SUNY Plattsburgh Honors Adjunct Faculty Members with Excellence Award

Related Media

Timothy Morningstar

• Sheri Dumont

Two faculty members, one in art and one in music, have just been named recipients of the 2008-2009 Teaching Excellence Award for Adjunct Faculty from SUNY Plattsburgh.

Sheri Dumont and Timothy Morningstar were selected to receive this year's awards, which honor adjunct faculty who have demonstrated consistent, effective and outstanding teaching.

Dumont teaches in the college's art department. Student opinion surveys from 23 sections of her Introduction to Photography class show that from 80 to 90 percent of her students give her the highest ranking of excellence on virtually every criterion listed. Many write that she is the best teacher they have had.

"She makes everyone … feel like an artist," wrote one student.

Students are not the only ones singing her praises, however.

"Sheri Dumont has been acknowledged by her peers for her willingness to go beyond expectations," said SUNY Plattsburgh President John Ettling. "They also say that her former students are well prepared for more advanced work in photography."

The other award winner, Morningstar, teaches voice, music appreciation and musical theater classes. According to Ettling, Morningstar has been similarly praised by his peers.

"Tim Morningstar's colleagues have taken notice of his ability to teach voice. They also praise his service as a 'caring, involved, supportive and dedicated teacher, who sets and maintains high standards for his students,'" said Ettling.

"In addition, he is known on campus for the opportunities he creates – for student performances and for cultural activities benefiting both the campus and the community," added Ettling.

In addition to creating performances that showcase student work, Morningstar has created programs bringing the award-winning Broadway celebrity George Hearn to the campus theater stage.

According to course opinion surveys taken over a two-year period, from 80 to 100 percent of the students in Morningstar's applied voices classes strongly agree that he has a good understanding of the material, is enthusiastic about his subject, is responsive to and respectful of students and provides helpful feedback. The majority of students in his voice and music appreciation classes give similar responses.

Letters from his students have praised Morningstar for his diligence, intelligence and creativity.