The Mario & Alma Pastega Awards
Frequently Asked Questions
The information on this page applies to the Pastega Awards for Faculty Excellence. For information on the Pastega Award for Staff Excellence, please email hr@wou.edu.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NOMINATION PROCESS & ELIGIBILITY
Can a previous Pastega recipient be nominated again for a different category in a later year?
Yes. Pastega Award recipients in a specific category are no longer eligible to receive a nomination in that same category, but they are still eligible for the others.
Can a Pastega Award recipient be nominated for the same category in a later year?
No. Once a faculty member receives a Pastega in a specific category, they are no longer eligible to receive a nomination in that category.
Can a nominee apply for multiple categories in one year?
Yes. A nominee may apply for any or all categories in which they have received a nomination; however, they can only receive the Award in one category at a time.
How long are nominations valid for?
Nominations are valid for two consecutive years; non-recipients are automatically considered in the following year nominations for that award category–they do not need to self-nominate.
The faculty member I want to nominate was hired three years ago, but they started in the Fall–are they eligible for nomination this year?
No. To be eligible for the Award, the faculty member needs to have been teaching at WOU for three consecutive years at the time of nomination.
Are division chairs eligible?
Yes, division chairs are eligible, as long as they meet all other criteria for the Award. To be eligible for the Pastega Award for Excellence, the nominated faculty member:
1) must be Non-tenure track, Tenure Track, or Tenured to apply for the Teaching Award; or Tenure Track or Tenured to apply for the Service and Scholarship Award;
2) must have taught at WOU for a minimum of three (3) consecutive years at the time of their nomination;
3) cannot be a previous recipient in the same category.
Are NTT faculty eligible for the Pastega Awards?
Yes, with limitations; NTT faculty are currently only eligible to receive the Pastega Award for Excellence in Teaching.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPLICATION & SUPPORTING MATERIALS
What are the application requirements for each of the three Award categories?
The applicaiton requirements for each of the categories have been updated for the 2023 awards; the revised requirements can be viewed here:
Scholarship binder requirements
Service binder requirements
Teaching binder requirements
Can a nominee apply for multiple categories in one year?
Yes; however, the nominee must submit two separate binders (one for each category). Relevant material can be reused between binders, as long as the material fulfills binder requirements.
What’s the best format for demonstrating excellence in teaching?
There is no “best format” for demonstrating excellence in any of the Award categories. Artifacts have been submitted in PDF, spreadsheet, Word doc, PowerPoint, and video formats. Use whatever format works best for conveying the information you’re presenting.
How should faculty applying for the Pastega Award for Service categorize their WOUFT service?
WOUFT service is considered community service for the purpose of the Service Award.
Can letters of support be reused from PRC binders?
Yes. Applicants for the Award can use any relevant communications or recommendations, even if they were not originally written for the Pastega Awards. This includes (but is not limited to) PRC materials, recommendation letters for other awards, and informal emails of thanks/recognition from students.
I’m applying for X category–can I see an example of past application binders?
Yes. Please reach out to the Administrative Coordinator for Academic Affairs for access to the sample binder for your award category.
Will nominees receive feedback on their applications?
Unfortunately, the Awards Committee is unable to provide individual feedback to applicants.
QUESTIONS ABOUT TWO-YEAR ELIGIBILITY
I was nominated for X category Award last year–do I need to self-nominate to be considered in that category this year?
No. You do not need to self-nominate to be considered for the same category the following year.
This is my second year of eligibility–do I need to submit a new application binder?
Not necessarily. If all the material in last year’s binder is still the most relevant and up-to-date information, then you do not need to submit a new binder. (However, you should still check with the Administrative Coordinator for Academic Affairs to make sure they still have your binder on file.)
Does two-year eligibility reset with each nomination?
Yes. Each year you are nominated for a category, you are eligible for that category award the following year.
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