And the nominees for Distinguished Teacher are:

The Distinguished Teaching Award, sponsored and funded by The Uof M Alumni Association, recognizes and honors excellence inteaching at The University.

Although 14 faculty members were nominated, only four willreceive awards at the spring 2004 Faculty Convocation April 22.

Faculty members are nominated by a select group of U of Mstudents, alumni and faculty as part of a three-step selectionprocess, which takes several weeks to complete.

DTA nominees are evaluated by the administrative head of theirrespective departments before finally being surveyed by theirstudents, said DTA committee co-chair Melinda Jones.

First-time nominee Ladrica Menson-Furr is among a group of 14faculty members out of which the committee will choose itsfinalists.

"I am very proud and honored," said the assistant Englishprofessor. "I am especially proud for the (English) Department. Wehave three nominees this year."

Each of the four recipients will receive a monetary award andplaque, Jones said. The recipients' photographs are also displayedin the Administration Building for the following year.

Last year, the DTA was awarded to Mark Freilich, Phillip T.Kolbe, Corinna A. Ethington and David H. Ciscel.