Posted on June 5, 2012 by Rebecca Luther
teaching scholars
In recognition of the preeminent role of instructional faculty in advancing knowledge, three College of Business faculty members have been selected for the inaugural class of the university’s Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars.
Charter members of the academy were selected from the university’s past recipients of the UT System Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. College of Business academy members are Tom Cannon , senior lecturer in marketing; Ermine Orta , lecturer in management science and statistics; and Rick Utecht , associate professor of marketing. They are joined by 14 colleagues from UTSA.
“Recognizing our most effective classroom teachers is important in continuing to foster a culture of excellence at UTSA,” said Provost John Frederick . “But beyond that, this academy also will be a working group, charged with advocating exceptional teaching and learning practices across our campuses.”
\“The academy members will serve as a much-needed resource to their faculty colleagues and especially to the Teaching and Learning Center,” said Krisellen Maloney , dean of the UTSA Libraries. The TLC is under the UTSA Libraries, and Maloney was instrumental in helping launch the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars.
“They will provide guidance and feedback for TLC programs and initiatives, conduct teaching seminars and also mentor new faculty,” she said.
Membership in the academy will be limited to 5 percent of the overall faculty and will be open to any future recipients of the Regents’ Teaching Award. For years in which no Regents’ Awards are given, a similar process will be followed for selecting new members.
In addition to being an internal campus resource, Tom Cannon said the establishment of the academy sends a strong message to the community that the university places a high value on its teaching mission.
\“Tier One means having excellent teaching faculty and excellent researchers,” said Cannon. “Parents want to send their children to a university that will educate them, teach them and provide them with the skill sets and knowledge to begin their careers. From my perspective, the academy shows our external audiences that we have the faculty here who can do that.”
Please send your comments to: wendy.frost@utsa.edu
— Rebecca Luther
