Photo by Thomas Campbell

After more than three decades of teaching, setting the bar high comes naturally to Stuart Long, professor of electrical and computer engineering and recipient of the 2009 Teaching Excellence Career Award.

“In more than 30 years of teaching, Dr. Long has never missed a class due to ill health or personal problems. Even more remarkable, in those 34 years, he has never failed to have his exams graded and ready to return the day after the exam was given,” Haluk Ogmen wrote in his recommendation. “This is almost unbelievable, and it is hard to imagine the magnitude of the dedication that this requires,” said Ogmen, who heads Long’s department.

Those feats are reflective of Long’s teaching philosophy.

“I have found that if I am timely in grading, prompt in the starting and dismissal of class, prepared for the topic of the day, and available outside of class time, the students are more likely to develop effective actions in their study habits for my class,” Long explained.

Students said Long is an advocate whose attention to detail establishes an excellent learning environment.

“He knows everyone’s name and even places the left-handed students in appropriate desks during exams so they will be comfortable,” wrote one alumna. “I have never had a professor who cared or noticed such things.”

Angela Hopp
Staff writer

View full list of 2009 award recipients                          Past award recipients