Lindback winners to advise on teaching

After recipients of the University's most prestigious teaching prize -- the Lindback Award -- get their certificates and cash prizes, they have little else to do for the program except vote on future winners. But Provost Michael Aiken wants to change that, involving the winners in improving teaching on campus. The provost set up a committee this semester to vitalize the Lindback Society, a currently dormant association of the approximately 160 Lindback winners still on campus. Aiken said last month that the society, which committee members hope to make active by the end of the semester, will advise him on teaching issues. "[The Lindback winners] are one of our best resources in suggesting ways to improve teaching," the provost said. "It will be used as a group to recommend ways how teaching can be further enhanced and supported." Electrical Engineering Professor and Lindback winner Sohrab Rabii, who is chairing the committee, said yesterday his group is determining the society's set-up, character and constitution. Rabii praised the provost for his efforts to re-energize the group. "This shows a commitment from our administration to the quality of teaching," he said. "After all, the major activity of this University is teaching." Rabii said several Lindback winners are excited that the society will become active. He added that he feels it will be a success because the members "have already won the Lindback, which shows they are already committed." The electrical engineering professor said that his committee, which meets for the second time today, hopes to establish the society's structure by the end of the semester. The Christian and Mary Lindback Award for distinguished teaching is awarded annually to five faculty members in health-related areas and five in non-health related disciplines.

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