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Faculty Senate Awards

The Faculty Senate Awards began in 1994 to recognize faculty for excellence in teaching and outstanding research and scholarly activity. In 1998 the Faculty Senate Awards changed to include an award for meritorious service to the university and/or profession.

The Faculty Senate gives awards each year to deserving faculty members in the following areas:

  • Teaching – Excellence in teaching relates to the quality of instructor and student interaction in classes.
  • Scholarship – Scholarship refers to faculty involvement in research, presentations, and publications or performance
  • Service – Service refers to faculty involvement in activities that benefit the university, the community, and the profession.

The awards are given by school with the exception of the School of Arts and Sciences.  Due to the large number of faculty in the School of Arts and Sciences, these are given using the old divisions of Arts and Letters [Art, Communication, and Theater; English, Humanities and Languages; Music; and Social Sciences] and Science and Technology [Biological Sciences; Chemistry, Computer and Physical Sciences; and Mathematics]. Faculty, therefore, “compete” only against other faculty nominated from their respective schools. There is also a Lifetime Achievement Award, a Professor of the Year award, and an Adjunct of the Year award (restricted to excellence in teaching only and based on the current calendar year because of turnover). A total of 15 awards are given to outstanding full-time and adjunct faculty.  Winners are announced and awards presented at the Faculty-Staff Recognition Awards ceremony at the end of the spring semester.

Faculty members may be nominated by students, other faculty members, administrators, staff, or alumni for the awards. Nominations are generally open beginning in the end of November and continue until the end of January.  Nominations must be submitted online. Nominations must also include a written explanation. The event is publicized both before and during the nomination period in the following ways: information emailed to all faculty (which faculty are asked to read in classes), information emailed to all staff and students, posted on Blackboard and posted on Southeastern’s home page.

Once nominations close, faculty members that have been nominated are sent an email notifying them that they have been nominated for a Faculty Senate award. They are also told that they may send in an electronic one-page letter of support describing why they think they are deserving of the award. If anyone is nominated in more than one category they will receive multiple notification emails so that they may respond addressing each category separately. Nominated faculty are generally given two weeks to respond. After response letters are received, all of the information is put onto a website for the official voting procedure.  Early March fulltime faculty are given a website address to vote. The website has a list of each faculty member in their school nominated in each category, all of the nomination letters, and all of the letters of support. Librarians would be in competition for the service and research awards.  Since librarians don’t belong to a particular school, librarian nominees would be added to the college with the least nominees for service for the school vote.  The faculty use this information to vote 1st and 2nd choice for each category and may only vote one time. The voting process takes approximately 1-1/2 weeks.

The results are tabulated by the computer.  For the Adjunct of the Year Award, the top candidates based on numbers of nominations will be voted upon by Faculty Senate by another website vote.  The Planning Committee narrows the nominee pool for Teaching.  The top nominees (about 5) are selected by the number of votes received during the voting.

In late March the faculty from each school vote on the top nominees for Teaching for their school.  Faculty vote for 1st and 2nd choice for each category.  Awardees are determined by the highest number of 1st choice votes.  (Exception: alternative awardee is determined by second highest number of 1st choice received if the original awardee is the recipient of the Professor of the Year).  Ties will be broken by the number of 2ndchoice votes.

The Planning Committee determines the nominees for Professor of the Year.  The faculty are eligible if they have been nominated in all three individual categories for their school and have at least one vote in each individual category (Teaching, Scholarship and Service).  One nominee may be selected each of the four schools: JMSB, EBS, A&S (Arts & Letters), A&S (Science &Technology).  Nominees are determined by the highest overall total number of votes in all three categories voted by the faculty from each school.  Ties are broken using the number of faculty at large votes.  In early April the Faculty Senate will then vote for 1st and 2nd choice from the nominees by website.  The awardee is determined by the highest number of 1st choice votes.  Ties are broken using the number of 2nd choice votes.  The awardee for the Professor of the Year becomes ineligible for any individual award

