USU Recognizes Department for Outstanding Teaching

“As you know, for the past six months the provost and I have been visiting the academic departments on campus,” Albrecht said. “We’ve seen some great programs and many dedicated faculty. This award is a wonderful compliment to each and every one of you.”

 

During the Department Teaching Excellence Award process, departments across campus are encouraged to showcase a commitment to fostering an environment of teaching excellence by applying for the award. During the 2007 review period, six departments were considered. Four finalists were selected, including the winning department, as well as Agricultural Systems Technology and Education; Sociology, Social Work and Anthropology; and Biology.

 

For the first time in the award’s history, a second-place award was presented. Earning that honor is the Department of Agricultural Systems Technology and Education.

 

“It is very clear from the review process by the committee that teaching excellence is wide spread across the USU campus, and it is important that we have the opportunity to reward the very best teaching efforts of departments,” said Larry Smith, vice provost at USU. “The committee had an extremely difficult decision to make given the diversity of creative and successful approaches to teaching and learning used by the departments that were finalists.”

 

In addition to recognizing outstanding teaching, the award has financial rewards as well. The annual award provides an ongoing addition of $15,000 to the department’s base budget, plus a one-time increment of $5,000. The department is also recognized during spring commencement exercises, and faculty members from the honored department are asked to sit together as a group during the ceremony.

 

“Employing a student-centric approach, the Department of Biological and Irrigation Engineering has created a uniquely supportive environment where the success of every student is not only valued, but is a department goal,” the teaching excellence award citation reads. “The department has strategically and effectively used active learning, selective resource investment, integrated research experience and industrial partnerships to help students prepare for the future.”

 

The department’s faculty members were acknowledged for dedication and for proving themselves as outstanding educators through innovative instructional approaches, the promotion of an open and flexible learning environment and their generous and effective mentoring.

 

The department prepares its students for careers in biomedical engineering, bioprocessing, bioenvironmental science or irrigation and drainage engineering.

 

“This department, through its hard work and commitment to continuous improvement of its educational program, has experienced a phenomenal ten-fold growth in student enrollment during the past eight years,” the award citation stated.

 

“We have four very great finalist departments,” said committee chair Janet Anderson. “They are the best of the best.”

 

Anderson also thanked members of the selection committee for the time spent reviewing the final portfolios and making numerous classroom visits to observe and evaluate teaching.

 

The Department Teaching Excellence Award was established and first presented at Utah State University in spring 2003. Until 2006, two departments earned the honor each year. Eight departments have been recognized in the past five years. The Geology Department and the Political Science Department received the award the first year. The departments of English and Accounting were 2004 honorees, and in 2005 the award went to the Department of Chemistry/Biochemistry and the Department of Physics. Last year’s winner was the Department of Languages, Philosophy and Speech Communication.

 

As the runner up to this year’s award, the department of Agricultural Systems Technology and Education will receive an award of $5,000.

 

Members of this year’s Department Teaching Excellence Award committee include Janet Anderson (chair), Leigh Monhardt (chair elect), John Seiter (faculty), Doug Harris (faculty), Steve Burr (faculty senate), Tom Schroeder (faculty senate), Holly Murdock (undergraduate student), Mike Bailey (undergraduate student), Katherine Shakespeare (undergraduate student), Lafe Conner (graduate student), Jacoba Mendelkow (graduate student), Stacie Gomm (office of the vice president for information technology), Larry Smith (provost’s office), Andi McCabe (provost’s office) and Suzanne Pierce-Moore (board of trustees).

 

Contact: Provost’s Office, Larry Smith (435) 797-0718