In 1991 the Mathematical Association of America instituted Awards for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics in order to honor college or university teachers who have been widely recognized as extraordinarily successful and whose teaching effectiveness has been shown to have had influence beyond their own institutions. In 1993 the MAA Board of Governors renamed the award to honor Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo.
Each year, every section of the MAA is invited to select a college or university teacher to be honored with a Section Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics. Recipients of the section awards then become nominees for the national Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics.
A suggested procedure for the selection process is contained in the Call for Nominations template that is sent to section secretaries each fall. Since each section may modify this suggested procedure and set its own deadlines, those who plan to submit a nomination are urged to contact the secretary of the nominee's section and also consult the section web site. The rules of Eligibility and Guidelines for Nomination are fixed by the national committee, and the official Nomination Form must be used. (These files are in PDF Format)
Some sections have a two-part nomination process in which a one-page preliminary nomination form (usually page 1 of the Nomination Form) is submitted by early November. A nominations committee chooses from these and invites their nonimators to prepare full nomination packets which are due some time before early February. The section teaching award winner must be selected by the committee in time for the awardee's nomination packet to be received by the national MAA Secretary by March 1.
The winner of a Section Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching of Mathematics is announced at a special ceremony at the Spring meeting of the section, and the recipient is presented with a certificate from the MAA.