"Horticulture 200: Horticultural Sciences" is one of the 130+ courses offered each year through the Evening Classes program. Left, Becki Bowermeister, l., a horticulture major, with Wayne McLaurin, r., UGA professor of horticulture, during a Spring Quarter class.
In 1995, with the support of department head Pat B. Brewer, two public service faculty, Elizabeth H. Hardaway and Sylvia R. McLaurin, designed and implemented a complementary series of activities built on instructional needs, on assessment of previous activities, and on the latest research concerning the multi-age classroom. The "Trigon Program," which includes the entire series, was created especially to acquaint new faculty with teaching in the Evening Classes program.
"Evening Classes is pleased and honored to have its faculty development program recognized by NUCEA's Innovative Awards Committee," Brewer said. "Evening Classes strives to create a sense of community among students, faculty, and staff. This sense of community, in turn, produces a learning environment characterized by a strong academic program with student achievement and success as its reason for being."
Brewer continued, "Since a credentialed, experienced, and dedicated teaching faculty is the fulcrum upon which this learning environment is built, the department regards faculty development as fundamental to its mission. The receipt of this national award both affirms the quality of our efforts and gives impetus to our future endeavors."
One of the most important assets of Evening Classes has been its faculty, which is made up of credentialed and experienced men and women who choose to teach in the evening. Many Evening Classes faculty have been recognized by the University for their teaching excellence. The faculty is comprised of full-time University faculty, graduate students, and individuals with special expertise from the campus and community. All have been approved by the respective academic departments.
The "Trigon Program" operates in three parts--"Interview," "Orientation," and the "Faculty Forums," which are discipline-specific meetings:
Interview--Upon recommendation by the academic department, each individual is interviewed to determine suitability to the Evening Classes credit.
Orientation--All new faculty are invited to attend the "New Faculty Orientation," held once each quarter. The orientation is a meeting/reception that both welcomes and instructs individuals who have not taught with Evening Classes.
Faculty Forums--Unique to Evening Classes, Faculty Forums bring together new and returning faculty within a single subject or related subject areas for discussions of concerns, possible solutions to instructional problems, and information about changes in academic department policies and trends in the field. The forums have been held with both small and large groups of faculty who use these opportunities to exchange successful teaching techniques.
The Department of Evening Classes serves a diverse population that includes adult, part-time, and traditional students. Evening Classes extends the academic programs of UGA by providing approximately 130 credit courses each quarter.
For more information, contact Pat B. Brewer, head, Department of Evening Classes, Georgia Center for Continuing Education, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602-3603, 706-542-640, e-mail:
These pages and their contents copyright 1996 University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. All rights reserved.
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