AUSTIN, Texas—Ten new faculty members have been elected to the Academy of Distinguished Teachers at The University of Texas at Austin. The academy, which now totals 50 members, is intended to recognize and enhance teaching, particularly at the undergraduate level.
Honorees are chosen on the basis of their outstanding teaching, their personal commitment to students and the learning process, and their ability to inspire and motivate students in the classroom. The new academy members will be recognized at the University’s May 22 evening Commencement ceremony.
The new members are: Dr. Mark L. Knapp, department of speech communication; Professor Lewis R. (Bill) Wiman, department of art and art history; Dr. Elizabeth Butler Cullingford, department of English; Dr. Henry A. Dietz, department of government; Dr. Karl Galinsky, department of classics; Dr. Howard Miller, department of history; Dr. Alan Campion, department of chemistry and biochemistry; Dr. Brent L. Iverson, department of chemistry and biochemistry; Dr. Leon E. Long, department of geological sciences; and Dr. Ruth McRoy, school of social work.
When created in 1995, the academy was one of the first of its type in the nation. Members, who receive a permanent annual salary increase of $5,000, serve in the academy for eight years and may be re-elected. In addition to the salary increase, faculty members selected also will earn the permanent designation of Distinguished Teaching Professor, and will be afforded other perquisites normally available to holders of endowed faculty positions.Deans of the colleges and schools nominated proposed members to the provost. An advisory committee of members from the academy, university administrators, faculty members and students, chaired by UT Austin Executive Vice Provost Stephen A. Monti, submitted recommendations for new members to the provost.
University Executive Vice President and Provost Sheldon Ekland-Olson said the committee did a superb job in selecting “10 extraordinary teachers. Being selected is a clear expression of the high regard colleagues hold for the new members’ dedication and contributions to teaching and to our students’ intellectual development.
“When the academy was established, it was evident that admitting only 10 new members each year would necessarily mean that the selection process would always face the very difficult task of choosing among a panel of very outstanding nominees. This year was no exception, the panel was superb.”
Academy members serve as an advisory group to the provost on teaching excellence, and provide institutional leadership and guidance for the distinctive undergraduate experience available in a research university environment. In addition, members organize seminars, colloquia and workshops on teaching effectiveness and serve as mentors for new faculty.
