Candidates’ Statements: 2014
The 2014 election for positions on
the AAPT Board of Directors is underway.
AAPT members have received an email explaining the ballot process and providing a link to the ballot.
The candidate statements are below.
The polls close October 21, 2014.
Candidate Statement for Vice-President
Andrew Mills
Otterbein University
When I’m not involved in AAPT matters, I am a Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Otterbein University (in suburban Columbus, Ohio), where I have taught since 1999. I teach a wide range of course in the history of philosophy, in M&E, and in Otterbein’s general education curriculum. I am finishing up a term as President of the Ohio Philosophical Association, where I have previously served as Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer.
Ever since I discovered the AAPT, I have believed in the value of its work, and my appreciation for that work has grown as I have increased my involvement in the organization. The AAPT is a uniquely valuable resource for the community of philosophy teachers, and I am invigorated when I see more philosophy teachers, of all career stages, participate in AAPT-sponsored events. I attended my first workshop in 2002, presented for the first time in 2008, and co-organized the workshop in 2010. I served on the nominating committee in 2008 and was elected to the AAPT board in 2010 and again in 2012, and hope that my work there has helped to improve the teaching of philosophy. In addition to participating in meetings and adding my voice and counsel to decisions faced by the board, I have organized the AAPT sessions at most of the APA divisional meetings over the last four years. In 2014, I co-facilitated a post-conference pedagogy workshop at the Pacific APA in San Diego.
I am familiar with the work our organization does, and with the amazing talents of our leadership. Should I be elected Vice President, I would hope to help the organization keep what is working right–our bi-annual conference, our graduate student seminar, our sessions at the APA, and our partnerships with the APA and PLATO, just to mention some of the more prominent activities. I would also hope to help regularize the regional pedagogy workshops, perhaps seeing about connecting them with divisional APA meetings. I believe the organization should continue to reach out to philosophy teachers by providing them with the resources to improve as pedagogues and while many people are able to attend our bi-annual workshop/conference, many are not, so these one-day, regional workshops are a perfect addition to our valuable work. A lot of the groundwork has been laid for these regional workshops, and I think they are a fantastic way to continue to reach graduate students and faculty who are unfamiliar with the work of the AAPT.
Thanks to the labors of the past leaders of the AAPT, we are a healthy organization doing great work. As Vice President, I hope to help the AAPT continue on this path.
Candidate Statements for Member-At-Large
Jed Donelan
Franklin Pierce University
I have been a member of AAPT for more than a decade, and have greatly enjoyed the biennial workshop/conferences I have attended and presented at. I’ve particularly benefitted from the accepting, affirming, “let’s-roll-up-our-sleeves-and-get-this-teaching-thing-done-right” attitude of the organization and its members. I am currently serving on the Financial Committee and served on the 2014 Program Committee.
One thing I would offer as a member of the Board of Directors is my training and practice in deliberative dialogue. I am a trained moderator, have designed and lead more than a dozen workshops on deliberative practices, have moderated dozens of forums, co-moderated with different students a campus Socrates Café, and have designed and led professional ethics workshops for local businesses. If elected, I would bring this experience in deliberative practices with me to my work on the Board and on behalf of AAPT.
Galen Foresman
North Carolina A&T State University
I am an Associate Professor of Philosophy at a large historically black land grant research university in Greensboro, North Carolina, home of the A&T Four and the 1960 Woolworth sit-in. I have been a member of the AAPT for six years, serving on the Program, Elections, and Awards & Speakers Committees during this time. Most recently, as a member of the Awards & Speakers Committee I coordinated Todd Zakrajsek’s visit for his plenary session in the 2014 conference. During the summer of 2013, I worked with Nathan Nobis in hosting an off-year AAPT mini conference at Morehouse College in Atlanta. From my service and involvement with the AAPT over the years, I have found a wonderful group of friends and colleagues dedicated to improving and advancing student learning in philosophy. I would be honored to continue the good work being done as a Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors.
Jack Green Musselman
St. Edward’s University
To be honest I drifted away from the AAPT while I looked for full-time work, first teaching at a community college and later as an adjunct at two liberal arts colleges before teaching philosophy at St. Edward’s University and running its ethics center.
