Colorado State University Names Five New University Distinguished Teaching Scholars

Five professors, known for innovative teaching and research at Colorado State University, today were announced as new University Distinguished Teaching Scholars at the Celebrate Colorado State! Luncheon.

The new Scholars are Richard Feller, School of Education; Kathleen Kiefer, Department of English; Edward Redente, Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Watershed Stewardship; Wayne Viney, Department of Psychology; and Lawrence Ray Whalen, Department of Biomedical Sciences.

"The exceptional contributions of these new University Distinguished Teaching Scholars reflect the ideals of scholarship, teaching and research typified by faculty members at Colorado State University," said Provost Peter Nicholls. "Their valuable work consistently seeks new possibilities and innovations in teaching – in a wide array of disciplines – to meet the university’s fundamental goal of providing the best possible education to students."

Alan Tucker, vice provost for Faculty Affairs, noted that the designation as a University Distinguished Teaching Scholar remains with the recipient until he or she leaves the university. The Scholars were chosen in an open process that began with the selection of nominees by departments throughout campus.

All Scholars receive a permanent base salary increment of $7,500, and an annual $2,500 operating account from their home colleges for three years to pursue an instructional improvement/innovation project.

Richard Feller, professor of counseling and career development, School of Education

Rich Feller, a Colorado State alumnus with a doctorate in education and human resource studies, is known for his expertise in the classroom, his research and scholarly activity and as a highly sought speaker for organizations throughout the United States.

A colleague noted that Feller is "repeatedly ranked as one of the best professors in the School of Education. Our students benefit greatly from his energy, expertise, honesty and ongoing contributions to the field of career development."

Since the time he began teaching at the university in 1980, Feller has shown his passion in counseling and career development through his innovative Career Development Institutes and through his teamwork with the American Guidance Service to produce the extensive video series, "Tour of Your Tomorrow," which now is used by more than 4,000 schools throughout the world. He has left his mark on counselor education through a nationally funded project, "Counselor Role and Educational Change: Planning, Integration, and Basic Skills." He also served as director of Student Affairs in Higher Education at the university, helping to develop that program into one of the best in the country.

Feller is recipient of QwestDex Excellence in Education Award, the President’s Award from the National Career Development Association and the American Spirit Award from the Association for Career and Technical Education, among many others.

A colleague at Kent State University said, "I believe Dr. Feller represents the epitome of teaching excellence at Colorado State University. (His) national reputation within the career development profession has been an incredible boost to the School of Education…His leadership in the field has helped to shape the profession and influence faculty colleagues and academic programs nationally and internationally."

Kathleen Kiefer, English professor and assistant chair of the Department of English

Kate Kiefer, who began teaching at Colorado State in 1979, has helped establish and shape computers and writing, a field known for its intense focus on teaching and learning. She is internationally known for her groundbreaking teaching practices, software development and scholarly work.

In 1981, Kiefer helped establish one of the first computer-supported writing labs at a university or college, and several years later helped co-found "Computers and Composition: An International Journal for Teachers of Writing," which continues to be a leading journal in the field. She has collaborated with interdepartmental colleagues to develop the Online Writing Center, the world’s largest Web site devoted to teaching and learning writing, and has been involved in other seminal studies and development of computer-supported teaching and learning practices that have affected higher education nationally and internationally.

Kiefer has distinguished herself as an outstanding classroom teacher and an innovative curriculum designer. In a five-year review, the chair of the English department said, "By all evaluative measures, Professor Kiefer is an excellent teacher. Students characterize her as ‘an organizational genius’ with ‘a stunning amount of knowledge’ and a fair and open mind."

A student evaluation noted that Kiefer was "an excellent mentor. Her knowledge and experience were valuable resources. While the entire course content was well grounded in theory and research, it was explored in a practical context."

Kiefer, who received her doctorate from Ohio State University-Columbus, won an Excellence in Teaching Award in 1988, an Alumni Faculty Award in 1985 and was nominated for an Oliver P. Pennock Award for Distinguished Service in 1982.

Edward Redente, professor of rangeland ecosystem science and interim head of the Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Watershed Stewardship

Edward Redente, who received master’s and doctorate degrees in range science from Colorado State in 1974 and 1980, respectively, is an internationally known restoration ecologist and researcher and director of the Center for Ecological Risk Assessment and Management.

In addition to his scholarly service and research, which has resulted in significant grants from private organizations, foundations and government agencies, he is known as an outstanding adviser and teacher who makes student learning a high priority.

In nominating Redente, a former student said, "During my years at CSU, I found Dr. Redente’s teaching style to be the most refreshing of all my professors. He focuses on problem-solving skills and group learning among students…His teaching approach fosters ownership of the learning process among the primary recipients of education, the students."

A colleague at the university noted, "His love of teaching, his care for his students, his professional stature and knowledge, his insistence on doing his best for his students and demanding their (best) in return, all combine to make him one of our outstanding teaching scholars."

Redente, who joined Colorado State as a research associate in 1976, was recognized as an outstanding professor by his department in 1982, 1992, 1994 and 2002. He received the Jack E. Cermak Outstanding Graduate Adviser Award in 1995, and in 2001, he was selected the outstanding undergraduate teacher in the country by the Society for Range Management and Range Education Council.

Wayne Viney, professor of psychology

Wayne Viney’s long and distinguished history of teaching and service to the university began in 1966, when he joined the faculty in the Department of Psychology. Over the course of his career, his scholarly publications, his service to the university and the wider community and his devotion to teaching have combined to provide exceptional educational opportunities for students.

"Dr. Viney is an exemplary example of an individual dedicated to his students, the teaching profession, truth and accuracy, and the ideal of lifelong learning," a former student noted.

Colleagues consider Viney one of the most respected scholars and teachers at the university and note that he is "completely committed to excellence in teaching and advising. Each semester he teaches the history of psychology to more than 80 students and is routinely considered among the university’s most knowledgeable and effective teachers. His lectures are dynamic and engaging."

Viney, who received a doctorate in general-experimental psychology with a minor in history and philosophy of science from the University of Oklahoma-Norman, has served as chairman of the Department of Psychology, associate dean of the College of Natural Sciences and has served on many department, college and university committees.

Lawrence Ray Whalen, professor of biomedical sciences

Since joining the faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in 1982, Ray Whalen has established a scientific research program with strong extramural funding and has developed a career as an influential and creative teacher in the college. His unique gift for using problem-based learning and interactive presentations in working with undergraduate, graduate and professional veterinary medical students has brought him distinction in local, national and international venues.

A vice president at Colorado State noted that Whalen’s Virtual Anatomy CD-ROM and his associated educational approach "have quite literally changed the face of veterinary medical education across the globe."

A former student said, "His enthusiasm for developing new teaching methods overflows into the classroom and makes him an enjoyable and effective lecturer. He succeeds in building a relaxed atmosphere in which he engages students in interactions that captivate the students’ attention."

Whalen, whose doctorate and D.V.M are from the University of California-Davis, received the Innovative Instructional Methodology Award from the college in 2002, the Provost’s N. Preston Davis Award for Instructional Innovation in 2000 and the college’s Norden Distinguished Teacher Award in 1986.

The new Scholars join eight previously named appointees, including Ken Barbarick, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences; James Boyd, Department of Philosophy; Ingrid Burke, Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Watershed Stewardship; Pattie Cowell and Mike Palmquist, Department of English; Bob Richburg, School of Education (retiring in May 2002); Stephen Thompson, Department of Chemistry; and Frank Vattano, Department of Psychology.