New College is proud to celebrate the outstanding contributions of our faculty and staff through our academic and staff recognition awards. These awards highlight excellence in teaching, innovation in pedagogy, and exceptional service to the College community.
The June Larkin Award for Pedagogical Development supports faculty in advancing innovative teaching practices that enhance learning both inside and outside the classroom.
The Kathleen O’Connell Teaching Excellence Award acknowledges the vital role of sessional instructional staff in shaping interdisciplinary learning at New College. This award honours exceptional teaching that reflects a commitment to engaged, socially conscious education.
Our Staff Recognition Awards Program celebrates employees who go above and beyond in their service, collaboration, and leadership. With two categories—the Service Excellence Award and the Impact Award—this program acknowledges staff members who demonstrate dedication, innovation, and a strong commitment to the College’s success.
Learn more about each award below and submit a nomination today!
New College Academic Awards
June Larkin Award for Pedagogical Development
This award provides for a half-course release for a member of New College faculty to develop innovative pedagogy or educational technology for use in classroom, community or field settings, and/or online teaching and learning. The pedagogical contribution should be sustainable and have professional development value that can be shared with New College as a whole. This award was established to recognize the contribution of Dr. June Larkin, New College vice-principal from 2007 to 2014 and from 2017 to 2020, 3M National Teaching Fellowship Award winner, and member of the University of Toronto Teaching Academy.
Please note that we are not accepting applications for the June Larkin Award for Pedagogical Development for the 2023-2024 academic session.
Kathleen O’Connell Teaching Excellence Award
This award honors outstanding teaching and recognizes the important contributions made by sessional instructional staff to the teaching mission of New College in its academic programs, interdisciplinary courses and writing centre. Dr. Kathleen O’Connell has taught courses on Rabindranath Tagore and Satyajit Ray at New College for two decades, beginning in 1993. Her teaching, in the spirit of both Tagore and Ray, exemplifies New College’s commitment to socially engaged education and pedagogical innovation.
Learn more about the award.
New College Staff Recognition Award Program
New College’s annual Staff Recognition Awards Program recognizes staff who make exceptional contributions to the success of their office, the College and by extension the University. The awards program provides an opportunity to honour and thank staff for the valuable work performed throughout the year.
There are two categories the Service Excellence Award and Impact Award, which aims to recognize staff members who:
- show initiative;
- demonstrate innovative approaches in their work;
- are exceptionally service-oriented (within the College, and, more specifically, in their units/offices);
- are collaborative (within their and/or with other units/offices;
- demonstrate a strong work ethic (dependability, commitment); and
- if applicable, acts as a mentor and coach.
There will be one award in each category. Each recipient will receive a monetary award ($1000) and a glass plaque of recognition.
Recipient selection for each category will be done using a three-person Awards Committee with representation from each of the following areas:
- Academic units
- Ancillary and Operations
- Student Support/Services
Nominations will open in March and awards will be presented at the New College Principal’s Lunch in June.
Nomination Period: 2025
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 – Thursday, April 24, 2025
All nominations must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2025
The Service Excellence Award
The Service Excellence Award recognizes and celebrates the outstanding contributions of New College staff members. This award aims to honour those who consistently go above and beyond in their roles to enhance student experience, support student success, ensure the smooth operation of services, and strengthen the College community. By acknowledging exceptional service, the award also seeks to foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, and commitment to New College’s mission and values.
Award Eligibility & Nomination Criteria
Eligibility
All Staff Appointed Unit employees who are members of CUPE Local 3261 and USW Local 1998, as well as CUPE Unit 3 and 6 members.
Nomination Process
Call for Nominations: An official announcement will be sent via email, New Routes, and posted on the New College website and True-Blue platform. In addition, physical postings will be made in areas frequented by those whose work does not rely on email.
Nominations will be submitted online via the Nomination Form and will require a 100-word citation in support and should highlight the merits of each nominee.
A successful nomination requires the endorsement of the nominee’s direct manager. This endorsement is assumed if the direct manager has made the nomination, and will be sought otherwise.
Award Criteria
The nominee has consistently demonstrated a high level of service and excellence in their role. This includes their ability to efficiently manage tasks, respond to challenges, and deliver exceptional service to students, staff, and the campus community.
Staff Impact Award
The Staff Impact Award recognizes and honours New College staff members whose outstanding current-year efforts have made a significant, lasting impact on the New College community. This award highlights individuals who have demonstrated exceptional initiative, leadership, and dedication in ways that positively influence the experiences of New College students, staff, faculty and the broader U of T community.
Award Eligibility & Nomination Criteria
Eligibility
All Staff Appointed Unit employees who are members of CUPE Local 3261 and USW Local 1998. (Members of CUPE Units 3 and 6 are not eligible as they are eligible for the Kathleen O’Connell Teaching Excellence Award.)
Nomination Process
Call for Nominations: An official announcement will be sent via email, New Routes, and posted on the New College website and True-Blue platform. In addition, physical postings will be made in areas frequented by those whose work does not rely on email.
Nominations will be submitted online via the Nomination Form and will require a 100-word citation in support.
A successful nomination requires the endorsement of the nominee’s direct manager. This endorsement is assumed if the direct manager has made the nomination, and will be sought otherwise.
Award Criteria
To be considered for the award, the nominee must have made an impact in at least one of the following ways:
- Completed innovative work or spearheaded an innovative project which has an impact in their individual office and on the broader New College community.
- Made concrete and identifiable efforts that have resulted in an enhanced the New College environment and/or experience for the students, faculty or staff.
- Has made contributions that have had a direct and positive impact on students’ academic success or
well-being, or on the overall campus experience. This may include providing support, creating opportunities for student engagement, or ensuring a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.