May 2001

Seven Faculty Members Receive Teaching Excellence Awards By Carrie Secondo The Provost's Office has announced the winners of this year's Teaching Excellence Awards. The awards, which carry a $1,500 prize, go to Amitava Dutta, School of Management; Elizabeth Gunn, New Century College; Linda Kalof, Sociology and Anthropology; Howard Kurtz, Theater; Leandra Lederman, School of Law; Suzanne Smith, History and Art History; and Margaret Yocom, English. The award program was created to recognize exemplary teaching at George Mason and demonstrates the university's commitment to outstanding teaching. Nominations for the award are opened each September and may come from another faculty member, a staff member, or a student. Nominees are then invited to submit statements regarding their teaching philosophy and teaching innovations. The Teaching Excellence Award Committee, which comprises the previous year's award winners, selects up to 20 of the individuals who submit statements to compile portfolios. The committee then selects the winners from the portfolios submitted. This year, 29 professors and instructors were nominated, of whom 17 submitted teaching philosophy statements. Of the 17 nominees, the committee invited 10 to submit portfolios, and 7 winners were chosen from the portfolios submitted. The winners will be formally recognized at their respective academic units' convocations.