The University Core Council has announced that Dr. Charles Petranek, professor of sociology, has been named winner of the 2006 H. Lee Cooper Core Curriculum Teaching Award.

In nominating Petranek, Dr. Donald Pitzer, professor of history, wrote: “Chuck Petranek … teaches students to think clearly, speak and write well, live according to consistent ideals, understand public issues, and use knowledge wisely. His classes fulfill the C2 Core category goals by insuring that his students ‘acquire increased understanding of their own behavior and motivations and increased understanding of the behavior of others.’ With friendship and wise counsel, he has related personally with hundreds of students, their families, and their careers.”

The award will be officially presented at the Fall Faculty and Administrative Staff Meeting in August. It includes a generous stipend, a plaque, and additional monies for travel and related faculty development.

Focusing exclusively on teaching, the Cooper award honors a USI faculty member whose work in University Core courses has been especially creative and successful in furthering UCC goals.

As this year’s winner, Petranek will deliver a presentation to the University community during the 2006-07 academic year. Details will be released at a later date.

Petranek holds a Ph.D. from Florida State University. He joined the USI faculty in 1973.

The Cooper award is named in honor of H. Lee Cooper, long-time friend and supporter of USI.