Board of visitors approves first-ever promotion of instructors; 2008 promotions, tenure, continued appointments

At their June meeting, Virginia Tech's Board of Visitors approved promotions for 45 instructors to advanced or senior instructor. These are the first promotions approved under the newly created career ladder for teachers dedicated to undergraduate education.

Instructors with more than 10 years of exceptional performance were eligible for promotion to the highest rank of senior instructor. While most instructors teach undergraduates, others are engaged in mentoring newer instructors and graduate assistants, developing new course material, incorporating new technologies in their instruction, supervising internships, overseeing student support services, and advising students or student organizations.

“The candidates’ personal statements reflected a deep commitment to undergraduate education and continuous improvement of their own teaching,” said Associate Provost Patricia Hyer. “Virginia Tech is so fortunate to have such a dedicated and talented corps of instructors who truly engage students in learning. We want to acknowledge their dedication and hard work, and communicate that is valued by the university.”

Instructors prepared dossiers of their accomplishments, very much like their counterparts on the tenure track, and these were reviewed by departmental and college committees. Promotion recommendations were approved by Provost Mark McNamee.

The promotions, tenure, and continued appointments that were approved at the meeting are as follows:

Promotion to associate professor with tenure, collegiate faculty: 

• Eva Brumberger, English; 
• Brenda Davy, human nutrition, foods, and exercise; 
• Casey Dawkins, School of Public and International Affairs; 
• Michael Garvin, civil and environmental engineering; 
• Serkan Gugercin, mathematics;
• Saul Halfon, science and technology in society; 
• Celia Hayhoe, apparel, housing, and resource management; 
• Tabitha James, business information technology; 
• Brett Jones, learning sciences and technology, School of Education; 
• Gerard Lawson, educational leadership and policy studies, School of Education; 
• Steven Lawson, forestry; 
• Chang-Tien Lu, computer science; 
• Linsey Marr, civil and environmental engineering; 
• Heike Mayer, School of Public and International Affairs; 
• Margarita McGrath, School of Architecture + Design; 
• Gary Pickrell, materials science and engineering; 
• Corina Sandu, mechanical engineering; 
• Elena Serrano, human nutrition, foods, and exercise; 
• Ioannis Stivachtis, political science; 
• Peter Wapperom, mathematics; 
• Joseph Wheeler, School of Architecture + Design; 
• Robert Williams, food science and technology; and
• Christopher Wyatt, electrical and computer engineering.

Tenure at the currently held rank of associate professor, collegiate faculty: 

• Kirk Cameron, computer science; 
• Eric de Sturler, mathematics;
• Mark Hanigan, dairy science; 
• Deborah Tatar, computer science; 
• Fred Wang, electrical and computer engineering; 
• Linbing Wang, civil and environmental engineering; and
• Edward Wolfe, educational leadership and policy studies, School of Education.

Promotion to professor, collegiate faculty: 

• France Bélanger, accounting and information systems; 
• Virginia Buechner-Maxwell, large animal clinical sciences;
• Truman Capone, School of Visual Arts; 
• Katherine Cennamo, learning sciences and technology, School of Education; 
• Richey Davis, chemical engineering; 
• François Elvinger, large animal clinical sciences; 
• Allen Harper, animal and poultry sciences; 
• J. Roger Harris, horticulture; 
• John Morris, chemistry; 
• Sean O’Keefe, food science and technology; 
• Susan Piedmont-Palladino, School of Architecture + Design; 
• David Popham, biological sciences; 
• Narendran Ramakrishnan, computer science; 
• Clifford Shaffer, computer science; 
• Kurt Stephenson, agricultural and applied economics; 
• Zhijian Tu, biochemistry; 
• Danesh Tafti, mechanical engineering; 
• Antonio Trani, civil and environmental engineering; 
• Randolph Wynne, forestry; and
• Shuhai Xiao, geosciences.

Promotion to associate professor in the non-tenure track or clinical sciences: 

• Lee Cooper, psychology; and 
• Marlene Preston, communication.

Promotion to advanced instructor, collegiate faculty: 

• Robin Allnutt, English; 
• Michael Bliss, English; 
• Jackson Evans, biological sciences; 
• Alison Galway, human development; 
• Kurt Hoffman, psychology;
• Jennifer Lawrence, English; 
• Margaret McQuain, mathematics;
• Karl Precoda, interdisciplinary studies; 
• Linda Skinner, English;
• Emily Stallings, communication; and
• Joan Watson, interdisciplinary studies.

Promotion to senior instructor, collegiate faculty: 

• Diane Agud, mathematics; 
• Susan Anderson, mathematics; 
• Mark Armstrong, English; 
• Gertrude Becker, interdisciplinary studies; 
• Elisabeth Bloomer, English; 
• Terri Bourdon, mathematics; 
• John Boyer, geography; 
• Elizabeth Calvera, foreign languages and literatures; 
• Robert Canter, English; 
• Kathryn Graham, English; 
• Susan Hagedorn, English; 
• Susan Hagen, mathematics; 
• JoAnn Harvill, English; 
• Steve Kark, English; 
• Alice Kinder, English; 
• Abigail Kohler, mathematics; 
• Jean Lacoste, accounting and information systems; 
• Mary Lipscomb, biological sciences; 
• David McKee, music;
• Jennifer Mooney, English; 
• Stephen Mooney, English; 
• Mary Moore, English; 
• Aileen Murphy, English; 
• Carol Papillon, human nutrition, foods, and exercise; 
• Linda Powers, mathematics; 
• Suzanne Reisinger, English; 
• Janene Roberts, interdisciplinary studies; 
• Cheryl Ruggiero, English; 
• Geraldine Saffle, English; 
• Eileen Shugart, mathematics; and 
• Michael Smith, English; 
• Catherine Stephens, mathematics;
• Mary Ellen Verdu, human development; and
• Gyorgyi Voros, English.

Promotion to assistant professor, extra-collegiate faculty: 

• Paul Hover, University Libraries.

Promotion to associate professor with continued appointment, extra-collegiate faculty: 

• Gordon Groover, agriculture and applied economics, Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Continued appointment at the currently held rank of assistant professor, extra-collegiate faculty: 

• Mary Finn, technical services, University Libraries.

Promotion to senior Extension agent, extra-collegiate faculty: 

• Regina Prunty, King George Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Promotion to Extension agent, extra-collegiate faculty: 

• Therese Abston, Nottoway Virginia Cooperative Extension; 
• Heather Greenwood, Arlington Virginia Cooperative Extension; 
• Christine Hodges, Bath Virginia Cooperative Extension; 
• Brian Jones, Augusta Virginia Cooperative Extension; 
• Gina Kindred, Petersburg Virginia Cooperative Extension; and 
• Paige Thacker, Prince William Virginia Cooperative Extension.