1983 Presidential Distinguished Professors residential Distinguished Professor awards were recently given to four faculty members at WSC. Recipients of the $3,000 awards were Dr. LaVon B. Carroll, English; Dr. Ruth C. Gardner, Elementary Education; Ann H. Hackleman, Allied Health Sciences; and Dr. C. Thomas Musgrave, Psychology. For the fourth year, President Rodney H. Brady has singled out faculty members who are examples of excellence in the teaching profession. : Brady said these awards are given in keeping with one of the major goals of WSC, “to become widely known as a college at which every member of the faculty is clearly recognized as being a master teacher or is in the process of becoming a master teacher." This year 34 faculty members were nominated by their students and peers for the award. After an exhaustive evaluation of their _ credentials, personal visits by the President to the classes of the ten finalists, followed by interviews with students, the selections were made. “Though in my judgment many of the professors nominated deserve to be honored for their quality teaching and contributions to the college, after much soul searching I concluded that the above four should be honored this year,” Brady said. Former recipients of the award include: (1980) Drs. Spencer L. Seager and Daniel T. Gallego; (1981) Drs. Gordon T. Allred, Ruth D. Brown, Richard W. Sadler and Benne D. Williams; and (1982) Drs. Richard M. Alston, W. Lee Dickson, Oren E. Moffett and Jean B. White. Business gets new dean Simkins said he feels the school is now in a position to seek accreditation by the AACSB. "This is a national accrediting agency which is above and beyond the regional accreditation of Northwestern," Simkins said. New building... New dean... other changes forseen Accreditation will have major impact on the Win the goal of receiving accreditation by the American Assn. of Collegiate Schools of Business, and hoping for a master’s degree program in accounting at WSC, Dr. Allen F. Simkins takes over as dean of the School of Business and Economics. Simkins will replace Dr. Sterling R. Sessions, who has served as dean of the school for the past nine years. Simkins will begin his new duties July 1. He has been the associate curriculum He explained further, “This ac- building,” Smith said, referring to creditation will have a major impact on the school's curriculum and it will also make our students more employable, more transferable and give them a better route to prestigious graduate schools.” Simkins quickly added that “although we now have a phenomenal record, it will improve aie CG) Ss Simkins : It was his personal fund-raising efforts that convinced the Legislature to give the go-ahead for the construction of the new the new School of Business and with AACSB accreditation.” Simkins said other changes which are anticipated in the coming years Dr. Robert B. Smith, credits Sessions with great achievements dur- Economics building to be completed before fall quarter this year. "He also raised the quality of the faculty for the school,” Smith continued, “and relentlessly recruited first rate faculty to build up its im- ing his administration of the school. block scheduling and afternoon age and credibility.” classes. dean under Sessions since 1981. Sessions steps down from:his post as dean to return to classroom teaching. Academic Vice President, Page 6 are experimenting with larger classes of up to 100 students in some of the lower division courses, New building should bring cohesiveness "I also anticipate that the move into the new building this fall will bring about a cohesiveness in the faculty that we haven't had in the past because we have been dispursed all across campus in different teaching locations," Simpson continued. He said the new buildings will also house two times as many instructional computer labs with terminals and microcomputers for students and faculty as they have | : % had before. is Before coming to WSC in 1976as chairman of the accounting department, Simkins taught at Arizona State while earning a doctorate degree in business administration; obtained a master's degree at Brigham Young University on a fellowship and assistantship; and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Utah State University as valedictorian of the College of Business. He is a certified public accountant. Dr