For the last several years, the number of nominees for the Michigan Section Distinguished Teaching Award has been unnaturally low. The Committee racked its collective brains but could not find reasons for the dearth of nominees. We therefore resorted to the experts. We hired consultants and with their help came up with:
Larry’s Top Ten Reasons NOT to Nominate a Colleague for the Michigan Section–MAA Distinguished Teaching Award
Reason 10. Most of the good Michigan teachers have moved to Ohio.
Reason 9. There will be so many nominees that my candidate won’t have a chance.
Reason 8. Because of the abysmal economy, my Department can’t afford the postage necessary to send in the nomination.
Reason 7. If there are no nominees, then Larry’s Committee will have no problem being decisive.
Reason 6. Some of the remaining good Michigan teachers have moved to Indiana.
Reason 5. I’m the one in my Department most qualified for this award, but how can I nominate myself?
Reason 4. It is such a long time between now and Jan 1, 2003 (the nomination deadline) that I can surely procrastinate until it is too late.
Reason 3. I can’t nominate someone else because I am sure that someone is going to nominate me.
Reason 2. There are no teachers in my Department.
Reason 1. No one I know wants to be honored for excellence in his/her life’s work.
Larry King, UM–Flint
This year’s Distinguished Teaching Award Committee consists of Kalpana Godbole (chair, Citi Commerce Solutions, formerly of MTU) and the two most recent Award winners: Larry King and John Fink (Kalamazoo C). They have selected Charlene Beckmann (GVSU) to received the 2002 award. Dr. Beckmann, with 12 years of experience, has dedicated her career to making math more palatable to whole new generation of students and prospective teachers. Further details about her award will be in the Fall 2002 Newsletter.
Anyone, other than the candidate him/herself, is entitled to make a nomination. To be eligible, a candidate must be a college or university teacher teaching a mathematical science at least halftime during the academic year in a 2- or 4-year college or university, have at least five years teaching experience, and be a member of the MAA.
Nominations are due by December 31, 2002. More information will be available in the Fall 2002 Newsletter.
On a related note, Past Chair Sidney Graham (CMU) reports that Bette Warren (EMU) is the recipient of the Section’s 2001–2002 Distinguished Service Award. She served as Chair of the Section Women’s Studies Committee (1992–97), as Secretary-Treasurer (1995–97), Vice Chair (1997–98), Chair (1998–99), and Past Chair (1999–2000). Details will appear in the Fall 2002 Newsletter.
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