Center for Teaching Effectiveness

The University of Texas at Austin

Main Building 2200

About CTE

Mission | Programs and Staff Contacts | History

Mission Statement

The primary purpose of the Center for Teaching Excellence is to assist the teaching staff of the University of Texas at Austin in providing instruction that is consistent with the best information on quality teaching and learning at the post-secondary level.

To accomplish this mission, the Center provides both basic and advanced information about the teaching/learning process through an array of formats, including group seminars, classes, self-study materials and individual consultation on specific questions.

Back to top

Programs and Staff Contacts

For further contact information and staff vita links, see Staff Information.

Back to top

CTE History

The Center was founded in the Fall of 1973 after a resolution by the Faculty Senate and University Council calling on the President to provide support services for teaching. The founding director was Dr. James Stice, who had until that time been the director of the Bureau of Engineering Teaching.

In consultation with the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Stice gathered an Advisory Board consisting of representatives from six colleges plus two students. The Board spent the Fall semester identifying priorities for the Center.

The original priorities were:

1. to provide courses in college teaching for faculty;
2. to provide courses in college teaching for graduate students;
3. to provide individual consultation on teaching for faculty and graduate students;
4. to conduct periodic workshops on topics of interest in teaching;
5. to serve as a resource on the latest in teaching theory and research at the college level; and
6. to conduct an audit of the general purpose classrooms and make recommendations.

The Center has continued to honor these commitments while adding additional programs. For example, the Center works with faculty who teach 398T (College Teaching course in each department), and a range of special projects as they arise.

Back to top

Staffing History

During its initial year, the Center staff consisted of Dr. Stice and a number of part-time consultants, usually faculty getting release time from their departments. During that first year, it became obvious that there was a need for more continuity from one year to the next.

As a result, in 1974 Dr. Marilla Svinicki was selected to be the Assistant Director of the Center on a full-time basis. In 1978 the Center received a grant from the Exxon Foundation that allowed us to hire Dr. Karron Lewis as a Faculty Development Specialist. Supplementing these three individuals was a range of support staff, including an Administrative Assistant and a series of Graduate Research Assistants.

In 1989 the Center was given responsibility for overseeing the English Proficiency Program for international teaching assistants and assistant instructors. Dr. Ghislaine Kozuh was selected to be the Coordinator of that program. In addition to her position, there were two assistants, one the Assistant Coordinator, and one a classified staff member. Dr. Kozuh left the ITA Program in 2004.

Also in 1989 Dr. Stice resigned from the Center to return to teaching in Chemical Engineering. Dr. Svinicki was made the Director, Dr. Lewis the Assistant Director. Dr. Erin Porter joined the staff the following year as the Faculty Development Specialist in charge of the Faculty Program and Dr. Lewis began coordinating the TA program.

Dr. Porter left the Center in 1997 to accept a full time faculty position in the Business School, and Dr. Lewis became Associate Director and Faculty Program Coordinator. Dr. JoyLynn Reed joined the staff half-time and assumed responsibility for the TA program.

Dr. Reed left in the Spring of 2000 and Ms. Joanne Holladay was hired full time to head the TA development program. Ms. Holladay retired January 2005.

In 2001 a merger brought the Center for Teaching Effectiveness, the Center for Instructional Technologies, and the Measurement and Evaluations Center together under one umbrella, the Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment.

Back to top