The Awards Committee administers procedures and arrangements for bestowal of awards by the Association. The Awards Committee establishes and maintains its own procedures and criteria for the bestowal of each of the various awards under its jurisdiction. The Awards Committee may, at its discretion, elect to by pass bestowal of any award in any interval during which, in its judgment, there is a shortage of meritorious nominations for that award.
1) Membership of the Awards Committee consists of six members of the Association. Members are appointed for a three year term. Each year two members end and two members begin their term. In addition, additional members may be appointed to the Awards Committee for a period of one term to help with the process of selecting award receipients. These additional members will likely serve on one or two subcommittees that will be needed (see below). Membership of the committee is recommended to Council by the Committee on Committees and appointments are made by the President and/or Council. While members of the Awards Committee may recommend prospective members to the Committee on Committees, they do not select their own committee members. They do, however, elect the committee's chair who should be someone who will be a continuing and active member of the committee. The Chair serves for one year, but can be reelected.
2) The awards and their criteria. The deadline for all nominations for all awards, except the Scholarship Award is February 1 of the year the awards are given. For the Scholarship Award, the deadline is November 1 of the year preceeding the year the award is given. Award Committees can change the deadlines if they so wish. For all awards, three copies of supporting documents, letters, evidence, books, articles, etc. must be included with the nomination. [Please note that the PSA gives one award that the Awards Committee does not deal with. This is the Social Conscience Award. This award is given to a community-based organization in the city in which the PSA Annual Meeting is held. This award is determined by the Social Conscience Committee.]
The Distinguished Scholarship Award
The Pacific Sociological Association's Award for Distinguished Scholarship is granted to sociologists from the Pacific region in recognition of major intellectual contributions embodied in a recently published book or series of at least three articles on a common theme. To be eligible for the award, a book must have been published no earlier than two years before the award is given. If a nomination is based on a series of articles, the most recent article in that series must have been published no earlier than two years before the award is given. The Committee does NOT accept nominations for the Scholarship Award from Publishers. Nominators must be from individual members of the PSA. If a book has both a hardback and paperback copyright date and no significant changes have been made in the book between editions, the committee will consider the earlier copyright date as the one determining eligibility for the award
The Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award
Individual Teaching Award: The Pacific Sociological Association honors outstanding career contributions to teaching, a series of projects, or a specific product or process which an individual or small group of individuals in the western region have contributed to the teaching and learning of sociology. These may include
* Products and/or processes that enhance undergraduate and/or
graduate intellectual inquiry and learning of sociology within one's
own institution or beyond its campus. Examples include innovative
teaching techniques, use of new technologies, service learning,
distance learning, learning assessment of sociology, textbooks,
publications related to teaching, teaching programs, devices or
materials, laboratory designs, instructional computer packages,
innovative curricular contributions or curriculum design, or workshops;
* Relevant contributions to state, regional, or national associations;
* Activities that illuminate, educate, and nurture public
understanding and appreciation of the usefulness of the discipline and
of sociological principles and research. The Pacific Sociological
Association's Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award is given to
an individual sociologist from the western region and/or to a
department of sociology in the western region. The award is given to
those who have developed teaching programs, curricula, or materials
which have been unusually effective in enhancing student understanding
and fostering appreciation of sociology as a field of study. The
grounds for nominations are open but include textbooks and other
teaching materials, laboratory designs, instructional computer
packages, innovative curricular contributions, and evidence of special
impact on students.
For the individual teaching award, nominations should include
1. The name of the nominee, a very detailed statement with a very
specific explanation of how this individual's work constitutes a
[career] contribution to the teaching of sociology
2. Letters of support from individuals having direct knowledge of the nominee's contributions.
3. Copies of any teaching materials developed by the nominee (if relevant to the nomination).
4. Some evidence of the nominee's impact in the classroom (these might be student evaluations or other evidence).
5. The nominee's vita.
6. Additional supporting materials are encouraged.
Department Contributions To Teaching Award: The Pacific Sociological Association honors a Department of Sociology, school, or other collective actor in the western region for its outstanding contribution to the teaching of sociology. Individual strengths and competencies combine, in consensus, to produce a single product or process or a series of projects that
* Improve(s) the quality of undergraduate and/or graduate
teaching and learning, e.g., sequential curriculum design; teaching
programs, devices, or materials; service learning; distance learning;
or learning assessment of sociology, etc.;
* Relevant contributions to state, regional, or national associations;
* Activities that illuminate, educate and nurture public
understanding and appreciation of the usefulness of the discipline and
of sociological principles and research.
