Introduction
About
The USG Faculty OER Leadership Award recognizes faculty members who demonstrate exemplary usage of open-access materials in their own classrooms and are leaders in using and advocating for open course material. Examples of such use include but are not limited to: using open textbooks, using/incorporating free educational resources/materials in courses, and creating open educational materials.
Eligibility
Tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty who teach undergraduate courses using Open Educational Resources (OER) are eligible for the award. Courses must have been taught from the Fall 2023- Fall 2025 semesters.
Award & Recognition
Three professors will be selected each academic year and shall receive a $500 leadership award stipend and recognition at the USG Gala, held at the end of April.
Nomination & Deadline
Nominations can be submitted by colleagues and students. Self-nominations are also accepted.
Nomination form can be found HERE when released.
Deadline: TBA
Awardees will be announced by mid-April.
USG Faculty Open Education Leadership Award Program Sub-committee
The USG Faculty Open Education Leadership Award Program is administered by a USG subcommittee. The subcommittee shall manage the logistics of the award and program, select the three awardees, and organize an event to recognize the awardees!
Members
Sandy De Groote, Professor & Head - Assessment and Scholarly Communications & Secretary of the Senate & Chair of the Executive Committee
Alanna O'Conner, Chief of Staff to the Provost
Nathan Thokkudubiyyapu, President
Questions? Please contact USG President Nathan Thokkudubiyyapu at nthok2@uic.edu.
Information for the 2026 award cycle will be released late January 2026.