Anthropology professor receives student recognition
By Mary Lichtenwalner
Or the Emerald
Aletta Biersack was elected
January's “professor of the
month” by Mortar Board, the
University’s senior honor socie
ty. The award was designed to
generate interest in recognizing
professors. Mortar Board presi
dent Dave Thurman said.
“Professors are an important
part of campus, and there’s
usually no way to recognize
them,” Thurman said.
Biersack. an assistant pro
fessor Of anthropology, said she
was surprised to receive the
award. It may be her "dif
ferent” approach in the
classroom that earned her the
honor, she said.
The “professor of the month”
awards have been given to
University professors for about
15 years. Thurman said. The
honor society determines win
ners by tallying student votes
collected in a box in the Main
Library and by visiting pro
fessors’ classes.
“Mostly if the professor gives
an informative lecture, then
they’re a winner. They must ob
viously care for the students,”
Thurman said. “He or she must
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"1 tend to underemphasize
the textbook approach. . . and
try to think beyond what an
thropology realiy is. Answers
aren’t important but questions
are," Biersack said.
"My students do a lot of pro
cessing themselves. They have
to be very active — 1 don’t en
courage passivity, and 1 try not
to discourage students." she
added.
Biersack's lower-divisiort
courses focus on developing an
appreciation for the different
peoples of the world; she said.
Anthropology students must
understand that the world is not
made of one people, she said.
"That’s the stock and trade of
anthropology — people and
peoples.”
Upper-division classes
revolve around change, she
said.
"1 think our knowlege as an
thropologists is evolving right
before our very eyes... it’s
fluid, and it’s changing all the
time.
“1 think the educational
system tends to encourage that
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Students chose Aletta Hiersack as the "professor of the month " fbr outstandtng teaching.skills.c*
we've got it figured out. but it's
not figured out.” she said.'.'. •"
A native New Yorker, Bier
sack came, to the University in '
1982 after a one-year stint qt
Central Michigan University. '
She.was a visiting professor, at
Johns Hopkins • University in
1983 and 1984 1 / ;
Graduate anthropology ■ stuc
dent Salvatore Biondello said
Hiersack's approach is effective,
because of its focus "I think her
approach is refreshingly dif
forent. I think she is dealing
with anthropology as a humani
ty rather than a science."
Biondello said.
Biondello has taken about
seven classes fromBiersack, He
said" it's.Bienuick-'s holistic ap
proach to anthropology that”,
prompts him-tocontinuettiking
courses from her. •
. Jonathan Alw:k si»i«l Uiersack
.is also helpful - in advising
research’theses. Although he is
a political science graduate stu
. .dent'.Aleck said he works more
• in the area of political
anthropology. • . '•.••, • :
."She, has read, through my
drafts extensively, aiid she
points out elements to be
discussed in greater detail,'' he
said ‘.‘She’s a wealth of
knowledge on specifics.
"As.an instructor, she's cer
..tainly demanding.. .but’.-’she) j .
’very Wei l( read In. areas' beyond’ ; V
•. herexpertiae-,” A lock sald-.’Bier-.
. ‘ sack has worked with Aleck-for / v
\ about-three years. W. . :
Thurman aa-id the "professor
of f ha months contest fuffers >;■
’’from lack' of u^arehms .
»”VVe don't got enough
. nohiinationS. All you hiive to do >
Hi drop, by the reference desk in
the library, ' he said. "(think
many people just don’t know
about iti*} '• i .
Mortar Hoard is
visiting classes to
: .February’s
said.
winner.
currently
determine
Thurman
___
Et al .
MEETINGS
The Golden Key National
Honor Society meets today at
3:30 in Room 110 EMIJ to elect
officers. All members should
attend. , .
The PRSSA is holding a Green
Garter (Committee meeting to
day at 3:30 in Room 211 Alien.
The University Telecom
munication and Film Associa
tion will meet today at 6 pm in
Room 202 Villard Hall!
The Incidental Fee Commit
tee meets today at 5 pm. in
Century Room F EMU to hear
budget requests for the Student
Senate,. EFSAM, Pre-Health
Science and the Foreign StUr
dent Organization.
The Christian Science
Organization meets tonight in
Room 337 EMU. Everyone
welcome to attend this weekly
testimonial meeting.
I .KUTURKS/WORKSHOPS
Gubernatorial candidate Kd
Fadeley will be on campus to
day in the EMU ForttitiRoom
from 12:30 to 1:30- Fadeley will
answer questions about his
plans for the state if elected
governor,
“South Africa and Sports” is
the topic of a free lecture
tonight in the tier linger Alumni
Lounge at 7. The lecture will be
presented by University Pro
fessors Michael Ellis" arid
Elizabeth Breesan. both of
whom visited South Africa this
year. Sponsored by SUPE(R).
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