Prof. Wayne Glausser Receives 2006-07 Exemplary Teaching Award

December 5, 2006

wayne glausser.gif December 5, 2006, Greencastle, Ind. - Wayne E. Glausser, professor of English at DePauw, is the recipient of the Exemplary Teaching Award for 2006-07. Given jointly by the University and the General Board of Higher Education of the United Methodist Church, the Award recognizes faculty members who exemplify excellence in teaching, civility and concern for students and colleagues, commitment to value-centered education, and service to students, the institution and the community.

"May we all aspire to be, each in our own way, what Wayne Glausser exemplifies for us, a teacher dedicated to student learning and to enriching our academic community," noted Neal B. Abraham, executive vice president of DePauw, in announcing the selection to faculty members today. Dr. Abraham also serves as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.

Wayne Glausser earned his A.B. from U.C. Santa Cruz and his M. Phil. and Ph.D. from Yale University. He joined the English department at DePauw in 1980.

Faculty colleagues of Dr. Glausser report deep respect and East College Leaves Spring 06.jpg admiration for his teaching, scholarship and leadership. One in the English department wrote, "His courses are the most inventive, the most substantial and the most intellectual courses taught in the department."

Professor Glausser indicates that he bases his pedagogical efforts on four points. "I decided many years ago to assume that all students who appear in my classes are capable of doing intelligent, sophisticated and intellectual work," he has noted. "My second and third points relate to the twin pillars of my teaching strategy: discussion and writing... although I am convinced that classes heavy in discussion are ultimately much better, the art of discussion is extremely difficult." He adds, "I focus discussion on a question genuinely interesting to me, and I do everything I can to avoid embarrassing a student in discussion. I try to assign as much [writing] as I can bear... I've always tried to blend my teaching with my research, [blending] ideas and questions that I've been thinking about in my own writing."

Students report that his courses are demanding and exciting. "Wayne Glausser is truly outstanding," wrote one. "He is engaging, challenging, stimulating, insightful, supporting and encouraging. He shows tremendous respect for his students, and in turn he receives the utmost respect from his class. We have had wonderful discussions in this seminar. Wayne is a facilitator and co-learner as well as a professor and scholar... Most definitely the highlight of my college career!" Another offered, "Wayne Glausser, simply put, is the most brilliant professor I have had the pleasure of taking a course from." A third weighs in with, "In the classroom, one-on-one, and off hours, Dr. Glausser not only left me with an appreciation of the subject matter but the skills of logic, clarity, and creativity in speech and on paper. The hard work he asked of his students as well as the tireless involvement he demanded of himself enabled me to develop as a writer, thinker and professional."

Glausser's teaching and scholarly accomplishments have previously been recognized by the Outstanding Professor award in 1983-84, the Indiana Professor of the Year Award in 1989, the Edward Minar Award for scholarship in 1999 and a University Professorship for 1999-2003. He is the author of Locke and Blake: A Conversation Across the Eighteenth Century.

Professor Glausser has served DePauw on numerous committees, chairing four of them. He has also served two terms as the chair of the department of English. Read more about him by clicking here.

Previous recipients of the Exemplary Teaching Award are: