Penny Freel

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has named Penny Freel ’95g (English Literature) Teacher of the Year for 2013-2014.

Hired as a full-time lecturer in 2006, Freel has taught numerous sections of ESL/SWW Composition 1 and 2; she also teaches courses in literature.

Prior to coming to New Paltz, Freel taught at the University of the Sacred Heart, an all female Catholic college in Tokyo, Japan (1995-2003). Professor Freel was hired as a “native English speaker” and taught everything from Composition to Film Studies to Public Speaking.

Freel has presented papers at the Annual Convention on College Composition and Communication; the SUNY Council on Writing; and the Council on Basic Writing. She is a regular participant in the SUNY New Paltz Composition Program Retreat. Her published articles on composition pedagogy have appeared in print or online in the Journal of Basic Writing and Basic Writing E Journal.

In honor of her achievement, Freel’s name will be added to the Teacher of the Year plaque located in the Jacobson Faculty Tower lobby on the campus. She will also receive $1,000 to be used for professional development, and will present a talk or lead a workshop on pedagogy for interested faculty in the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Freel received a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Marist College in 1992 and a master’s degree in English Literature from SUNY New Paltz in 1995.

Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program Coordinator Kathleen Dowley and Secretary Cookie Chandler

English Department Chair Nancy Johnson with Secretary Ethel Wesdorp

Black Studies Department Chair Major Coleman with Secretary Doris Butterfield

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences honored the outstanding dedication and service of its secretaries at its annual Secretary Recognition Reception, held May 8 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at The Terrace.

Honorees included Nancy Riley and Jannette Carcich (Dean’s Office), Cookie Chandler (Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies), Margaret Betaudier (Sociology), Jane Lehman (Psychology), Myriam Long (Geography), Meredith Van Etten (Languages, Literatures and Cultures; Latin American Studies), Ethel Wesdorp (English), Pat Stewart (Economics, Political Science and International Relations), Deanna Lorenzo (Communication and Media), Sandra Schoonmaker (Communication Disorders), Doris Butterfield (Black Studies), Laura Tozzi (Philosophy, History, Asian Studies) and Susan Buckbee (Anthropology, Psychology).

LA&S chairs, coordinators and directors delivered heartfelt remarks on the special qualities and skills of the secretaries, who were frequently described as the hearts and souls of their departments and programs.

Stewart and Tozzi, who are retiring this summer after many years of devoted service, received special praise and heartfelt farewells from their colleagues. Economics Chair Hamid Azari-Rad described Stewart as “a calm presence” and “very professional and effective.” History Chair Andy Evans called Tozzi “uber organized” with a “wonderful sense of humor.” All the secretaries received potted Gerber daisies as gifts at the end of the reception.

The secretaries presented Interim Dean Stella Deen with a potted plant and card, and thanked her for her service to LA&S over the past year.

Laura Barrett

Provost Philip Mauceri has announced the appointment of Laura Barrett as the College’s new dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Barrett is currently the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and a professor in the English Department at Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) in Savannah, Ga. Her appointment is effective August 1.

Barrett brings broad experience in interdisciplinary studies, curriculum development, teaching, and research to New Paltz. Prior to her tenure at AASU, she served as the chair of fine arts, humanities, and social sciences at Wilkes Honors College, a branch of Florida Atlantic University. There, she worked with colleagues to create curriculum, centered on interdisciplinary efforts, worked on the development of the writing program, and developed majors and minors, mentored junior colleagues, sponsored student organizations, and served on various standing committees. She also served as assistant/associate director of the Honors Program at the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University, where she developed and taught interdisciplinary classes, interviewed and selected Honors students, counseled undergraduate students, coordinated special events and co-directed an annual campus conference, and served as an adjunct professor.

Laura holds a Ph.D. in English from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, a master’s degree in English literature from Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in English, summa cum laude, from Long Island University (LIU), Brooklyn Campus.

“I am confident that Laura’s impressive combination of notable faculty and administrative achievements will continue to advance the exceptional work already being done by our talented students and faculty in the liberal arts,” said Mauceri.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce support for faculty development and teaching of interdisciplinary and team-taught courses.  To encourage collaborative teaching across the disciplines, LA&S will award two stipends of $2,500 each to two faculty members who will develop an interdisciplinary course in summer 2014 that they will team teach in spring 2015.  It is expected that the course would count for three credits in each of the team teachers’ load for that semester.

Two $300 stipends will also be awarded to two faculty members who will support these team teachers and have been chosen by them to enhance the interdisciplinary nature of the class.

This professional development funding is made possible through the generous support of gifts to the LA&S Dean’s Fund.

Guidelines:

• Two full-time faculty members from different departments should present a description of the course, student learning outcomes, and a provisional list of texts or other learning materials.  At least one faculty member should be from LA&S.
• The course description should include a rationale for an interdisciplinary approach to the topic, indicating how an interdisciplinary approach will enhance knowledge of the topic and will serve students’ needs.  Please indicate whether this would be a 200-, 300-, or 400- level course.
• Faculty will be encouraged to adopt appropriate innovative pedagogies or technologies to teach this course, and to make use of institutional resources to support these efforts.
• Proposals for four-credit courses are preferred.

To apply, faculty should submit the following:

In one to two pages:

• A course description, as outlined above
• A brief account of innovative pedagogies or technologies possibly to be adopted

• The two faculty members’ curriculum vitae

Applications should be sent to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, JFT 614.  Deadline for applications is May 7, 2014.  Awards will be announced on May 13, 2014.