New director named for Faculty/TA Development

Alan Kalish, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at California State University, Sacramento (CSUS), has been selected as director of the Office of Faculty and Teaching Associate Development at Ohio State. The office will move into the new Younkin Success Center when the center opens this spring.

Martha Garland, vice provost and dean for undergraduate studies, announced Jan. 20 that, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, Kalish will begin his duties at Ohio State on July 1.

"Dr. Kalish's extensive experience and expertise in teaching pedagogy and faculty development will provide strong and effective leadership for a vibrant unit that already has a strong national reputation. We are absolutely delighted that Alan has accepted our offer and look forward to having him on board," Garland said.

"For the past several months, Dr. Bruce Tuckman, a highly respected scholar in the area of research on student learning, has served as the interim director of FTAD while continuing to serve as director of the College of Education's Academic Learning Laboratory," Garland said.

"We are very excited about possible synergies between FTAD and the Academic Learning Laboratory," she continued. "Ohio State is extremely fortunate to have brought these two excellent teachers and scholars to our campus to collaborate on the best possible ways to support our faculty, teaching associates and students in the teaching and learning process."

The Office of Faculty and TA Development provides a broad range of instructional and multicultural teaching and learning support services for faculty and graduate teaching associates. As director, Kalish will guide campuswide programs to enhance the teaching skills of faculty and teaching associates, serve as a consultant on research issues related to teaching and learning in higher education, administer the office, and consult on organizational development issues related to teaching, learning and technology.

Since 1998, Kalish has headed a similar center at CSUS. He spent five years, from 1993 to 1998, as associate director of the Teaching Resources Center at Indiana University, where he had been an instructor in writing and pedagogy since 1986.

A graduate of Miami University, he earned his master's degree at Cleveland State University and his doctorate at Indiana University, both in English and American literature. Kalish is the author of numerous scholarly articles on teaching at the college level. He is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Graduate Teaching Assistant Development and has served on various national and university committees.

Kalish succeeds Nancy Chism, who left Ohio State to become associate vice chancellor for professional development and associate dean of faculties at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.

Fisher College buildings cited for outstanding design

The first two buildings completed in the six-building Fisher College of Business complex at Ohio State have been recognized for their outstanding design by the American School & University magazine.

The judges described the first two buildings completed in the complex as "sound É beautiful É great interiors." The buildings -- Fisher and Gerlach halls -- were completed and occupied in 1998.

In judging projects, primary consideration is given to the design firm's solution to the project's stated education program requirements, according to a news announcement from the American School & University Portfolio. Special characteristics include environment, flexibility, community use, quality of experience for the user, durability, technology and site adaptation.

"This citation reflects the time and commitment of not only the architects involved in the project, but the faculty and staff who provided their suggestions and project management support," said Joseph A. Alutto, dean of the college.

College leaders, including David Cole and Ronald Racster, both business and finance emeriti faculty members, worked on the project with a team of architects comprised of Tom Snearey and Richard Carpenter at Karlsberger Companies of Columbus; Alex Cooper and Scott Newman with the firm Cooper, Robertson & Partners of New York; Michael McKinnell and Ted Szostkowski with Kallmann, McKinnell and Wood of Boston; and University architects Jill Morelli and Charles Hamilton.Alan Kalish is expected to arrive on campus July 1.