Photos by Janet Rogers, Division of Strategic Marketing and Communication
Teaching, research and service – these are the foundations of any university worthy of the name. They are also the most important criteria for UMKC faculty members seeking promotion and tenure.
Once a year, UMKC announces and recognizes those faculty members who have achieved promotion or been granted tenure. On Sept. 11, before a jubilant crowd in the Student Union, 35 successful candidates were welcomed as the newest members to enter these coveted ranks.
Provost Gail Hackett correctly identified promotion and tenure as “a long, challenging process.” But if one managed to complete the sequence of steps, Denis Medeiros, dean of the School of Graduate Studies, determined that being a full professor was “the best job in the world.”
Several presenters remarked on the strict guidelines for meriting P and T (campus shorthand). Student evaluations praised instructors for their subject mastery and teaching styles, a sense of humor and genuine caring. Faculty also must advance their profession through active participation in academic organizations, publications and research. The ways in which they serve their communities also are taken into account.
During the presentations by deans and department directors, listeners laughed and applauded when UMKC’s fungi collection was mentioned, as were one faculty member’s legendary chocolate chip cookies. The newly promoted and tenured faculty basked in good wishes, accepted congratulatory handshakes and hugs, and posed for photos with proud spouses, parents, children and mentors.
“If a community is judged in part by how it nurtures its intellectual and creative life, then our faculty contribute mightily to Kansas City’s good name,” Chancellor Morton said in his closing remarks. The UMKC faculty we recognized today are an enormous resource for students and community members, and they give generously of their time and talents.”
The honorees:
Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Ricky Allman – College of Arts and Sciences, Art and Art History
Erika Bailey – College of Arts and Sciences, Theatre
Carolyn Barber – School of Education, Counseling and Educational Psychology
Kun Cheng – School of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences
Jennifer Frangos – College of Arts and Sciences, English Language and Literature
Jennifer Huberman – College of Arts and Sciences, Sociology
Alexander Idnurm – School of Biological Sciences, Cell Biology and Biophysics
Vandana Kumar – School of Dentistry, Oral Radiology
Shirley Marie McCarther – School of Education, Educational Leadership, Policy and
Foundations
Elizabeth Miller Vonnahme – College of Arts and Sciences, Political Science
Sookhee Oh – College of Arts and Sciences, Sociology
Praveen Rao – School of Computing and Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical
Engineering
Aidan Soder – Conservatory of Music and Dance, Vocal Studies
Theresa Torres – College of Arts and Sciences, Sociology
Marsha Voelker – School of Dentistry, Dental Hygiene
Tenured as Associate Professor
Marc Garcelon – College of Arts and Sciences, Sociology
Promotion to Professor and Promotion to Librarian III
Barry Anderson – College of Arts and Sciences, Art and Art History
Richard Arend – Bloch School of Management, Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Scott Curtis – Promotion to Librarian III, University Libraries, Public Service Division
Sarah Dallas – School of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences
Lindsay W. Davis – College of Arts and Sciences, Theatre
Steven D. Davis – Conservatory of Music and Dance, Instrumental Studies
Simon Friedman – School of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences
Maqual R. Graham – School of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Practice and Administration
Alexander M. Holsinger – College of Arts and Sciences, Criminal Justice and
Criminology
Kristi Holsinger – College of Arts and Sciences, Criminal Justice and Criminology
Daniel Hopkins – College of Arts and Sciences, Geosciences
Johanna E. Nilsson – School of Education, Counseling and Educational Psychology
Kenneth Novak – College of Arts and Sciences, Criminal Justice andand Criminology
Joseph Parisi – Conservatory of Music and Dance, Music Education/Music Therapy,
and Instrumental Studies
Lynda Payne – College of Arts and Sciences, History
Michael Plamann – School of Biological Sciences, Cell Biology and Biophysics
Susan Sanders – Promotion to Librarian III, University Libraries, Health Sciences
Library
Jane Solose – Conservatory of Music and Dance, Keyboard Studies
Ganesh Thiagarajan – School of Computing and Engineering, Civil and Mechanical
Engineering