University Committee on Teaching

Charge

The Committee on Teaching has as its general charge:

To propose and review procedures to enhance the quality of teaching at the university. This general task includes the following specific functions:

(a) To advocate the importance of teaching effectiveness for considerations of reappointments, promotion, and tenure.

(b) To work with the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), Office of Faculty Development (Provost's Office), the Dean of Undergraduates, and the Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies to identify, recommend, and review the effectiveness of incentives and opportunities for faculty to improve teaching.

(c) To recommend and nominate, or to encourage nominations of, deserving Rice faculty members for teaching awards given outside the campus, such as statewide or national awards, supported by resources of the CTE in this endeavor.

(d) To administer the procedure for determining the winners of the Brown Teaching Awards.

(e) To administer the solicitation and review of proposals for grant support to faculty for innovative teaching projects under the Brown Foundation grant and make recommendations for funding to the Provost’s Office; to coordinate with the CTE in publicizing results from the Brown Grants.

(f) To review periodically the procedures for evaluation of teaching.

(g) To review and support digital education initiatives including on-line courses offered for Rice and non-Rice students and their connection to improving teaching effectiveness at Rice.

(h) To propose recommended revisions to this charge at the end of the year.

(i) To prepare a brief, written report on the activities of the committee at the end of each academic year and to submit copies of this report to the president of the university, the provost, and the Faculty Senate.

2024-2025 Membership

Updated September 11, 2024