Lee's bench

There is a new bench just outside the PAC. A scholar tree, too -- dedicated yesterday to Lee Frost-Kumpf, a professor who died in 2003. One day Lee and I were chatting near the coffee shop on the second floor of the PAC. "Ed, I need some help. My students can't write!" said Lee in an exasperated tone. Let's work together. He was teaching a graduate course in public policy. I agreed to do short segments on how to structure various writing assignments in Lee's class. I needed only 15 to 20 minutes per class. Lee was the substance guy; I was the writing coach. For me, that led to developing an entire course called Effective Public Affairs Writing, which I still teach as an elective in the MPA program. That was Lee, seeing a need, asking for help and putting together a strong collaboration. His energy, his intellect, his enthusiasm and his wit will inspire people at UIS and the students he taught for decades to come.

Why UIS? "My professors know me"

I was talking to a parent last week. He told me his daughter is having a great experience at UIS. "She knows her professors, and they know her," he said -- and so she gets a lot of great attention and assistance. This is one of the most common responses when I ask people about their UIS education -- the small classes and close interaction with the professors. It's real. It's not a marketing statement, not a cliche. That's what makes it so special at UIS.

Favorite professors, and awards

Everyone who goes through college has a story to tell about a favorite professor. Mine was an economics professor in the 1970s who used "multimedia" TV screens before anyone used that word. He also would read from biographies, and poetry, during his lectures "just because I thought it is interesting." He was interdisciplinary all by himself at the University of Missouri, and his biggest lesson was: Education is not about what you know, but what you can figure out. This man was also deaf and could handle large lecture halls and small classrooms equally well. His name was John Kuhlmann.

UIS honored its own top faculty members of the year this week at a very upbeat ceremony. Hats off to the great teachers we have!