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For a number of years before her death in 1997, sociology professor Rozanne M. Brooks set aside funds to help establish a special annual award to be presented to a SUNY Cortland professor. Now presented annually, the Rozanne M. Brooks Dedicated Teacher’s Award is seeking nominations to recognize an individual who is an outstanding teacher in the classroom, who spends considerable time with students and is exceptionally student oriented.

The Rozanne M. Brooks Dedicated Teacher’s Award Committee calls for nominations by Tuesday, Oct. 16. The criteria, process, deadlines and call for nominations are available online. Scroll down to “Rozanne M. Brooks Teaching Award” and click on nomination form. Nominations must be submitted by 3 p.m. via email to Scholarship Coordinator Beth Langhans.

The Brooks Award recognizes a faculty member who devotes a major portion of his or her time to teaching as well as a significant amount of time with students outside the classroom. Involvement in campus life, such as attendance at cultural events, lectures, athletic events and committee work, enhances the candidate’s application. Publication and research are not an emphasis of the award. The award recipient will receive $5,000 to enhance his or her teaching.

The Brooks Award is open to teaching faculty members who possess continuing appointment and have been employed at SUNY Cortland for a minimum of five years. Candidates must be teaching a full-time course load as defined by their department for the fall and spring semesters. Nominators should pay particular attention to this requirement.

“Those individuals who are really dedicated teachers, who spend lots of hours in their office talking to kids, who go to all the events on campus, who do the committee work, who are really a force on the faculty and within the academic community, are the people not rewarded enough,” wrote Brooks. “It is my intention with this fund to do something about that.”

With the exception of publication, the committee will use the same criteria used to identify nominees for the Distinguished Teaching Award and the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Nominees will be expected to provide the committee with a variety of materials in support of their nomination. 

Committee members will visit candidates’ classes unannounced during the fall and spring semesters to observe and evaluate them in a number of different teaching situations. 

The Brooks Teaching Award Committee will consider the names of individuals suggested by faculty or professional staff. Faculty and staff may nominate only one person.

Self-recommendations will not be accepted. Faculty may win the award one time only. Those nominated but not winning the award must wait three years before being nominated again.

Brooks, a SUNY distinguished teaching professor and founding chair of the Sociology Department, was a dynamic force on the SUNY Cortland campus for many years.

Members of the committee include Kathryn Kramer, associate professor of art and art history, and Kathleen Lawrence, associate professor of communication studies. A third committee member will be appointed soon.

For more information, contact Langhans at (607) 753-2373.