For the departmental teaching award, nominations should include evidence that supports the departmental nominee in the above categories.
The Distinguished Practice Award
The Pacific Sociological Association's Distinguished Practice Award
honors sociological work in the Pacific region (whether by an academic
or non-academic) which has an impact on government, business, health,
or other settings not directly connected with academia. The grounds for
nomination include (but are not limited to) any applied sociological
activity that improves organizational performance, contributes to
community betterment, and/or eases human suffering. Nominators must
provide:
1. A nominating letter which provides an overview of the nominee's distinguished practice contributions;
2.
Letters of support from individuals having direct knowledge of the
nominee's distinguished contribution to sociological practice.
3,
Copies of presentations at scholarly conferences, published articles,
and/or grant/contract proposals, primarily authored by the nominee,
which address issues in sociological practice.
The Distinguished Undergraduate Student Paper Award
The Pacific Sociological Association's Distinguished Student Paper Award recognizes an undergraduate student for a paper of high professional quality. To be eligible a paper must be (a) worthy of special recognition for outstanding scholarship; and (b) written by an undergraduate student or students in the Pacific region. The paper must be unpublished.
The Distinguished Graduate Student Paper Award
The Pacific Sociological Association's Distinguished Student Paper Award recognizes a graduate student for a paper of high professional quality. To be eligible a paper must be (a) worthy of special recognition for outstanding scholarship; (b) in a format appropriate for submission to a major journal with a likelihood of acceptance; and (c) written by a graduate student or students attending a University in the Pacific region. At least one letter of support and three copies of the paper should accompany nominations.
The Distinguished Contribution to Sociological Perspectives Award
The Pacific Sociological Association's Distinguished Contribution to Sociological Perspectives Award honors an outstanding article published in Sociological Perspectives during a two-year period. To be eligible, the article must be worthy of special recognition for outstanding scholarship and contribution to the discipline. The article must have been published no earlier than two years before the award is given. This award is given bi-annually.
3. Committee Procedures
Normally, the Awards Committee shall divide itself into subcommittees, such that at least one member, except the chair, shall serve as a Principal Judge for one of the Association's awards and as Secondary Judge for another. Each subcommittee reports its recommendations for awards to the committee of the whole for consideration and ratification. If costs are incurred due to the need for Xeroxing and mailing materials, the PSA office will reimburse the members. A receipt should be sent to the Executive Director for reimbursement.
The Awards Committee may decide to keep nominations from a previous year in the next year's pool, but the usual procedure is NOT to do this. Other decisions, such as closing dates for nominations, rules for supporting documentation, criteria for the awards, etc. are made by majority vote at the annual meeting of the Awards Committee or by e-mail, correspondence, or phone.
Alternative subcommittee arrangements may also be made at the discretion of the chair as required by the nature of the workload in a given year.
4. The Nominations Process
In the May and September Newsletters, the Executive Director will place an announcement of the awards, soliciting nominations from the Association's members. In addition, the Executive Director will include an announcement of the awards in the dues renewal letter which is sent to members in late October and November.
Example of the Announcement for the Awards in 2000:
Call for Nominations for PSA Awards for 2000
If you wish to submit a nomination for an award, you must supply the supporting materials and documentation detailed below for each award. While it is possible for a person, publication, etc., to be nominated in more than one year, if appropriate, no nominations or supporting materials will be carried over from year to year. It is the nominator's responsibility to submit three copies of all nominations and supporting materials including articles, books, etc. by the nomination deadline. The deadline will be February 1, 2000 for all awards except in the case of the Distinguished Scholarship Award. The nomination deadline for that award will be November 1, 1999.