In early February a solicitation for nominations for Lifetime Achievement will be emailed to faculty at large.  The nominee for Lifetime Achievement must have a minimum of 25 years of service to Southeastern, including a minimum of 10 years of tenured service and has not previously been a recipient of the award.  Faculty members nominated for Lifetime Achievement Award must submit a curriculum vitae that clearly documents long-term impact on learning of students, long-term service for the institution community and long-term success of scholarship and professional achievement.  In addition the nominee must provide two supporting letters (one from a faculty colleague and one from an administrator or department chair).  The nominee may submit supplemental documentation if appropriate.  Examples may include, but are not limited to teaching portfolio, creative designs/portfolio, creative teaching material, and copies of publications, including books.  Senators will vote by secret ballot in early April for the Lifetime Achievement Award.  The awardee is determined by the highest number of votes received during voting by the Faculty Senate.  Ties will be broken by a secret ballot of the 7-member Faculty Senate Executive Committee.  Because of the requirements for the award, it may not be awarded every year.

The official names of the awards are:

  • Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Excellence in Teaching
  • Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Outstanding Research and Scholarly Activity
  • Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Meritorious Service to the University and/or Profession
  • Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Lifetime Achievement
  • Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Professor of the Year
  • Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Adjunct Professor of the Year
2023-2024 Award Winners Open Close

2023-2024 Awards PDF

Faculty Senate Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award: Riley Coker

Professor of the Year: Dr. Margaret Cotter-Lynch

Adjunct Prof of the Year: Dr. Alan Bryant

John Massey School of Business

Teaching Excellence: Dr. Mellena Nichols

Scholarship: Dr. Arthur Tran

Outstanding Service: Dr. Eric Kennedy

School of Arts & Sciences: Arts & Letters

Teaching Excellence: Dr. Ian Gerg

Scholarship: Dr. Kyle Lincoln

Service: Dr. Sondra Petty

School of Arts & Sciences: Math & Sciences

Teaching Excellence: Dr. Dena Rymel

Scholarship: Dr. Timothy Patton

Service: No Awardee

School of Education & Behavioral Sciences

Teaching Excellence: Dr. Chaehyn Lee

Scholarship: Dr. Mila Zhu

Service: Dr. Michael Davis

2022-2023 Award Winners Open Close

2021-2023 Awards PDF

Faculty Senate Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award: Christopher Moretti

Professor of the Year: Douglas Wood

Adjunct Prof of the Year: Alisha Ridenour

John Massey School of Business

Teaching Excellence: Eric Kennedy

Scholarship: David Whitlock

Outstanding Service: Kitty Campbell

School of Arts & Sciences: Math & Sciences

Teaching Excellence: Jory Wade

Scholarship: Nancy Paiva

Service: Karl Frinkle

School of Arts & Sciences: Arts & Letters

Teaching Excellence: Matthew Sparacio

Scholarship: Kyle Lincoln

Service: Jeri Walker

School of Education & Behavioral Sciences

Teaching Excellence: Mila Zhu

Scholarship: Michael Davis

Service: Katheryn Shannon

2021-2022 Award Winners Open Close

2021-2022 Awards PDF

Faculty Senate Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award – Dr. Glenn Melancon

Professor of the Year – Dr. Amy Madewell

Adjunct Professor of the Year – Shawn Ridenour

School of Arts & Sciences

Dr. Jennifer Lodine-Chaffey – Outstanding Research and Scholarship

Riley Coker – Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Doug Wood – Meritorious Service

Jory Wade – Excellence in Teaching

Matthew Sparacio – Meritorious Service

Dr. Jake Pruett – Outstanding Research and Scholarship

John Massey School of Business

Dr. Kitty Campbell – Meritorious Service

Dr. David Whitlock – Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Lawrence Silver – Outstanding Research and Scholarship

School of Education & Behavioral Sciences

Dr. Kathy McDonald – Meritorious Service

Dr. Chaehyun Lee – Outstanding Research and Scholarship

Dr. Katheryn Shannon – Excellence in Teaching

Southeastern honors outstanding faculty and staff members, April 19, 2022

2020-2021 Award Recipients Open Close

2020-2021 Awards

Teaching:

