The UT Tower will glow burnt orange Tuesday, October 17 in honor of the new inductees into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers and all members of the Academy.

This year’s six inductees were selected through a rigorous evaluation process by a committee comprised of faculty members who are current members of the Academy, faculty members who are not in the Academy, students, and university administrators.

The 2017 inductees are:

• James Cox, professor, English and Mexican American studies, College of Liberal Arts
• Tracy Dahlby, professor, journalism, Moody College of Communication
• Janet Davis, associate professor, American studies and history, College of Liberal Arts
• Marianne Gedigian, professor, music, College of Fine Arts
• Kristen Grauman, associate professor, computer science, College of Natural Sciences
• Kumar Muthuraman, professor, information, risk, and operations management, McCombs School of Business

The Academy of Distinguished Teachers is emblematic of the university’s commitment to excellence in teaching. Comprising of approximately five percent of the tenured faculty in the university, the Academy provides leadership in improving the quality and depth of the undergraduate experience.

Members of the Academy advise the president and provost on matters related to the university’s instructional mission; participate in seminars, colloquia, and workshops on teaching effectiveness; and serve as mentors to new faculty.

Members are awarded the title Distinguished Teaching Professor, and serve for the duration of their tenure at UT Austin.