Each year, the University of Oregon recognizes a select group of faculty for excellence in teaching. Names of the nominees and the award winners are kept confidential until the winners are announced in the spring. 

Nominators are asked to share how candidates for these prestigious awards demonstrate exceptional teaching that is inclusive, engaged, and research-led.

The Distinguished Teaching Awards committee expects to award one Herman Award for Faculty Achievement and one Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching each year. Several faculty members may be recognized for Specialized Pedagogy or Outstanding Online Education. Career instructional or tenure-track faculty employed for at least an average of .5 FTE across the academic year are eligible for nomination.

The Distinguished Teaching Awards Committee is a senate committee responsible for reviewing files and recommending faculty for awards. The Office of the Provost convenes the committee and administers the process. 

Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching

The late Mr. A.J. Ersted established the Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching so that the University of Oregon could annually honor career instructional or tenure track faculty members who have demonstrated early career excellence. The Ersted Award is presented only to faculty who are currently in their third, fourth, fifth or sixth year teaching for at least an average of .5 FTE across the academic year. This teaching may occur at the undergraduate or graduate level.  

The Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching includes institutional recognition for teaching excellence and a permanent salary increase. Recipients receive a one-time $2,000 award and a permanent $2,000 increase to their base salary. 

Herman Faculty Achievement Award 

The Thomas F. Herman Faculty Achievement Award for Distinguished Teaching honors senior career instructional or tenure track faculty, teaching for at least an average of .5 FTE across the academic year, who have achieved outstanding records as teachers. The Herman Award is presented only to faculty members in at least their seventh year, who have demonstrated long-standing excellence in teaching, and who have contributed significantly to student learning at the undergraduate or graduate level.  

The Herman Award includes institutional recognition for teaching excellence and a permanent salary increase. Recipients receive a one-time $2,000 award and a permanent $2,000 increase to their base salary.

Herman Award for Specialized Pedagogy 

The Herman Award for Specialized Pedagogy recognizes senior career instructional or tenure track faculty, teaching for at least an average of .5 FTE across the academic year, who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and expertise in a particular area of teaching. Examples include, but are not limited to:   

• specialized instructional environments (e.g. large-classes; advanced, small-seminar teaching; studios; or labs) 
• pedagogical advancements (such as innovative instruction or curriculum design)
• enrichment of the student learning experience (e.g., extensive mentoring of undergraduate or graduate students, engaging undergraduates in research, creating avenues for equity and inclusion, or developing skills in public presentation).

Winners of the Herman Award for Specialized Pedagogy receive a $5,000 award.

Herman Award for Outstanding Online Education

The Herman Award for Outstanding Online Education recognizes faculty members at any stage of their career who have demonstrated innovation and creativity in implementing excellent learning experiences using the online or hybrid format. Examples include, but are not limited to, faculty who have:

• developed and implemented a new online or hybrid course using the tenets of outstanding online teaching
• converted and implemented a regularly offered, traditionally formatted course into an outstanding hybrid or online learning course
• demonstrated outstanding achievement in the delivery of online or hybrid courses.

Winners of the Herman Award for Outstanding Online Education receive a $5,000 award.

The nomination process for this year's awards is open from November 2024 through February 1, 2025. To nominate a faculty member, email the name of the individual to your unit associate dean, divisional dean, or director. The process is centralized in each school or college. Refer to your school/college internal processes and deadlines for nominations. Deans must submit their top candidates to the Office of the Provost by March 1, 2025. 

Any current career instructional or tenure-related faculty member with at least an average of .5 FTE or greater across the academic year is eligible for an award. The Herman Faculty Achievement Award and the Herman Awards for Specialized Pedagogy are open to faculty in at least their seventh year as a faculty member at the University of Oregon. The Herman Award for Outstanding Online Education is open to faculty at any stage of their career.

The Ersted awards are open to faculty who are currently in their third, fourth, fifth, or sixth year teaching at the University of Oregon. Faculty who have previously been awarded one of the five Distinguished Teaching Awards are not eligible for the same award, but are eligible for other relevant Distinguished Teaching Awards. 

Graduate student teachers have their own teaching awards and are not eligible for faculty Distinguished Teaching Awards.

 For questions, please email the Office of the Provost at OtP@uoregon.edu.