While moving around I experienced first-hand the teaching challenges and opportunities we face today. I’ve brought those experiences back as a presenter at two AAPT conferences, to the AAPT Nominating/Elections Committee (2008) and Finance Committee (2011-present), as a reviewer selecting AAPT proposals for the APA, and in 2012 as host for our biannual conference.
I deeply treasure the friendships, collegiality and dedication that inform the AAPT’s activities. If elected, I’ll work hard to help the AAPT reach out to the broader philosophy community—on campus and off campus—so we can continue to share our talents and commitments to improve the art and science of teaching philosophy.
Mara Harrell
Carnegie Mellon University
I am an Associate Teaching Professor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Philosophy Department at Carnegie Mellon University. I oversee the teaching of our introductory class, and I am responsible for training our graduate students to become teachers. I have been attending and giving presentations at the AAPT Biannual Conference since 2006; it very quickly became my favorite conference. I love the camaraderie, and I always want to go to every session. I’ve learned so much over the years, and I’d like to start giving back. I have years of administrative experience, experience doing educational research and a deep commitment to the vision of the Association.
Christina Hendricks
University of British Columbia
I have been a member of AAPT since 2010, when I presented at my first AAPT workshop. I quickly realized how valuable this organization is, both to teachers and students as developing teachers. I volunteered to be on the AAPT elections committee this year as a small way to start contributing, and I am excited to have the opportunity to run for the AAPT board to contribute even more to an organization that is such an important part of my professional life. In my home institution, I am in a tenured, teaching position that requires and rewards scholarly teaching. In my department, I have run our TA Training program in the past, and serve on ad hoc committees on curricular renewal and innovation. I also served for three years on the APA Committee on Teaching Philosophy, for which I organized two panels at APA meetings.
Rich Legum
Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York
I am a relative newcomer to AAPT (in 2010), having returned to teaching philosophy after a28 year hiatus information technology. I am an active participant in Kingsborough’s ‘Writing Across the Curriculum’ and “Teaching with Technology” programs. I teach introductory level philosophy courses in History of Philosophy (Ancient and Modern), Informal Logic, and Ethics to a diverse group of students whose preparation and abilities to do college level spans the entire spectrum of students. As a result of my experience IT, I have developed partially online philosophy courses, in concert with my colleagues.
As a member at large, I would bring a unique perspective to AAPT. My experience outside of philosophy gives me the prospective of a consumer of our products. I am seeking opportunities to help share this perspective with my colleagues at other schools. I am also a member of the APA’s Committee on Philosophy at Two Year Colleges.
J. Robert Loftis
Lorain County Community College
I am running to ensure adequate representation for teachers at community colleges and two year institutions. Community college teachers face special problems: we teach larger course loads, have more students who are underprepared for college, and have more students from diverse backgrounds. We also tend to be on the forefront of trends in higher education, such as outcomes assessment. Thus, it is extremely important for the AAPT to have programs that support the work of community college teachers.
I first became involved with the AAPT when I participated in the graduate student seminar in 1998. I have been presenting at the Workshop-Conference since 2004. In 2010 I started serving on the Nominations and Elections committee, and I became chair in 2012, when I spearheaded the transition to online voting. If elected, I will bring experience and enthusiasm to my service for the organization.
Scott McElreath
William Peace University
I am an Associate Professor of Philosophy at a small liberal arts university. I have served on or chaired numerous committees which require working well with almost all departments on campus. I recently created and chaired my university’s first teaching and learning committee. I value consensus, clear communication, establishing and following protocol, healthy dialogue, and practical solutions. I facilitated workshops at six AAPT workshop/conferences and was on the program committee for five of them. The AAPT has been a wonderful source of meaningful relationships, encouragement, and intellectual stimulation. For the last two years, I have served as an AAPT board member, and, in that capacity, I have chaired the Speakers and Awards Committee. I would like to continue serving as a board member. I would bring continued dedication to the AAPT, over 12 years of active participation with the AAPT workshop/conference, and values that correspond with working collaboratively in diverse groups.
