Award offers NIU professors recognition for excellence

By Tom Owens

If you have a professor or colleague who inspires you to learn or teach, the nominations for the 1994 Presidential Teaching Professorships must be in no later than Monday, Oct. 18, to the Provost’s office in Lowden Hall 307.

Eligibility requirements for the nominees are they must be a full professor with tenure and have taught at NIU for the last six years.

Jane Randolf, administrative secretary to the acting assistant provost said, “Nominees should be someone who made an impact on their students and instilled them with a desire to learn.”

Randolf said this is the fourth year the award has been offered. Recipients of the award will receive a $2,000 increase in salary and a $5,000 stipend for the next four years to enhance teaching abilities and fund academic interests.

Six criteria will be used in selecting the recipients of the award. These criteria include that the nominee instills and develops an interest and appreciation in the subject material, demonstrates a commitment to students’ welfare, has high standards regarding student performance, explores new instructional methods and works actively with students, faculty and administrators to improve education at NIU.

This supportive material will be evaluated by a rigorous and thorough review which includes contacting former students as well as letters of recommendation from department chairs and professional peers.

In a previous article of The Northern Star, one of last year’s winners, Sherman Stanage, philosophy, leadership and educational policy studies professor said, “There are some people who have been chosen for excellence awards, but there are many instructors that are qualified. I wish so many more would be recognized.”

Out of the nominees submitted, six or seven will be chosen, and three of those finalists will become the recipients of the award.

The winners of the award will be announced around the end of April and will be honored at the May commencement ceremony.

Last year’s recipients were Frank Bazeli, professor of curriculum and instruction, Laszlo Hanzely, professor of biological sciences and Stanage.