Teaching-Related Service Work

Teaching-Related Service Work

Service related to teaching plays a critical role in documenting teaching effectiveness because it demonstrates a faculty member’s impact beyond their individual classroom and highlights their broader contribution to student learning and educational quality. Activities such as curriculum development, program coordination, mentoring students and colleagues, supervising internships or student organizations, participating in assessment initiatives, serving on instructional committees, and engaging in outreach connected to teaching all reflect a sustained commitment to educational excellence. These forms of service show how faculty apply their pedagogical expertise to strengthen programs, support student success, and improve institutional teaching practices. When documented thoughtfully, teaching-related service provides clear evidence of leadership, collaboration, and the real-world influence of one’s teaching philosophy and practices within and beyond the classroom. 

  • Align service with your teaching mission: Choose service activities that complement your pedagogy, disciplinary focus, or student population (e.g., curriculum committees, mentoring, outreach, assessment). 

  • Seek meaningful roles: Favor service with direct impact on teaching and learning over purely administrative participation. 

  • Balance depth over quantity: Sustained involvement in one or two areas often demonstrates stronger impact than scattered participation. Newer faculty should consider how much time various service roles might take and make careful service decisions. 

  • Look for leadership opportunities: Coordinating a program, chairing a committee, or leading an initiative strengthens evidence of teaching-related influence. 

  • Engage at multiple levels (strategically): Departmental, institutional, professional, and community-based service can all support teaching effectiveness when connected clearly to learning. 

  • Name the activity clearly: Include the role, committee or organization, and dates of service. 

  • Describe your contribution: Specify what you did, not just what group you served on. 

  • Explain the connection to teaching: Explicitly link the service to student learning, curriculum, mentoring, assessment, or instructional improvement. 

  • Demonstrate impact: Whenever possible, include outcomes (e.g., revised curriculum adopted, improved assessment process, student success indicators). 

  • Show leadership and initiative: Highlight moments where you initiated, coordinated, or led efforts. 

  • Include evidence: Attach artifacts such as reports, curricular materials, program descriptions, letters, workshop agendas, or assessment tools. 

  • Reflect on growth: Briefly note what you learned and how the service influenced your teaching practice. 

  • Organize by category: Group service into sections such as Departmental, Institutional, Professional, and Community-Based Teaching Service. Newer faculty should be cautious about the quantity of service they seek and might want to begin with department and college opportunities.  

*Need guidance from Kelly.