Academy of Distinguished Teachers

Welcome to the Academy of Distinguished Teachers website. Established in 1999, the Academy of Distinguished Teachers is a forum through which its members provide valued leadership to the University, serving as mentors, advisers, and spokespersons for the University’s teaching mission. The Academy's over 300 members represent all of the University's five campuses.

The ADT co-chairs are Robb Dunbar [email protected] (UMR) and Sue Wick [email protected] (UMTC)

ChatGPT and related AI

On March 24, 2023, the Academy of Distinguished Teachers hosted an online conversation about ChatGPT. Anyone who teaches at UMN was invited to attend.
Video of the Zoom event: Let’s Chat About ChatGPT
List of AI Resources for UMN Instructors

Fall 2022 ADT Retreat

The Academy of Distinguished Teachers' biennial retreat took place September 23-25 at Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge in Deerwood, Minnesota (near Brainerd). The topic of the retreat was: Mental Health, Resilience, and Academic Excellence: Can We Have it All?  As a result of the retreat, four action groups are in place; these are listed below. If you are interested in joining one of these groups please contact Chris Bremer at [email protected].

1. Administrative Action Group
Group charge:
- Identify and eliminate redundant activities
- Find ways to address stressful, time-consuming things like Chrome River
- No decisions can be made that are not evaluated for impact on faculty and staff
- Survey of faculty time use, stress, and mental health

2. Classroom/Curricular Action Group
Group charge: Reduce student and faculty stress by creating community and connection in the classroom.

3. Cultural Action Group
Group charge: 
- Build community to reduce stress (faculty and staff…thereby students)
- Determine how to provide support for promoting academic excellence (be rigorous AND reduce stress)

4. Infrastructure Action Group
Group charge:
- Create and support proctored testing centers (libraries?) so faculty and disabilities centers are not administering exams or creating exams for special cases
- Have faculty/instructor input into design and building (or remodeling) of learning spaces

Recipients of UMN Distinguished Teaching Awards 

Learn about the recipients of the Horace T. Morse – University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education at: https://scholarswalk.umn.edu/faculty-awards-programs/university-awards/awards-outstanding-contributions-education/horace-t-morse

Learn about the recipients of the Award for Outstanding Contributions to Graduate and Professional Education at https://scholarswalk.umn.edu/faculty-award-programs/university-awards/awards-outstanding-contributions-education/grad-prof-award

Tips for Teaching

Check out these tips for teaching in online and hybrid environments, gleaned from those offered by your colleagues during the summer 2020 "Teaching Topics Happy Hours" hosted by the Academy of Distinguished Teachers.