The 2000 Distinguished Scholarship Award
The Pacific Sociological Association's Award for Distinguished Scholarship is granted to sociologists from the Pacific region in recognition of major intellectual contributions embodied in a recently published book or series of at least three articles on a common theme. To be eligible for the 2000 award, a book must have been published in 1998 or later. If a nomination is based on a series of articles, the most recent article in that series must have been published in 1998 or later. The Committee does NOT accept nominations for the Scholarship Award from Publishers. Nominators must be from individual members of the PSA. If a book has both a hardback and paperback copyright date and no significant changes have been made in the book between editions, the committee will consider the earlier copyright date as the one determining eligibility for the award. Nominations for distinguished scholarship and all supporting materials must be submitted by November 1,1999. You must provide the Committee with three copies of the book and/or articles.
The 2000 Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award
Individual Teaching Award: The Pacific Sociological Association honors outstanding career contributions to teaching, a series of projects, or a specific product or process which an individual or small group of individuals in the western region have contributed to the teaching and learning of sociology. These may include
* Products and/or processes that enhance undergraduate and/or
graduate intellectual inquiry and learning of sociology within one's
own institution or beyond its campus. Examples include innovative
teaching techniques, use of new technologies, service learning,
distance learning, learning assessment of sociology, textbooks,
publications related to teaching, teaching programs, devices or
materials, laboratory designs, instructional computer packages,
innovative curricular contributions or curriculum design, or workshops;
* Relevant contributions to state, regional, or national associations;
* Activities that illuminate, educate, and nurture public
understanding and appreciation of the usefulness of the discipline and
of sociological principles and research. The Pacific Sociological
Association's Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award is given to
an individual sociologist from the western region and/or to a
department of sociology in the western region. The award is given to
those who have developed teaching programs, curricula, or materials
which have been unusually effective in enhancing student understanding
and fostering appreciation of sociology as a field of study. The
grounds for nominations are open but include textbooks and other
teaching materials, laboratory designs, instructional computer
packages, innovative curricular contributions, and evidence of special
impact on students. You must provide the Committee with three copies of
the supporting documentation.
For the individual teaching award, nominations should include
1. The name of the nominee, a very detailed statement with a very
specific explanation of how this individual's work constitutes a
[career] contribution to the teaching of sociology
2. Letters of support from individuals having direct knowledge of the nominee's contributions.
3. Copies of any teaching materials developed by the nominee (if relevant to the nomination).
4. Some evidence of the nominee's impact in the classroom (these might be student evaluations or other evidence).
5. The nominee's vita.
6. Additional supporting materials are encouraged.
Department Contributions To Teaching Award: The Pacific Sociological Association honors a Department of Sociology, school, or other collective actor in the western region for its outstanding contribution to the teaching of sociology. Individual strengths and competencies combine, in consensus, to produce a single product or process or a series of projects that
* Improve(s) the quality of undergraduate and/or graduate
teaching and learning, e.g., sequential curriculum design; teaching
programs, devices, or materials; service learning; distance learning;
or learning assessment of sociology, etc.;
* Relevant contributions to state, regional, or national associations;
* Activities that illuminate, educate and nurture public
understanding and appreciation of the usefulness of the discipline and
of sociological principles and research.
For the departmental teaching award, nominations should include evidence that supports the departmental nominee in the above categories. You must provide three copies of the evidence.
The 2000 Distinguished Practice Award
The Pacific Sociological Association's Distinguished Practice Award honors sociological work in the Pacific region (whether by an academic or non-academic) which has an impact on government, business, health, or other settings not directly connected with academia. The grounds for nomination include (but are not limited to) any applied sociological activity that improves organizational performance, contributes to community betterment, and/or eases human suffering. You must provide the Committee with three copies of the supporting documentation:
1. A nominating letter which provides an overview of the nominee's distinguished practice contributions;
2.
