CUE Will Present Awards For Junior Faculty Teaching

The Committee on Undergraduate Education (CUE) voted unanimously on Monday to present annual monetary awards to non-tenured faculty members for excellence in undergraduate teaching, Jonathan K. Baum '78, a CUE representative, said yesterday.

Students will nominate teachers in each of three major subject areas for the award in January or February through their Educational Resources Group representative or through Glenn W. Boversock, the associate dean of undergraduate education, Oleg Grabar '50, professor of Fine Arts and a faculty CUE representative, said yesterday.

The student members of CUE will select the winners, with the advice of the faculty CUE members, by interviewing students who made nominations and by visiting classes, Grabar added.

The CUE hopes to receive funds for the awards from the University or from Harvard alumni, Baum said, adding that President Bok or a representative will present the awards to the winners at a public ceremony sometime in the spring.

This will be the first time Harvard had given formal recognition to teachers except when they are retiring, although various departments have given awards in the past, Grabar said.

"Having an official record of good teaching rather than just hearsay will be very valuable if a teacher is ever seeking employment outside of Harvard," Grabar added.

"The only aspect of these awards that might be misleading is their importance in promotion decisions because Harvard grants tenure solely on independent research and not on teaching skills," David C. McClelland, professor of Psychology and a member of the task force on Pedagogical Improvement, said yesterday.

The task force is currently recommending that the University consider teaching skills in promoting and hiring all faculty members, McClelland added.