MEMORANDUM

June 8, 2009

 

 

TO:                             Paul van Donkelaar, president, University Senate 2008-09

                                    Peter Gilkey, president, University Senate 2009-10

Gwen Steigelman, secretary, University Senate

 

FROM:                     Russ Tomlin, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

 

SUBJECT:                University Committees - Final Report to the University Senate

 

 

The Student Faculty Committee on Grievances

There were no grievances submitted for the 2008-09 Academic Year that were taken up to the Student Faculty Committee on Grievances.

 

Committee members (term expires in parentheses):

Patricia Curtin, Journalism (2009)

Anthony Hornof, CIS (2010)

Russ Tomlin, Academic Affairs (Ex Officio)

Sanford Weintraub, student member

Michael Latteri, student member

Susan Giacomelli, student member

 

 

The Tenure Reduction, Retirement, and Emeriti Committee (TRRE)

The TRRE Committee met twice over the 2008-09 AY and discussed emeritus status and looked at comparator institutions; reviewed the tenure reduction plan and other retirement matters.

 

Committee members (term expires in parentheses):

Peng Lu, Mathematics (2009)

Gerald Tindal, Educational Leadership (2009)

Louis Osternig, Human Physiology (2010)

Ernie Pressman, Human Resources (Ex Officio)

Russ Tomlin, Academic Affairs (Ex Officio, and convener)

 

 

The Distinguished Teaching Awards Committee

 

Committee members (term expires in parentheses):

Deb Bauer, Business (2009)

Ron Beghetto, Education Studies (2009)

Daniel Pope, History (2010)

Gina Psaki, Romance Languages (2010)

Susan Verscheure, Human Physiology (2010)

Tom Bode, student (did not attend nor participate)

Russ Tomlin, convener, ex-officio, non-voting

Gwen Steigelman, staff, ex-officio, non-voting

 

The Distinguished Teaching Award Committee is a faculty committee charged with soliciting nominations of faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching, evaluating the nominations, and naming three award winners as recipients of either the Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching (for faculty members early in their teaching careers) or the Thomas F. Herman Faculty Achievement Award for Distinguished Teaching (for faculty members demonstrating long-standing excellence in teaching). 

 

The committee is comprised primarily of previous distinguished teaching award recipients as well as one or two other faculty members who indicated an interest in the committee via the annual committee service solicitation cards; a student member is appointed through ASUO and the presidentŐs office.  The general workflow for the committee consists of: (1) soliciting nominations during the month of February (e.g., by placing three advertisements in the Daily Emerald and sending campus nomination requests to faculty, staff, students, and alumni via email lists); (2) reviewing requested teaching materials of nominees (early April); (3) developing a Ňshort listÓ of finalists and requesting more detailed information; (4) reviewing finalists files (late April and early May), (5) discussing finalists to eventually arrive at three award winners (early May) and writing brief bios for use during award presentations and the graduation program. 

 

Historically, President Frohnmayer surprises each award winner while he or she is teaching class and makes a brief presentation complete with a crystal apple; this year, presentations were made on May 13th..Award recipients are invited to attend a pre-graduation brunch and are recognized for their teaching achievements during the main graduation ceremony on Saturday June 13, 2009.  Also, award winner receive a $2,000 stipend which is added to base pay and dispersed as regular salary throughout the academic year.

 

A total of 28 nominations were received during February 2009, and of these 2 were rejected for not meeting the minimum two years of teaching requirement.  For the first round of evaluation, nomineesŐ department heads were ask to provide (1) a single page statement attesting to the nomineeŐs appropriateness for a distinguished teaching award, (2) a copy of a current CV, (3) a list of the courses and their enrollments the nominee has taught for the most recent three years of teaching, and (4) a concise description of teaching related activities in which the nominee has been involved during his/her teaching at the UO.  After review of the requested materials, the committee reduced the list of nominees to a finalists list of eight nominees. 

 

Further information was requested from the department head s consisting of: (1) classroom instruction materials, such as syllabi from representative classes, signed student evaluations, and other relevant teaching materials; and (2) any other instructional efforts done outside the specific classroom situation, such as course or curriculum design, student mentoring and advising, innovations in instruction or use of technology in teaching, and so forth.  These materials were reviewed and a final committee meeting was held to determine the winners and the distribution of awards between the Ersted and Herman award.  (The three wards may be awarded in any combination the committee deems appropriate.)  For 2009, all three awards were Thomas F. Herman awards and went to the following faculty members: David Dusseau, LCB – Management; Alan Dickman, Environmental Studies and Biology;  and Michael Dreiling, Sociology.  Brief descriptions of each award winner are provided at the end of this report.

 

During the course of its meetings, several topics were raised for future committeeŐs consideration:

 

á       Moving the solicitation period to an earlier time frame to afford greater flexibility in the committeeŐs meeting and review schedule, as well as response time for requested materials; and

 

á       Including nominees for whom there were no requested materials received in the following yearŐs list of nominees.

