarifying criteria and procedures for assessing the quality and effectiveness of teaching; encouraging provision of assistance and resources to enable interested faculty members and instructional staff to improve teaching; and providing opportunities for discussion of issues in teaching, research, scholarship, and learning.

Recommended Issues to be Addressed

The Teaching Academy would each year identify and address particular issues. The issues addressed by the Teaching Academy will be as open as possible to input from all members of the University Community. The Teaching Academy will seek to encourage excellence in teaching and to maintain and further the diversity of teaching excellence across the university. In order to facilitate the work of the Teaching Academy, committees will be established to address specific issues such as:

1. What is involved in good teaching? Dialogue could focus on discussion of the mission of the university in relation to teaching. Central to this dialogue is an exploration of what counts as good teaching and how it is rewarded. Does the current system encourage or discourage a serious interest by faculty and staff in teaching? Ways to reward departments that give special attention to teaching improvement could be explored.

2. How can we develop new partnerships with students so that they feel actively involved in the educational process instead of being passive consumers? What changes in curriculum, in the organization of classes and in pedagogy would lead students to become more involved? In what ways can we promote active learning by students?

3. How can we develop criteria for judging excellent resident ins*ruction and outreach teaching? Teachers often feel uncomfortable with the way in which they are evaluated by students. Some students are concerned the evaluation tools used by teachers are inadequate. Issues of how to measure both teaching and learning are complex. Other vehicles of evaluation could be explored?

4. How can we help new and continuing teachers develop their teaching approaches? What strategies and methods work best in the classroom? How can we recognize the importance of a diversity of effective teaching styles and methods? How can we encourage sharing among teachers to offset isolation and to enrich and sustain career-long faculty development?

Proposed Membership

All members of the faculty and instructional academic staff are eligible to be Fellows in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Teaching Academy. The selection of Fellows will reflect the scope of campus perspectives and a variety of teaching approaches. The title of Fellow is held indefinitely. Fellows will be selected for membership in the Academy for three-year staggered terms that may be renewed for a second term. Mechanisms for determining membership will be established by the Teaching Academy Executive Committee and rat)fied by Academy members.

Proposed Membership Selection Process

The purpose of the membership selection process is to identify 30 or so distinguished teachers and learning innovators each year and award them membership in the Teaching Academy. Nominations will be invited from all schools, departments and divisional committees. Open nominations from faculty and students as well as faculty self-nominations will be solicited. The process of selection would aim to achieve and maintain a balance among Academy members. Since the Teaching Academy Steering Committee is the original administrative body for the Teaching Academy, its members shall become the initial Fellows of the Academy. The Steering Committee Fellows will be in addition to the Fellows added each year.

The nomination form would request information regarding:

1. Subject matter specialty.

2. Relative emphasis on undergraduate, graduate and outreach teaching.

3. Evidence of excellent teaching/learning performance or achievement.

4. Indication of interest in helping to achieve the purpose of the Teaching Academy.

The Steering Committee

Fellows will serve as the initial committee to review candidates in the Academy's first year of operation. They will select the first class of Fellows for formal appointment by the Chancellor. Thereafter the selection of new Fellows shall be the responsibility of the Teaching Academy, with formal appointments being made by the Chancellor. The Teaching Academy Steering Committee would coordinate the Teaching Academy for its first year and supervise the constitution of an Executive Committee, based on nominations from the Teaching Academy membership. The Teaching Academy reports annually to the University Committee and the Faculty Senate. Funds aufficient to provide a halftime program coordinator up to $25,000 for expenses related to the activities of the Teaching Academy have been requested. When the Academy is constituted, it should attend to defining its relationship to the university administrative structure and such committees as the Teaching Awards Committee and the Undergraduate Teaching Improvement Council. In addition, the constituted Teaching Academy should attend to the process of admitting future Fellows and maintaining an active and participating membership of 120-five percent of the 2400 faculty on this campus. Each year Fellows will be polled to determine which want to remain active.

UW-Madison Fac Doc 1041a - 2 May 1994