SUNY NEW PALTZ FACULTY RECEIVE TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

NEW PALTZ — Two faculty members of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the State University of New York at New Paltz have been selected to receive the 1997- 98 Teacher-of-the-Year Award in recognition of their outstanding performance.

Recipients of the award are Nancy Kassop, a full-time associate professor of political science, and Peri Rainbow, a part-time faculty member teaching in the educational studies and women’s studies programs.

“These are two extraordinary teachers,” said Gerald Benjamin, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “Every year we acknowledge two of our best teachers to demonstrate the commitment that the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has to teaching. Professors Kassop and Rainbow emulate that commitment to teaching,” he added.

Since 1984, Kassop has taught in the political science department at SUNY New Paltz. Among the numerous contributions she was honored for is the annual field trip to Washington, D.C. that she organizes and supervises for Political Science Club students. The visits to the U.S. Capitol include meetings with members of Congress, the Senate Legal Counsel, and officials from the Justice Department. Her students also attend congressional hearings and U. S. Supreme Court arguments. Kassop earned her bachelor of arts in 1971 from the University of Pennsylvania; her master’s (1973) and doctoral degrees (1984) are from New York University.

Since 1991, Rainbow has been teaching undergraduate and graduate courses to students in the educational studies and women’s studies programs at SUNY New Paltz. She also is a clinician and case manager at the Ulster County Mental Health Services office in Kingston. Rainbow was recognized by students and colleagues for her commitment to teaching excellence and a quality in teaching that energizes her students. She earned her bachelor of arts (1984) and master’s degrees (1991) from SUNY New Paltz.

All faculty, other than department chairs, who had taught a minimum of six semesters in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences were eligible for nomination. Award recipients are asked to meet with newly hired faculty and lead a discussion on issues in teaching. They will also make a presentation on teaching as part of the Liberal Arts and Science Colloquium. The names of current and past recipients are displayed on a plaque in the lobby of the Jacobson Faculty Tower.