CWU Distinguished Professors to be Recognized at Honors Convocation

May 28, 2009

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Four Central Washington University professors, Robert Holtfreter, Joseph Powell, Roxanne Easley and Matthew Altman, are this year’s recipients of the CWU Distinguished Professor awards. All will be honored at the Honors Convocation on June 12, at 8 p.m. in McConnell Hall.

The university has recognized professors with this award since 1977, honoring them in four categories including teaching, research, artistic accomplishment or invention and service.

“It was a pleasure for us to review the collective accomplishments of this year’s nominees,” said member of the selection committee. “We have found these four CWU faculty members to b highly deserving of our recognition and respect. They have distinguished our university and community with their outstanding contributions.”

Roxanne Easley-Distinguished Professor of Teaching

Roxanne Easley came to CWU in 1997 with a Ph.D. in Russian history from the University of Oregon in Eugene. Since that time, she’s developed 22 courses, including world history, Medieval Europe, the Renaissance and Reformation of Europe, imperial Russian and revolutionary history and others. She’s also been a leading proponent and active participant in developing team-taught courses where she invites other professors in to give a variety of perspectives.

“I’m honored to be rewarded formally for the work that rewards me every single day,” Easley says. “My students constantly inspire me with the freshness and sharpness of their intellects.”

Easley was nominated by associate professor of history Jason Knirck, who praised her accomplishments in a letter to the nominating board.

“What is immediately noticeable about Roxanne’s teaching career is its breadth. In a relatively small department such as ours, this versatility is critically important,” Knirck writes. “She exemplifies everything that this university values in teaching: the blending of teaching and research interests, flexibility, breadth, depth, interdisciplinary studies, graduate student mentoring, and personal attention to students.”

Easley says she is honored to be recognized for her work.

“The students’ gifts make my job possible, but more than this, they make it a daily pleasure.”

Matt Altman-Distinguished Professor of Teaching

Department of Philosophy Professor and Director of the William O. Douglas Honors College Matt Altman has worked for CWU since 2003. Prior to CWU, he taught at several schools including Monmouth College, Drury University, and the University of Chicago. He received his Ph.D. in philosophy in 2001 from the University of Chicago.

Ruthi Roth Erdman, senior English lecturer, nominated Altman for the award. His enthusiasm and talent in the classroom are worth recognizing, she says.

“The guest lectures that he has provided for the Honors College seniors are always spirited and informative. His regular philosophy students apparently also find his teaching compelling, as is demonstrated by their regular habit of trailing after him into his office when class is over.”

Altman’s areas of concentration include social-political philosophy, the philosophy of art and early modern philosophy. He specializes in Kant, 19th century philosophy and ethics, and teaches several courses, including logic.

“I went into this profession to get students excited about questions that are central to human existence: What is right and wrong? What do I know? These are the questions that most interested me as an undergraduate, and I try to generate that same love of philosophy in my own students,” Altman says.

“I am excited and grateful to receive this award. The fact that that Central gives this award is an indication of how highly the university values professors’ work in the classroom.”

Robert Holtfreter-Distinguished Professor of Service

Professor Robert Holtfreter has taught at CWU’s accounting department since 1993. During that time, as well as before, Holtfreter has served on a number of boards, belonged to many organizations and served as a member of the city of Yakima’s budget strategy team. He received his doctorate from the University of Nebraska.

“He has given much of his time working in many high-level leadership positions,” says department of accounting chair James Bailey. “His service has brought national recognition to CWU and has benefited students, faculty, practitioners and the public at large.”

Among his many affiliations, Holtfreter has belonged to the American Accounting Association, the North American Accounting Society, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants and several others. He’s also served on the editorial board for the Journal of Forensic Accounting.

“I feel very humbled to have received this award,” Holtfreter says. “I have always viewed service work as a personal challenge to test my knowledge and process skills. I feel that anyone engaged in service work has both a duty and obligation to extend oneself beyond normal expectations.”

This isn’t the first time Holtfreter’s been recognized by his peers. He’s also received the college of business’ Excellence in Professional Service Award four times. In 2001 he was presented with the Washington Society of Certified Accountants’ Outstanding Accounting Educator for the state.

“The rewards I reap from knowing that others have benefited from my expertise are unparalleled.

Professor Joseph Powell-Distinguished Professor of Artistic Accomplishment

English professor Joseph Powell has taught at CWU since 1984, where he’s focused his courses on poetry, world literature, composition, fiction, nonfiction and travel writing. He is the author of multiple books, works of poetry, short stories and a co-author on poetic meter handbook.

“The impact he has had as a writer at Central is clear from his students who have received coveted writing fellowships and have gone on to become writers themselves,” says English department Chair George Drake and English Professor Paulus Pimono, who nominated Powell jointly for the award. “He has written, on average, one book every three to four years, while also doing excellent work as a teacher.”

Powell received his MFA from the University of Arizona. He is the author of “Counting the Change,” “Getting Here,” Winter Insomnia,” Fish Grooming and Other Stories,” along with several others.

“Teaching is crucial to the kind of inquiry that sponsors good questions to ask and to answer. Many of the questions that I've struggled to answer have come directly out of the classroom,” Powell says. “For me, teaching and writing have been the same thing, one leads to the other.”

Earlier this year Powell was the recipient of the coveted National Endowment for the Arts creative writing grant for poetry.

"When it comes to grants, the news doesn't get much better than this for a writer,” says College of Arts and Humanities Dean Marji Morgan. “As far as we know, this is the first time anyone at Central has been awarded this NEA fellowship.”

Central Washington University is a master's degree-granting institution with approximately 10,000 students and 1,500 faculty and staff. More than 160 undergraduate and master's degrees are offered. Founded in 1891, the Ellensburg campus is located in the heart of Washington State, nestled between the Cascade Mountains and the Columbia River. Since 1975, CWU has served the needs of placebound students at six university centers throughout the state. CWU is an AA/EEO Title IX Institution.