Jennifer Mulnix
UMASS-Dartmouth
I have been an active member of AAPT since 2004, when I was first a participant in the Graduate Student Seminar, and since then, I have given many AAPT conference presentations. I am currently an AAPT member-at-large, serving on the Lenssen Prize Committee, the Speakers and Awards Committee, and the Program Committee. I also serve on the APA Committee on Teaching Philosophy. Much of my research is in the scholarship of teaching and learning, and I have published articles in Teaching Philosophy and Educational Philosophy and Theory. I also have administrative experience from running my University’s Honors Program for four years. I have truly enjoyed serving on the AAPT board and collaborating on expanding the reach of our organization. I would very much like to continue serving as an AAPT member-at-large, offering my skills, experience, and dedication. The AAPT has helped me in so many ways to think critically about my teaching, and if elected, I will continue to promote reflective teaching as well as reach out to more people who could also benefit from this valuable organization.
Rebecca Scott
Loyola Chicago
I have been involved in the AAPT since 2012 when I was a presenter at the conference and a participant in the graduate seminar. In 2014 I led a workshop at the conference on facilitating student reflection on feedback. I am currently finishing my dissertation at Loyola on Levinasian pedagogy. As a philosopher/teacher, I am committed to making higher education in general and philosophy in particular welcoming to those marginalized in academia. In addition to teaching at Loyola as a graduate instructor since 2011, I have worked since 2007 with the Elon Academy, which supports low-income and/or first generation college students. At the Academy I have had the opportunity to engage in socially progressive pedagogy, including a class on race, gender, and hip-hop, which focused on structural inequalities and mass incarceration. I received the philosophy department’s first Graduate Student Teaching Award and a Teaching Fellowship for the 2012-2013 academic year.
Adam R Thompson
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
In 2012, I began my involvement in the AAPT by participating in the APA/AAPT seminar on teaching and learning. I fell in love with the entire scene. I returned in 2014 to participate in the Facilitator Training and present research on how to develop non-visual aids for philosophy students who are visually impaired or blind. I enjoy every aspect of AAPT conferences and bring the lessons I learn back home. For instance, I co-founded a weekly colloquia series where philosophy graduate students discuss and study how to effectively educate. Also, as Assistant Director of the Ethics Center, I co-coach Ethics Bowl and offer monthly workshops on teaching ethics. And, as an instructor I strive to provide valuable learning experiences for the students in my courses. It would be a privilege to continue my development as an educator while serving to help the AAPT maintain its excellence and facilitate its growth.
Wendy Turgeon
St. Joseph’s College-New York
I have participated in a number of AAPT conferences and most recently co-facilitated the first PLATO workshop for High School Teachers in conjunction with the recent AAPT meeting. I have also presented at the APA session sponsored by the AAPT. I am a board member of PLATO (the new organization dedicated to pre-college teaching of philosophy), a former member of the APA Committee on Pre-College Instruction in Philosophy, and a current member of the APA Committee on Teaching.
I am a professor at St. Joseph’s College-New York where teaching is our first mission, followed by scholarship and service. I have offered workshops on technology in the classroom and global education as well as contributed to sessions on student engagement run by our Faculty Center on Teaching and Learning. My research interests include philosophy of childhood, philosophy with children, aesthetics, and recently, animal ethics.
I would welcome the opportunity to contribute to the mission of the AAPT as a member at large.
Andrew M. Winters
University of South Florida
My involvement with AAPT has included co-organizing and presenting on the panel “Plagiarism and Unsuccessful Retrieval: Opportunities for Developing Understanding and Character,” participating in the APA / AAPT Seminar on Teaching and Learning (both at the 2014 Biennial Workshop-Conference in Collegeville, MN), and becoming a member of the Nominations Committee.
I am in the process of completing my dissertation in the areas of metaphysics and philosophy of science, although I teach a wide range of philosophy courses, including environmental, professional, and biomedical ethics, and formal logic at the University of South Florida in Tampa. While acquiring 10 years of teaching experience in the community college and university settings in California, Colorado, and Florida, I have served as Director of Education for a K-12 learning center and completed teaching internships in critical thinking. My interests in the public reception of philosophy and promotion of teaching within philosophy has sparked multiple presentations to public high school teachers and the facilitation of graduate student pedagogy reading groups.
My experiences working with the general public, K-12 system, and diverse college environments, while still being a graduate student, would allow me to offer important perspectives to the AAPT in further promoting its mission of diversity and inclusivity.
I would welcome the opportunity to contribute to the mission of the AAPT as a member at large.
