Hi 72 / Lo 50
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Hi 72 / Lo 50 |
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Volume 72, Issue 107,
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
News CLASS taking award choices by GRANT MEHLHOFF
The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences is now accepting nominations for its annual teaching awards. The college will present Ross M. Lence Awards for Teaching Excellence to three faculty members who exhibit passion and dedication to teaching inside and outside the classroom. One award will be given to a faculty member in visual and performing arts, one in social sciences, and one in the humanities. The college changed the name of the awards from the Teaching Excellence Awards to memorialize one of the most highly respected professors to teach at the University. Lence taught political science at UH for more than 30 years before dying of pancreatic cancer in July. His career touched the lives of many of his students. "He was an extremely popular teacher. His students were like groupies, they were that devoted," Sarah Fishman, associate dean for undergraduate studies at CLASS, said. "Many felt that he changed their lives." Lence's students were so committed to him that in the mid-1990s, a group of former students got together to raise funds to endow the Ross M. Lence Distinguished University Teaching Chair. Lence was appointed to the chair in 2001. "I don't know any place where that's happened, where a teacher, while teaching, was honored by his former students in that way," Ted Estess, dean of The Honors College, said. Harris County Treasurer Orlando Sanchez credited Lence for helping him achieve success. After Sanchez struggled early in his academic career, Lence took him under his wing and helped Sanchez graduate with honors in political science. "He was unique among the faculty. He was entirely devoted to his students," Sanchez said. "His whole existence every day was his students. He often reached out to them and even helped some cover tuition out of his own pocket." Lawrence Curry, professor emeritus in the Department of History, approached Fishman with the idea of renaming the CLASS teaching award after Lence, Fishman said. For Curry, Lence's dedication to teaching made him a logical choice. "I always thought he was without a doubt the best teacher the University has ever had," Curry said. "This is a great way to honor his memory and perpetuate his name through the future of the University." All University students, faculty and staff are invited to nominate a CLASS faculty member for the awards, Fishman said. A selection committee comprised of students and faculty members will consider each nomination and determine the winners, Fishman said. Only teachers with at least three years of full-time faculty service within the college are eligible to receive the award. All previous winners, deans and selection committee members are ineligible. Last year's winners were Joseph Pratt, professor of history and business; James Query, associate professor of communication; and Brian Byrnes, associate professor at the School of Theatre. Nomination forms can be picked up in Room 402, Agnes Arnold Hall, or downloaded at www.class.uh.edu. All forms and supplemental materials must be turned in by March 21. Send comments to dcnews@mail.uh.edu |
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