Rogers appointed faculty advisor to provost

By Barbara Pitoniak, News Office staff

Richard Rogers (Stan Sherer photo)

ichard Rogers, professor of Resource Economics, has been appointed faculty advisor to the provost for undergraduate education, effective Jan. 27. Charlena Seymour, senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and provost, made the announcement.

     The faculty advisor to the provost for undergraduate education works closely with the provost and her staff, deans and department heads, and Student Affairs staff to implement programs and policies to strengthen undergraduate education on campus.

     "As always, the campus is committed to providing a quality educational experience to our undergraduate students," Seymour said. "One immediate priority is to establish a computerized tracking system that assists students in meeting degree requirements. Professor Rogers has the outstanding credentials, experience, and the talent to get this job and everything else done in the best way possible."

     His appointment is effective for two years.

     Rogers joined the Resource Economics faculty in 1984. He is currently a faculty associate to the Center For Teaching. He received a 1994-95 University Distinguished Teaching Award, and in 1990, was the first recipient of the annual Outstanding Teacher Award presented by the College of Food and Natural Resources. In 1989-90, Rogers was a Lilly Teaching Fellow, and he served as a mentor to the Lilly Teaching Fellows program in 1994-95 and 1997-98. In 1998-99, he was named a TEACHnology Fellow. Rogers is presently a member of a group of faculty participating in the Large-Lecture Course Redesign Project, an effort funded by the Davis Educational Foundation to improve teaching and learning in large lecture courses.

     "I'm delighted to be named to this position," Rogers said. "Since arriving at UMass, I have been committed to providing quality undergraduate education and to conducting research that enhances my professional standing as well as our collective reputation.
"As our new chancellor is fond of saying, 'Teaching and research lie at the heart of the academic imperative.' I'm pleased that the creation of this position at UMass Amherst reinforces the symmetric importance of both teaching and research."

     Rogers received a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of California-Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.