Awards shine spotlight on outstanding faculty

Tanith L. Balaban Arizona Daily Wildcat William Bickel, professor of physics, received one of the UA Distinguished Professor Awards.

Perches was the winner of the annual Five Star Faculty Award.

More than 40 monetary awards were given to faculty members in every college at the UA Annual Recognition Dinner and Awards Ceremony, held at the Marriott University Park, 880 E. Second St.

The Five Star Faculty Award, the only award whose recipient is chosen solely by students, is sponsored by the Honors Center.

Students were able to nominate professors earlier this semester, and an awards committee used class observations, interviews and students' recommendations to make its decision. Perches received $1,000 for the award.

The Provost's General Education Teaching Award, new this year, was given to Janice Dewey, lecturer in humanities, and Gerald Swanson, associate professor of economics. Each professor received $2,500 for the award.

The College of Engineering received $75,000, which will be dispersed over three years, as the recipient of the University-Wide Teaching Award for Meritorious Departmental Achievement in Undergraduate Education. Last year's winner was the Dance Department.

"The department was consumed with absolute excitement (when we found out)," said Vern Johnson, associate dean of academic affairs in the College of Engineering. "We were almost overwhelmed."

Johnson said the college will use the money to improve activities and expand the number of projects within the department. The college is also planning to create a communications center for students where they will be able to rehearse oral presentations and hold team meetings.

"I created this award as an effort to tie research to instruction, which we believe are integral," said Michael Cusanovich, vice president for research and graduate studies and founder of the award.

All departments on campus can apply for the award, he said.

He said the award committee, which is made up of faculty from all over campus, bases its decision on a department's overall teaching program, with a focus on undergraduate teaching.

The money for the award comes from the vice president for research and graduate studies office.

The El Paso Foundation Awards winners were Christopher Impey, professor of astronomy, and Charles Scruggs, professor of English. They each received $3,000.

Recipients of the University of Arizona Distinguished Professor Awards, Richard Cosgrove, professor of history, and William Bickel, professor of physics, were given a $5,000 salary increase.

Bickel has taught at the university for 33 years. He was nominated for the award by physics department head Daniel Stein.

"I was very busy. I had forgotten completely (about the award) until Daniel called me up and told me," Bickel said.

Nominees for the award had to submit letters of recommendation from their students and colleagues. They also had to show how they contribute to undergraduate education, Bickel said.

Donna Krawczyk, adjunct lecturer in mathematics and winner of the University of Arizona Foundation Leicester and Katheryn Sherrill Creative Teaching Award, won $1,500.

The money for the university-wide awards came from a variety of sources, including private donors and internal offices, said Ed Frisch, director of Resource Planning and Management in the Office of Academic Affairs.