The Shreve gateway is pictured on a winter day at IUPUI.
IUPUI has promoted 15 faculty as part of its first cohort of teaching professors, the highest rank for lecturers. The Board of Trustees approved the new academic rank in 2019.
“Our inaugural cohort of IUPUI teaching professors represents the best of the best among our teachers,” IUPUI Chancellor Nasser H. Paydar said. “Their dedication to students and to advancing pedagogy and curriculum ensures that our graduates receive the very best education at IUPUI.”
Teaching professors must demonstrate a continued record of excellence in classroom teaching and pedagogical leadership. The rank creates a professional path for lecturers that parallels the tenure stream and clinical professional ranks.
“The addition of this new rank for our teaching faculty is an important signal regarding the importance of teaching at IUPUI,” said Margie Ferguson, senior associate vice chancellor for academic affairs. “This first cohort of faculty promoted to this rank has set a strong foundation for the teaching professor. We look forward to more of their colleagues seeking this designation.”
Some of IUPUI’s first teaching professors shared what earning this rank means to them.
Lisa Siefker Bailey
Teaching professor of English at IUPUC
“I appreciate that the university has validated full-time, non-tenure-track instructors with the prestigious title of professor, and I am pleased to have had the opportunity to attain full professor in my 15-year tenure at IUPUC.”
Rob Elliott
Teaching professor of computer and information technology at the School of Engineering and Technology and IUPUI co-director forFaculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching.
“The rank of teaching professor is important for the university. On a personal level, it shows that the university values the ongoing contributions of longtime teaching faculty and brings some parity with other faculty members. At the institutional level, it sends a signal that re-emphasizes the university’s teaching mission.
“Former President McRobbie was highly supportive of IU’s teachers, and President Whitten has repeatedly noted a focus on student success. That success begins in the classroom, so it’s important to ensure the faculty’s work is recognized.”
Lingma Lu
Teaching professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science in the School of Science and faculty associate with STEM Education Innovation & Research Institute
“Having a teaching professor rank conveys a message that IUPUI values not only research but also teaching excellence. It is a big career achievement and a recognition of high-quality teaching-related scholarly work. It opens up opportunities for competitive grants and publications, and gives me the motivation to be a better mentor for junior faculty members on the teaching track.”
Sherry Stone
Teaching professor in foundation studies at the Herron School of Art and Design and a member of FACET
“More than anything, being promoted to teaching professor recognizes my more than three decades of teaching and the sustained level of teaching excellence I committed to after being promoted to senior lecturer 13 years ago. It also communicates a level of authority and competency. To the students that might engender more trust and openness for learning, while to the community, it says something about who I am as a person.”
Other faculty promoted to teaching professor at IUPUI include:
Brenda Blacklock, School of Science.
Kim Donahue, Kelley School of Business.
Anita Giddings, Herron School of Art and Design.
Nancy Goldfarb, School of Liberal Arts.
Andrew Harris, School of Science.
Debora Herold, School of Science.
Elizabeth Malatestinic, Kelley School of Business.
Mike Polites, School of Liberal Arts.
David Sabol, School of Liberal Arts.
Michael Yard, School of Science.
Robert Yost, School of Science.
Justin Whitaker is a communications consultant with IU Studios.
