Faculty awards highlight annual faculty retreat

The Baylor College of Dentistry annual faculty retreat was held Jan. 4 at the Center for Community Cooperation in Dallas.  The theme was “Principles of Test Construction: Testing and Measurements.”  Featured speaker for the retreat was Dr. Nancy Simpson, director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Texas A&M University, who presented “Creating Exams that Test the Learning We Value.” As an adjunct to the presentation, faculty members were given an opportunity to interact in small group sessions to discuss test construction, test analysis and case-based assessment.

Dr. James S. Cole (BCD ’75), dean, provided comprehensive information about the college’s progress and focus in his “State of the College” address.  Faculty members also received updates on electronic record keeping, the BCD Implant Program, and the plan for peer review of teaching that is now available for the faculty.

The highlight of the retreat was the announcement of the recipients of the 2007 Faculty Awards. The Teacher Excellence Award was presented to Dr. Steve Griffin (BCD ’85), assistant professor of restorative sciences and director of clinics. Dr. Mahyar Nouri-Shirazi, assistant professor in biomedical sciences, received the Basic Science Faculty Research Award. The Service Excellence Award was presented to Lisa Harper-Mallonee, assistant professor in dental hygiene. 

Dr. Lavern Holyfield (BCD ‘77), director of faculty development and chair of the faculty development committee, expressed her gratitude to Dr. Tabitha Tavoc, assistant professor in dental hygiene, and Dr. Martha Alvarez, assistant clinical professor in pediatric dentistry, for their commitment to the awards process.

“The awards are a means for the institution to applaud and reward faculty for their outstanding academic and research contributions and for service to the community,” says Holyfield.

Dr. Charles Berry (BCD ’73), associate dean for academic affairs, noted the seminar was well-attended by the full-time faculty. A post-retreat assessment indicated that all who came learned something new from either the keynote presentation or the related breakout sessions.

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