Alex Spahn (Math & Science)

Jack Ousey (Arts &Letters)

Stephanie Metts (JMSB)

Maribeth Nottingham (EBS)

Service:

Ming Su (Math & Science)

Dell McClain (Arts & Letters)

Rhonda Richards (JMSB)

Kathy McDonald (EBS)

Scholarship:

Jake Pruett (Math & Science)

Tara Hembrough (Arts & Letters)

Robert Stevens (JMSB)

Professor of the Year:  Riley Coker

Adjunct Professor of the Year: Alisha Ridenour

Lifetime Achievement: Brooks Flippen

2019-2020 Award Recipients Open Close

2019-2020 Awards PDF

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Excellence in Teaching

  • Alex Spahn – Arts & Sciences (A & S):  Math, Sciences and Safety
  • Jack Ousey – A & S:  Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Kate Shannon – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Cody Bogard – John Massey School of Business

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Outstanding Research and Scholarly Activity

  • Dr. Jonathan Zhang – A & S:  Math, Science and Safety
  • Dr. Randy Clark – A & S:  Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Kathy Boothe – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Dr. Martin Bressler – John Massey School of Business

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Meritorious Service to the University and/or Profession

  • Dr. Karl Frinkle – A & S:  Math, Sciences and Safety
  • Dr. Michael Scheuerman – A & S:  Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Barbara McClanahan – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Dr. Kitty Campbell – John Massey School of Business

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Lifetime Achievement

  • Dr. Bryon Clark, Interim President, formerly Vice President for Academic Affairs, Professor of Biological Sciences

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Adjunct Professor of the Year

  • Alisha Ridenour

Professor of the Year

  • Riley Coker, Art, Communication & Theatre

SE News Release

2018-2019 Award Recipients Open Close

2018-2019 Awards PDF

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Excellence in Teaching

  • Dr. Tim Smith – Arts & Sciences (A & S):  Math, Sciences and Safety
  • Carolyn Fridley – A & S:  Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Kay Daigle – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Dr. Rhonda Richards – John Massey School of Business

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Outstanding Research and Scholarly Activity

  • Dr. Nancy Paiva – A & S:  Math, Science and Safety
  • Dr. Joshua Nannestad – A & S:  Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Stewart Mayers – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Dr. Lucinda Parmer – John Massey School of Business

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Meritorious Service to the University and/or Profession

  • Sandra Thomas – A & S:  Math, Sciences and Safety
  • Carolyn Fridley – A & S:  Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Jerry Stout – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Dr. Courtney Kernek – John Massey School of Business

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Lifetime Achievement

  • Dr. Jon Reid, Professor of Counseling, Clinical Mental Health

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Adjunct Professor of the Year

  • Alisha Ridenour

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Professor of the Year

  • Dr. Tim Patton, Professor of Biological Sciences
2017-2018 Award Recipients Open Close

2017-2018 Awards PDF

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Excellence in Teaching

  • Dr. Loide Wasmund – Arts & Sciences (A & S):  Math, Sciences and Safety
  • Dr. Joshua Nannestad – A & S:  Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Laura Atchley – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Dr. Kitty Campbell – John Massey School of Business

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Outstanding Research and Scholarly Activity

  • Dr. Doug Wood – A & S:  Math, Science and Safety
  • Dr. Tara Hembrough – A & S:  Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Stewart Mayers – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Dr. Martin Bressler – John Massey School of Business

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Meritorious Service to the University and/or Profession

  • Dr. Teresa Golden – A & S:  Math, Sciences and Safety
  • Dr. Meg Cotter-Lynch – A & S:  Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Kay Daigle – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Dr. Kitty Campbell – John Massey School of Business

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Lifetime Achievement

  • Dr. Kitty Campbell, Professor and Chair of Management & Marketing

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Adjunct Professor of the Year

