Four faculty members appointed to the Academy of Faculty Service
Four Virginia Tech faculty members have been appointed to the university's Academy of Faculty Service.
The Academy of Faculty Services recognizes a faculty member’s exceptional service to the university beyond their usual responsibility. Instructional, research, administrative, and professional faculty members are eligible for inclusion.
The following individuals received new appointments:
- Art Buikema Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences in the College of Science. Buikema has built a strong record of active service throughout his career at Virginia Tech, to a range of university committees and programs, including a number of student programs and activities clearly beyond the scope of responsibilities of his professional role.
- Virginia Fowler, professor of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. Fowler is recognized for a high level of involvement and long-time service on numerous university, college, and department committees and commissions as well as bringing much-needed diversity programming to this service.
- Susanna Rinehart, associate professor and chair of theatre and cinema in the School of Performing Arts within the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. Rinehart is recognized for a very broad range of activities and extensive service contributions at the university level, including to the faculty senate and university council, as a multicultural fellow, and as a campus mediator.
- Diane Zahm, associate professor, program co-chair, and undergraduate coordinator for urban affairs and planning in the School of Public and International Affairs within the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. Zahm is recognized for the length of consistent service to formal governance structures through formal roles in the faculty senate and other university committees and commissions, as well as service in representing the faculty to the Board of Visitors and the University Council.
“In keeping with the high standards for excellence of the Academy of Faculty Service, this year’s appointees have gone above and beyond the requirements of their roles in providing exemplary service to the university and our community,” McNamee said. “This appointment recognizes their outstanding efforts and continues to build positive recognition of the exceptional university service represented in the academy.”
The University Council revived the Academy of Faculty Service in May 2013, following a long period of inactivity. The academy is structured to parallel the Academies of Teaching Excellence and Outreach Excellence, and members are called upon for representative service to university committees.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
2015 Academy of Faculty Service
Provost Mark McNamee appointed four faculty members to the Academy of Faculty Service. Left to right: Art Buikema Jr., Virginia Fowler, Susanna Rinehart, and Diane Zahm.