Letters of support from individuals having direct knowledge of the
nominee's distinguished contribution to sociological practice.
3.
Copies of presentations at scholarly conferences, published articles,
and/or grant/contract proposals, primarily authored by the nominee,
which address issues in sociological practice.
The 2000 Distinguished Undergraduate Student Paper Award
The Pacific Sociological Association's Distinguished Student Paper Award recognizes an undergraduate student for a paper of high professional quality. To be eligible a paper must be (a) worthy of special recognition for outstanding scholarship; and (b) written by an undergraduate student or students in the Pacific region. The paper must be unpublished. You must provide the Committee with three copies of the paper accompanied by at least one letter of support.
The 2000 Distinguished Graduate Student Paper Award
The Pacific Sociological Association's Distinguished Student Paper Award recognizes a graduate student for a paper of high professional quality. To be eligible a paper must be (a) worthy of special recognition for outstanding scholarship; (b) in a format appropriate for submission to a major journal with a likelihood of acceptance; and (c) written by a graduate student or students attending a University in the Pacific region. At least one letter of support and three copies of the paper should accompany nominations.
The 2000 Distinguished Contribution to Sociological Perspectives Award
The Pacific Sociological Association's Distinguished Contribution to Sociological Perspectives Award honors an outstanding article published in Sociological Perspectives during a two-year period. To be eligible, the article must be worthy of special recognition for outstanding scholarship and contribution to the discipline. The article must have been published in Vol. 41 (1998) or Vol. 42 (1999). This award is given bi-annually. You must provide the Committee with three copies of the nominated article.
The Nominations Process for the Above Awards.
Any PSA member can place a nomination by writing directly to the Chair of the PSA Awards Committee. In order to be considered you must provide the required documentation as presented above for each particular award for which there is a nomination. The deadline is February 1, 2000 for all awards except in the case of the Distinguished Scholarship Award. The nomination deadline for that award will be November 1, 1999. Send nominations and all supporting documentation to the Chair of the Awards Committee:
Chair_________
5) Duties of the Chair:
receives and copies all nominations and supporting material;
solicits
additional documentation for nominations if necessary from either the
nominator or the individual nominated appoints sub-committees to review
the nominees for each award, including supporting documentation; makes
all copies of the nominated papers, books, letters of support, etc. to
sub-committee chairs, records sub-committee decisions and forwards the
final recommendations to the Secretary of the PSA; develops
the agenda for the annual committee meeting from other members of the
committee and from the Secretary/Treasurer; communicates to Council
action items that require Council decision or input. Keeps the
committee's file or archive in order and passes it on to the next chair
along with suggestions for improving the procedures; signs the award
certificates and announces the awards at the Awards Ceremony at the
annual meeting (see below); phones those who have been selected for an
award and invites to attend the awards ceremony at the PSA annual
meeting; writes the annual report on the committee's activities, which
is published in the PSA Newsletter. The deadline for submission of the
report to the Secretary/Treasurer is May 1.
5) Calendar of committee activities.
By Dec. 1: Chair
communicates with members of the committee and establishes the
committee's agenda for the coming year. Chair establishes working
subcommittees for each award that is to be given.
By Jan 10: Chair sends all relevant material to the appropriate subcommittees so they can review it and make a recommendation to the Awards Committee as a whole.
By Feb. 10: Subcommittees report the results of their decisions to the Chair of the Awards Committee.
By March: Chair contacts the members of the Awards Committee to get the committee as a whole's recommendations and ratification for the awards.
By March 10: Chair communicates to Secretary specific information about the awards and the recipients. the Chair conducts the meeting of the Awards Committee during which time the chair for next year is selected and prospective members of the Awards Committee discussed. If nominations for committee members are made, the chair forwards them to the chair of the Committee on Committees.
At the PSA meeting: Chair signs the awards certificates and plaques on behalf of the committee. The Executive Director will have these available for signing. Chair announces the awards at the Awards Ceremony just before the Presidential Address.
By May 1: Write and send the annual report of the committee's activities to the Secretary for publication in the newsletter.
