A&M System Recognizes TAMIU Faculty with Excellence Awards

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Texas A&M University System awarded $507,000 to outstanding faculty throughout the System in the second presentation of the Teaching Excellence Awards, a voluntary, student-selected honors program launched last fall.

The 144 faculty winners from throughout the 11-member university System will receive checks ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. Ten winners were named at Texas A&M International University.

The recipients represent the top 20 percent of those who participated. The top 5 percent are awarded $5,000 to $10,000. The next 15 percent receive $2,500 to $5,000. Awards are based on rankings from evaluations created and administered by students, with weighting for factors such as class size.
TAMIU winners in the top 5 percent category, by campus were Patricia Gonzalez, College of Arts and Sciences; Patricia Uribe, College of Education and Veronica Juarez, College of Arts and Sciences.

In the top 15 percent category, TAMIU winners were -- College of Education: Ronald Anderson, Carlene Henderson, Diana Linn and Mary Petron. College of Arts and Sciences: Lynda Brown, Lola Norris and Claudia San Miguel.

The program was initiated by Chancellor Michael D. McKinney in 2008 to honor and financially reward the system’s top teachers as selected by students. For the spring 2009 semester, the program expanded to all the campuses in the A&M System. All faculty who teach at least a 3-hour course are eligible.

“The expansion of the program makes it possible for students from all our university campuses to have a voice in rewarding outstanding teachers,” said McKinney. “I’m pleased to see the high level of participation among students and the enthusiasm they share in recognizing teachers who have made a positive impact on them in the classroom.”

The A&M System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $3.04 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, seven state agencies and a comprehensive health science center, the A&M System educates more than 109,000 students and makes more than 15 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. Externally funded research brings in almost $676 million every year and helps drive the state’s economy.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu