On May 7th, I was notified in a congratulatory email from Margaret Gunderson (gundersonm@missouri.edu) of Educational Technologies at Missouri ( ET@MO ) that I am a finalist for the University of Missouri Teaching with Technology Award. The winner will receive $500! Yeah me!

I was going to ask you to keep your fingers crossed for me. But, not so fast…Don’t cross those fingers or even think about uncorking the champagne bottle now.

I received another email from Gunderson that was not nearly as pleasant as the first.

It seems Gunderson has learned that some finalists may no longer be employees of Missouri during Fall 2007 when the award will be given. She consulted the Faculty Advisory Board for advice and they have determined that:

# Any finalist selected as a category winner, but who is no longer employed at MU during the 2007 Fall Semester, will not be eligible to receive the award monies.
# Finalists who are leaving the university have the choice to continue in the awards process by submitting examples of work. If the departing finalist is selected as a winner, then that person will receive a plaque, but will not receive award monies.
# Finalists who are leaving MU and who decide to not continue with the award process will be acknowledged by letter for their impact in effective teaching with technology at MU.

Given this new information, my choices are to keep going, compile an extensive portfolio and possibly get a plaque, or drop out now and get a letter.

I reviewed the Teaching with Technology Awards information on the ET@MO website. The eligibility language states:

Eligibility: Any faculty member with a primary teaching appointment is eligible, including tenure track, nonregular, and clinical faculty. Support staff involved in supporting technology in teaching, as well as graduate instructors and teaching assistants, are eligible.

They are changing the rules in the middle of the process. There is no mention anywhere that the winner must be an employee of the University at the time the award is given. The award nominations are made in March, portfolios of finalists are reviewed during the summer, and the award is given in the Fall. With the award process spanning an academic year, isn’t it short-sighted of them not to have considered that graduate students would be moving on to other jobs? That is what we are expected to do. It’s our plan of study.

How can they believe that it is an acceptable practice to change the eligibility criteria in the middle of the awards process, especially since they have already notified me that I am a finalist?

I am stunned and so disappointed by this news. Several faculty went to a lot of time and trouble to nominate me for this award.

When I talked about this situation with a good friend, her question was, “why wouldn’t they want to give an alumna this award?” Good question.

What do I do? Since I won’t be an employee in Fall 2007 (btw, as a grad student instructor, was I ever an employee?), do I continue with awards process and possibly get a plaque? Or, do I just remove my application and be content with being a finalist and get a letter? Or, do I sacrifice both and call/email and complain? Would that even do any good or have any effect?