 

As a final comment, student participation on this committee is most welcome, but in recent years it has been problematic in that either a student has not been appointed to the committee, or if appointed, has not attended meetings, reviewed files, or participated in committee discussions.  The workload for reviewing a large number of nominee files is rather onerous and intensive during spring term, especially.  Students should be made aware of the time commitment necessary for this committee during spring term in order to optimize the appointment of student members whose class (and often) work schedules can reasonably accommodate their participation. 

 

2009 Distinguished Teaching Award Recipients

Thomas F. Herman Faculty Achievement Award for Distinguished Teaching

Alan W. Dickman, Research Associate Professor and Senior Instructor
Department of Biology
Director, Environmental Studies Program
College of Arts and Sciences

Students, graduate teaching fellows, and faculty are often heard singing praises for professor Alan W. Dickman's teaching skills. Whether teaching large, general biology classes, specialized forest biology classes, or leading class field trips, Professor Dickman's students see him as inspiring, passionate, and challenging. One student commented, "This class has changed the path of my life", and an alumni recalled that Alan was his favorite UO professor. Students greatly appreciate the extra effort Professor Dickman puts into field trips, and feel these are an important part of their learning experience; "[the field trips] allowed us to apply what we learned in the classroom to the real world". In the classroom Alan incorporates relevant and current media, and creates a dynamic environment in which students engage in give and take dialogue of questions and answers. Regardless of class size, Alan dedicates himself to optimizing students' learning experience both inside and outside of the classroom.

New instructors and graduate teaching fellows frequently seek Alan's expertise as a master teaching resource for their own teaching development. Professor Dickman regularly participates in Teaching Effectiveness Program events to continue nurturing his passion for teaching. And although an experienced teacher who has taught for years, Alan he is always open to feedback, suggestions, and critical evaluation. As program director for the Environmental Studies Program, Professor Dickman extends his considerable curricular design skills to the program level, affecting student learning on an even larger scale. Professor Dickman is a creative, thoughtful, and passionate teacher, and in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to student learning, Alan Dickman is a 2009 recipient of the Thomas F. Herman Faculty Achievement Award for Distinguished Teaching.

Michael Dreiling, Associate Professor                            
Department of Sociology
College of Arts and Sciences

Sociology Professor Michael Dreiling exemplifies the kind of teacher who changes people's lives. Even in classes with very large enrollments, Professor Dreiling's engaged and passionate teaching inspires his students. One commented that, "This is the best class I have ever taken. I learned more about myself, the world, and how to apply what I want to do with my life through this course." Another student, after studying the tragedy of debt slavery in the modern world, tracked down an organization that fights debt slavery and pledged a monthly contribution.

Professor Dreiling spurs students to both contemplation and action. His course syllabi are detailed and analytical; they demand engagement from students and call for active participation in and out of the classroom. In his upper-division and graduate course on Nonviolent Social Change, one student responded, "I have learned new tools for communicating with people and I have gained a new hope for the future....It has been an inspiring education."

In addition to teaching large undergraduate courses, Michael is one of the most respected and popular faculty members in the department's graduate program. One graduate student explained, [professor Dreiling's] "graduate instruction and mentorship is exemplary. I'm actually not sure I would have made it past the second year of the graduate program were it not for him. He inspired creativity in me while directing me in rigorous social science methodologies." Enthusiastic comments about professor Dreiling come routinely from current and former graduate students on whose dissertation and comprehensive examination committees he has served.

For his sustained record of dedication, his passion and skill as a teacher at all levels, Michael Dreiling is a recipient of the 2009 Thomas F. Herman Faculty Achievement Award for Distinguished Teaching.

David T. Dusseau, Donald A. Tykeson Senior Instructor of Business    
Department of Management
Charles H. Lundquist College of Business

David T. Dusseau has a stellar reputation in the Lundquist College of Business where his teaching success is legendary. He typically teaches large enrollment sections of Introduction to Business where he achieves remarkable student outcomes. Students enthusiastically note that Professor Dusseau is an exceptional teacher that makes class an enjoyable learning environment - they consistently rate him high on both enthusiasm and class rapport as he expertly manages to make large classes a highly personal, intimate learning experience.

Particularly impressive is professor Dusseau's innovation in the classroom. He introduced experiential learning through a computer simulation where students must make strategic decisions for their fictional business firms and compete with others in their industry. The simulation involves each student in the broad variety of managerial decisions which determine results for their business firm and the industry. Students of all backgrounds find such course creativity an extremely effective way to be introduction to the business environment. One student commented, "Dave is able to effectively impact a huge number of people at once with the wealth of a foundational understanding of business." Another student notes, "I learned a phenomenal amount and I am grateful such a course is offered at the University of Oregon."   In recognition of his long standing excellence in teaching and inspired classroom innovation, David T. Dusseau is a recipient of the 2009 Thomas F. Herman Award Faculty Achievement Award for Distinguished Teaching.

 

 


Web page updated on 17 June 2009 by Peter B Gilkey 202 Deady Hall, Department of Mathematics at the University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-1222, U.S.A. Phone 1-541-346-4717 Email:peter.gilkey.cc.67@aya.yale.edu of Deady Spider Enterprises