  • Ms. Cherrie Wilmoth, Kinesiology

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Librarian of the Year

  • Mr. Brandon Burnette

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Professor of the Year (not awarded)

2016-2017 Award Recipients Open Close

2016-2017 Awards PDF

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Excellence in Teaching

  • Dr. Tim Smith – Arts & Sciences (A&S): Math, Sciences and Safety
  • Ms. Riley Coker – A&S: Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Susan Morrison – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Stephanie Metts – John Massey School of Business

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Outstanding Research and Scholarly Activity

  • Dr. Erica Corbett – A&S: Math,Science and Safety
  • Dr. Brooks Flippen – A&S: Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Amy Madewell – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Dr. Ying Lin – John Massey School of Business

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Meritorious Service to the University and/or Profession

  • Dr. Tim Smith – A&S: Math,Sciences and Safety
  • Dr. Jeremy Blackwood – A&S: Arts and Letters
  • Dr. Amy Madewell – Education & Behavioral Sciences
  • Dr. Kitty Campbell – John Massey School of Business  –

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Professor of the Year

  • Dr. Meg Cotter-Lynch –Professor of English, Director of Honors Program

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Lifetime Achievement

  • Dr. Randy Prus, Professor of English, Chair of English, Humanities & Languages

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Adjunct Professor of the Year

  • Ms. Carolyn Fridley

Faculty Senate Recognition Award for Librarian of the Year

  • Ms. Sandra Thomas
2015-2016 Award Recipients Open Close

2015-2016 Awards PDF

Outstanding Scholarship/Research Award

  • Dr. Randy Prus–School of Arts & Sciences (Arts)
  • Dr. Karl Frinkle–School of Arts & Sciences (Sciences)
  • Dr. Martin Bressler–John Massey School of Business
  • Dr. Blythe Duell–School of Education and Behavioral Sciences

Outstanding Service Award

  • Riley Coker–School of Arts & Sciences (Arts)
  • Dr. Christopher Moretti–School of Arts & Sciences (Sciences)
  • Dr. Martin Bressler–John Massey School of Business
  • Dr. William Fridley–School of Education and Behavioral Sciences

Outstanding Teaching Award

  • Dr. Alistair Maeer–School of Arts & Sciences (Arts)
  • Dr. Layne Heitz–School of Arts & Sciences (Sciences)
  • Dr. Kitty Campbell–John Massey School of Business
  • Dr. Blythe Duell–School of Education & Behavioral Sciences

Professor of the Year Award

  • Dr. Jeremy Blackwood–Department of Music, School of Arts & Sciences (Arts)

Adjunct of the Year Award

  • Carolyn Fridley–Department of English, Humanities and Languages

Librarian of the Year Award

2014-2015 Awards Recipients Open Close

2014-2015 Awards PDF

Outstanding Scholarship/Research Award

  • Dr. Fendrich (Randy) Clark–School of Arts & Sciences (Arts)
  • Dr. Karl Frinkle–School of Arts & Sciences (Sciences)
  • Dr. Martin Bressler–John Massey School of Business
  • Dr. Blythe Duell–School of Education and Behavioral Sciences

Outstanding Service Award

  • Riley Coker–School of Arts & Sciences (Arts)
  • Dr. Christopher Moretti–School of Arts & Sciences (Sciences)
  • Dr. Martin Bressler–John Massey School of Business
  • Dr. Blythe Duell–School of Education and Behavioral Sciences

Outstanding Teaching Award

  • Riley Coker–School of Arts & Sciences (Arts)
  • Dr. Brett Elliot–School of Arts & Sciences (Sciences)
  • Dr. Kitty Campbell–John Massey School of Business
  • Dr. Charla Hall–School of Education & Behavioral Sciences

Professor of the Year Award

  • Dr. Meg Cotter-Lynch–Department of English, Humanities and Languages

Adjunct of the Year Award

  • Kathy Hendrick

Lifetime Achievement Award

  • Dr. Brett Elliot–Department of Mathematics
2013-2014 and Years' Prior Awards Open Close