Spring Break
Students' turn to recognize teachers
Bob Bajek / Student Government Editor
Issue date: 2/10/09 Section: News
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Jackie Alexander, student vice president for academic affairs, noticed this and decided to rectify the situation.
Alexander, with the help of Adrian Rosado, made the Student's Distinguished Professor Award, where students can nominate a teacher who made a difference in the learning experience.
"I'm really excited because I had a lot of teachers that I've really wished I could've said thank you in such a way as nominated them for an award," Alexander said. "I'm really proud to be the one starting it."
Applications for the award are available until the April 3 deadline. An awards banquet will be held in the University Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union on April 20.
Applications can be picked up at the pick-up/drop box by the gumball machines next to the food court in the union.
The program's mission is "To increase the relationship between the students and professors outside the classroom."
Rosado, a graduate assistant for Student Life, said there are three different categories to nominate a professor.
Distinguished Academic Support honors professors who have exceeded the normal requirements to help their students' progress.
Also, distinguished Service honors professors who have encouraged the advancement of a student group or organization and promotes students to act as role models while personally upholding positive self-esteem and integrity.
Distinguished Subject recognizes professors who create an interest of learning in students and challenges them to reach appropriately high standards and expectations.
Alexander said a student could nominate a professor in each category. No more than one nomination per category will be accepted. For the application, Rosado helped Alexander make the form look professional.
Rosado said for the application form, they worked on the information needed for the students and professors. They both wanted this award process to be something the professors wanted to be involved in.
"We want them to know this is for them because students get recognized all year, whereas the teachers have to take a seat or be in the shadows," Rosado said.
Alexander and Rosado reserved the room for 50 people to participate in a spaghetti dinner. The cost for the award process is $680, with $415 going to Panther Dining for the spaghetti dinner. The vice president for academic affairs budget covers the expenses.
Additionally, Alexander said she is trying to invite Eastern administrators like Dan Nadler, vice president for student affairs, and Provost Blair Lord, vice president for academic affairs, to the banquet so they could see the professors students are proud of and are making a difference.
"Honestly, I'm not sure a program like this has been enacted at Eastern in the past, so I wouldn't doubt for the (administrators) to show support for them to support the faculty and we plan on inviting them," Rosado said.
Rosado hopes students will take this opportunity seriously.
"I'm excited for the simple fact that it allows the students to give back to their professors that they deem fit," Rosado said.
Bob Bajek can be reached at 581-7942 or at rtbajek@eiu.edu.
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