The John Clyde and Henrietta Downey Spitler Teaching Award recognizes outstanding faculty teaching as it is broadly defined, to include all instructional activities of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.
Mildred Spitler Johnson of Urbana provided funds to establish this award in 1988 in honor of her parents, John Clyde and Henrietta Downey Spitler. John Clyde Spitler began his early work with the Cooperative Extension Service in 1917 and in 1932 was appointed state leader of farm advisers. He served as assistant director of agricultural and home economics extension from 1937 to 1943 and as associate director from 1943 until his retirement in 1949.
Each year the college presents one John Clyde and Henrietta Downey Spitler Teaching Award in recognition of outstanding contributions in education through public service, including those instructional activities sponsored by University of Illinois Extension. The award consists of a $1,000 unrestricted personal award and a certificate of recognition.
A nominee must be a faculty member with a full-time appointment in the college. Note that members of the faculty who are full-time administrators are not eligible for the award. An individual may receive this award only once. The unit head must verify the nominee's eligibility. If an issue arises concerning the eligibility for the award, the issue will be decided by the associate dean for Extension and Outreach, the associate dean for Academic Programs, and the chairs of the extension policy, undergraduate educational policy, and graduate educational policy committees.
Nominations are submitted to the secretary of the Executive Committee using the online form. If the nominee is declared eligible by the unit head, the original and three copies of the supporting materials listed on the following page should be submitted.
All supporting materials must be Times New Roman 12-point font with 1-inch margins and include the following:
Text should include personal information, education, employment record, and relevant affiliations, including percent of appointment in research and teaching. (One single-spaced 8.5" by 11" page maximum.)
Contributions in teaching. (Eight double-spaced 8.5" by 11" pages maximum.)
Should consist of no more than four letters or supporting statements, excluding one from the person or persons making the nomination.
Supporting materials that deviate from these guidelines will be returned to the unit for revision.
Nominees will be evaluated and the award recipient selected by a three-person committee appointed from the college faculty. The chair of the selection committee, in consultation with its members, shall develop guidelines for its operation. The committee will consider the achievements and contributions of the nominee for excellence in education through public service.
The selection committee may decide against granting an award if no meritorious candidate has been nominated. The selection committee shall submit its recommendations for a recipient, plus one alternate, to the dean. The dean shall notify the recipient, the appropriate associate dean and department head, and the secretary of the Executive Committee.
All copies of the supporting materials must be returned to the dean's office by the chair of the selection committee at the completion of the selection process.