Board Resolution -1- Month, Day, Year

M E M O R A N D U M November 20, 2019 TO: Members of the Board of Trustees FROM: Kristina M. Johnson, Chancellor SUBJECT: Appointment of Distinguished Teaching Professors Action Requested

The proposed resolution appoints the faculty members listed below to the rank of Distinguished Teaching Professor at the State University of New York campus indicated. Resolution I recommend that the Board of Trustees adopt the following resolution:

Whereas the Board of Trustees has proudly established a historic tradition of acknowledging and honoring extraordinary faculty achievement through appointment to the Distinguished Faculty Rank; and Whereas the appointment to the Distinguished Faculty Rank at the State-operated campuses is both a system-wide distinction and a promotion in rank; and Whereas the SUNY Board of Trustees has the authority to bestow system-wide distinctions; now, therefore, be it Resolved that each faculty member listed below be, and hereby is, promoted to the rank of Distinguished Teaching Professor at the State-operated campus indicated, effective November 20, 2019:

Professor Jill K. Singer, State University of New York College at Buffalo; Professor Margaret J. Tally, State University of New York Empire State College;

Board Resolution -2- November 20, 2019

Professor Michael Jabot, State University of New York College at Fredonia; Professor Harry Howe, State University of New York College at Geneseo; and Professor John Rocco, State University of New York Maritime College.

Background The Distinguished Teaching Professorship recognizes and honors mastery of teaching. For individuals to be recognized as a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor, candidates must have demonstrated consistently superior mastery of teaching; outstanding service to students and commitment to their ongoing intellectual growth, scholarship and professional development; and adherence to rigorous academic standards and requirements. Further, to be eligible for nomination, a faculty member must have attained and held the rank of full professor for five years, have completed at least three years of full-time teaching on the nominating campus, and must have regularly carried a full-time teaching load as defined by the campus at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional level.

The accomplishments of the Distinguished Teaching Professor candidates are set forth below:

Professor Jill K. Singer – Dr. Singer, a professor in the Department of Earth Sciences and Science Education at Buffalo State College, has long believed that opportunities to participate in research during the undergraduate experience were essential to the success of her students. Dr. Singer established and directed Buffalo State’s Office of Undergraduate Research, developed a student research conference, and the Undergraduate Summer Research Program. She undertook a multi-year effort aimed at developing and field-testing a methodology for measuring student learning and related student outcomes for the summer program known as EvaluateUR. This evaluation methodology, developed with input from faculty across disciplines, focuses on 11 student outcomes to better inform program impact and ultimately, refinement. The National Science Foundation (NSF) funded the scaling of EvaluateUR to the national level, modifying it for use in a broad range of undergraduate research experiences. The NSF and United States Environmental Protection Agency support Dr. Singer’s applied sedimentology research program that involves undergraduate research. Dr. Singer has published 100 abstracts, 20 peer-reviewed papers, and several reports. Dr. Singer is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America. She served as a program officer in the Division of Undergraduate Education at the NSF and as President of the Council on Undergraduate Research.

Board Resolution -3- November 20, 2019

Professor Margaret J. Tally – Dr. Tally, a professor in the School for Graduate Studies and a faculty member at Empire State College (ESC), has received several major awards, including a 2018 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching and a 2002 Empire State College Susan H. Turben Award for Excellence in scholarship, the college’s highest scholarship award. Dr. Tally’s work with ESC’s Corporate College partnership with Verizon employees helps first-generation college students succeed in higher education. Many of the program’s graduates have advanced to graduate school or to higher-level management positions. Dr. Tally brought state and national awareness to the pedagogy of teaching with special populations of inner-city working adult students. Dr. Tally has written or edited four books, contributed chapters to 18 additional books, published a refereed journal article, and made over 30 presentations at national and international conferences. She’s also led new program development, served extensively in college governance, and assumed many faculty leadership roles.

Professor Michael Jabot – Dr. Jabot, a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at SUNY Fredonia, has made outstanding contributions in teaching, research, and service. Dr. Jabot’s caring and engaging classroom environment has fostered valuable relationships and mentorships with students, who consistently report that his passion for science education is infectious. His leadership in helping to integrate science programs into Fredonia’s School of Education was highly regarded by his colleagues. He has worked tirelessly to provide science professional development for the state’s elementary and middle school teachers, work consistently supported by coveted competitive funds from the Title II B – Mathematics and Science Partnerships (MSP) program. He has served on the statewide science steering committee and on the science learning standards development committee, where he played an instrumental role. He is a Subject Area Representative for the Science Teachers Association of New York State; an Elementary, Intermediate Level and Physics Science Assessment Liaison for the New York State Department of Education; and an Executive Board member for the New York State Chapter of the American Association of Physics Teachers. Dr. Jabot’s regional and national contributions to science education are reflected in his superb research output of over 50 scholarly publications, more than a dozen grants, numerous presentations at professional conferences and awards. He has served on advisory committees, centers, councils, conservancies, foundations, institutes, and working groups. Professor Harry Howe – Dr. Howe, a professor in the School of Business at SUNY Geneseo, creates a highly interactive classroom setting where students develop essential proficiencies for their future profession. His student-centered pedagogical approach, constant improvement of student outcomes, and extensive student support and mentorship have fostered beneficial relationships with alumni, who support students through guest lectures, networking events, and internships. As an engaged scholar, he has authored several books, textbooks, book chapters, and over a dozen

Board Resolution -4- November 20, 2019

journal articles as well as given American Accounting Association presentations on teaching methods. Dr. Howe serves as a paradigmatic representation of the transformative nature of the Liberal Arts. In 2011, Dr. Howe was inducted into the Northeast Region American Accounting Association Hall of Fame, and in 2017, he received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Professor John Rocco – Dr. Rocco, a professor in the Department of Humanities at SUNY Maritime College, has been a transformative pedagogical force, elevating faculty practice and helping to advance the College’s strategic plan. He received the 2006 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the 2018 SUNY Maritime Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Dr. Rocco is the recipient of two Innovative Instruction Technology Grants (IITG) to build a Digital Scholarship (DS) Lab in the Stephen B. Luce Library and to create DS Teaching Cohorts across disciplines. As Faculty Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and Director of the Digital Scholarship Center at Maritime College, Dr. Rocco built the Maritime and Naval Studies (MNST) Master’s program as well as sponsored digital scholarship and assessment workshops. As Coordinator of MNST, he has mentored and advised every student, tripled the program size, and developed a Deck License program that allows students to attain Coast Guard certification.

A copy of the nominating letter from the campus president is attached.

The complete dossier is available in the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor.

Attachments