Green, Don W. - The University of Kansas

egularly to focus on issues on campus and try to promote undergraduate teaching on
campus, basically. I chaired the committee for several years. We focused on issues such
as a colleague-to-colleague mentoring program, improvement of classroom physical
facilities, audio-visual improvement in the classroom, teaching colloquia and teaching
awards. I think that our general idea at first was to be somewhat of a counterpoint to
what was perceived as more and more emphasis on research and perhaps a diminished
emphasis on teaching. We ultimately disbanded and what was done is that the Center for
Teaching Excellence, that is now on campus, was formed. That ultimately came out of
that committee as sort of a natural continuation. It now has its own physical facility and
dedicated staff. The Teaching Commons Committee has resources that relate to teaching.
They publish some articles by people on the kinds of things that might help in classroom
teaching. That was the general idea and is still ongoing. Sandra Gautt, who was in the
chancellor’s office at the time, was the representative on our Teaching Commons
Committee. She was really an important person in pushing this ahead to have this Center
for Teaching Excellence formed. She’s still on the faculty but is no longer in the
chancellor’s office. She recently retired from the chancellor’s office, but she was there
for a number of years.
Q: What have been your research interests during your years at KU?
A: After joining the faculty at KU, my initial research work focused on computer modeling
of ground water systems. I, along with graduate students, built a computer model of a
major aquifer in south central Kansas which could be used to predict ground water levels
and supplies.
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