Central Washington University Board of Trustees May 16, 2025 ACTION – 2025 Distinguished Faculty Awards
Since 1977, CWU has honored excellence in faculty teaching, service, and research or creative expression. The recognition, the highest honor for faculty at CWU, is embedded in the Faculty Code (Section III), which establishes awards for Distinguished Faculty and for Non-Tenure Track Faculty. Distinguished Faculty Awards are reserved for individuals who have, at a minimum, served for six years and have worked at least 135 WLU. The awardees are nominated by the Faculty Senate, which may choose not to make an award in any given category. The Board of Trustees authorizes nominations. Recipients of the annual Distinguished Faculty Awards in teaching, scholarship, and service receive a one-time $2,500 stipend. Recipients of the Board of Trustees Distinguished Faculty Award receive a one- time $5,000 stipend and one quarter release from teaching in the next academic year. Board of Trustees Distinguished Faculty Awards are bestowed on a faculty member who has demonstrated a long-term combined record of excellence in teaching, scholarship or artistic activities, and service (as defined in Sections III.A.1, III.A.2, and III.A.3) at CWU. The Board of Trustees awards one recipient every other year. The following is this year’s recipient: Dr. Susan Kaspari, 2025 Board of Trustees Distinguished Faculty Award, Department of Geology. Regarding her teaching, as her colleagues attest, Dr. Kaspari possesses considerable depth and breadth of knowledge in the field of climate research and sustainability and demonstrates both integration and leadership in her teaching. At CWU, Dr. Kaspari has taught foundational courses and provided curricular leadership around Climate Research and its relationship to Sustainability. Her syllabi are in good order, and objectives and assessments are clearly connected. Assignments and other activities, like field research dedicated to engaging with the outside world, are relevant and much appreciated. In her self- statement, Dr. Kaspari describes a change in attitude over her time at CWU about teaching, noting a move from a “doom and gloom” attitude about the state of climate change to an attitude encouraging students to engagement, empowerment, and action. This motivation led to the development of the Sustainability Certificate and Minor. The strong, passionate references from a range of former students, colleagues at CWU and other universities, community members, and international professionals attest to her expertise in the field of Geology and how her passion for the subject combined with her scientific excellence has led to outstanding teaching and mentorship. Students, through strong SEOIs, offer many positive comments about how Dr. Kaspari helped them to learn using a variety of resources and methodologies. They also comment on her generosity of time and genuine care for their success. Dr. Kaspari has mentored more than 65 student projects in her time at CWU, serving as primary project advisor for 11 master’s students and 32 undergraduate students. She also co-advised 4 PhD students and one postdoctoral researcher from other international institutions. Her former students share her
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