University News
2014 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Call for Nominations
February 5, 2013
MACOMB/MOLINE, IL -- The Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Selection Committee is soliciting nominations from Western Illinois University faculty, staff and students for the 2014 prestigious award. Self-nominations are welcome.
The award is open to tenured full professors who have distinguished themselves in all areas of professional life—teaching, scholarly/creative activity and service, but most notably in the area of scholarly/creative activity. The nominee, who must be full time faculty at the time the lecture is presented, should be able to deliver a stimulating presentation on a topic of interest to a general audience. The person selected will deliver the Distinguished Faculty Lecture in Spring 2014, and will be recognized as part of the stage party at the Spring and Fall Commencement ceremonies, Spring and Fall Honors Convocation and the New Student Convocation. The award recipient will present the lecture to the University and surrounding communities at the WIU-Macomb campus and at the WIU-Quad Cities campus.
Send letters of nomination addressing the nominee's qualifications to Lori Baker-Sperry, women's studies, Currens Hall 500, by the Friday, Feb. 22 deadline.
Each nominee will be asked to submit a vita, a one-page narrative summary of the proposed topic and its potential impact to a general audience and letters of support from two references, in addition to the nominator's letter. Supporting letters should address the nominee's scholarly, creative and professional activities, and discuss the nominee's ability to present an effective and interesting lecture to a broad spectrum of the University community. The deadline to submit supporting materials is Friday, March 22; all supporting materials should also be sent to Baker-Sperry (women's studies, Currens Hall 500).
Western has honored outstanding faculty for 43 years with an annual award, first named the Annual Faculty Lecturer and now known as the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer. In 1969, Victor Hicken of the history department presented "Swing of the Pendulum" as the inaugural faculty lecturer. The lecture topics have not only reflected the expertise of the presenter, but also addressed current economic, social and political issues of their time and beyond, including "The World Food and Population Problem" in 1977 by Maurice Myers (deceased), biology; "Toward a Multicultural Partnership in Higher Education" in 1987 by Beatrice Wehrly (counseling); "A Cross-Cultural Perspective on Organized Crime: Promoting the Safety of the World's Citizens" in 1997 by Dilip Das (law enforcement and justice administration); and "In a Global Economy the Marlboro Man Needs a Neighbor: The Enduring Need for Community in the 21st Century," in 2006 by Christopher Merrett (Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs/geography).
Members of the Distinguished Faculty Lecture Committee include: Lori Baker-Sperry, women's studies (chair of committee); Ken Clontz, law enforcement and justice administration; Judi Dallinger, communication; Dennis DeVolder, computer science; Sterling Kernek, emeritus, history; Christopher Merrett, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs/geography; and Michael Romano, biological sciences.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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