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 60 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 members are: Terry D Kahn, Ph.D., professor and associate dean, School of Architecture; Anitesh Barua, Ph.D., associate professor, department of management science and information systems; Roderick P. Hart, Ph.D., Shivers Chair in Communication Studies and professor, department of communication studies; David W. Fowler, Ph.D., 1998 Joe J. King Chair in Engineering, No. 2 and professor, department of civil engineering; Linda Dalrymple Henderson, Ph.D., professor, department of art and art history; Ernest Kaulbach, Ph.D., professor, department of English; Patricia Kruppa, Ph.D., associate professor, department of history; Eric Anslyn, Ph.D., associate professor, department of chemistry and biochemistry; Shelley Payne, Ph.D., professor, School of Biological Sciences; Stan Roux, Ph.D., professor, School of Biological Sciences.
When created in 1995, the academy was one of the firsts 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 Vice Provost Lucia A. Gilbert, submitted recommendations for new members to the provost.
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 membersÌ dedication and contributions to teaching and to our studentsÌ 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,” Ekland-Olson said. “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.
