Awardee Caroline Clark, second from right, poses during the surprise announcement of her honor with L-R: Senior Vice Provost Patrick Louchouarn, Interim Department Chair Binaya Subedi and Interim Dean Erik Porfeli.
Caroline Clark, professor of literacies, literature and learning, was co-teaching a class of undergraduate students when the door to 274 Arps Hall flew open. In walked a delegation of university dignitaries, with a video camera rolling.
Patrick Louchouarn, senior vice provost for leadership and external engagement in the university’s Office of Faculty Affairs, addressed Clark and her students. “I am pleased to announce that your professor has won the President and Provost’s Distinguished Faculty Service Award,” he said.
Only three individuals across the entire university are honored with the award each year.
Clark’s nominations came from five faculty who worked with her over the years on the University Senate. The senate brings together faculty, staff and students with university administrators “to develop and advise on policies, processes, programs and solutions for issues it faces.”
“This award is important to me because it brings the invisible work of service into the light,” Louchouarn said. “When you become faculty, there’s an expectation that you’re going to contribute to the life of your profession, to shared governance of your unit and even the university.”
“I call it a lost art, because few people understand the importance of actively committing to it. I would say that Caroline does an outstanding job giving this concept life and modeling what faculty citizenship looks like.”
"I am stunned and humbled by this award," Clark said. "Doing service that advances the interests of students, staff and faculty is work that is well worth doing, and I am fortunate to have the opportunity. My nominators are among the hardest working, best people I know here at Ohio State, so I’m just surprised and really touched by their kind words."
Louchouarn quoted several of Clark’s nomination letters, saying that he found three areas notable:
- Her steady leadership in times of transition – when leadership has changed, Clark has stepped up
- Her human-first attitude — a passion for how we care for people and their needs
- Her attention to students’ growth and mentorship
Erik Porfeli, interim dean of the college, attended the surprise visit to Clark’s classroom. “In addition to providing a remarkable body of service at the university level, Caroline has provided notable service to the College of Education and Human Ecology.”
“She served as chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning for several years and recently played an instrumental role in reestablishing our College Council.”
"She has been an advocate for our shared governance, one of the most important features of academic life. It’s not just administrators who lead. Our faculty shape our policies and practices to ensure the university evolves to keep pace with our changing sciences, curricula and the communities we serve in keeping with our land-grant mission. Caroline has been an absolute champion for that and a great collaborator.”
Binaya Subedi, interim chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning, also attended the surprise visit. “Caroline has served her department, college and the university consistently for more than two decades,” he said, “and has tireless elevated faculty voices. Faculty recognize her immense contribution to the university.”
Clark does all this in addition to her full-time teaching, advising graduate students, publishing journal articles and serving her professional organizations in the field.
On the day the award was presented, she was co-teaching an undergraduate General Education course on transnational literacy with Yana Hashamova, professor of Slavic and Eastern European Languages and Cultures.
Living the university’s values: Service, leadership, integrity, commitment to community
Clark is known for her behind-the-scenes work that ensures the university functions with integrity. Her curriculum vitae shows she has served on nearly 50 college and university committees since her arrival as an assistant professor in 1997.
She is currently chair of the University Senate’s Sanctioning Committee, having been vice-chair the previous year.
Ben Givens, past secretary to the University Senate and current and emeritus associate professor of psychology, worked with Clark on the University Senate for many years.
In his nomination, he wrote, “Caroline is a major contributor at every meeting she attends, enhancing the discussion and identifying the best ways forward. … Caroline is an amazing thought leader with an ability to communicate in an engaged conversational style.”
Scott Schricker, associate professor of dentistry and Clark’s first nominator, gave several examples of how Clark impacted senate effectiveness. Among them, “Recently, Caroline ended two successful terms as the chair of the Senate Steering Committee. One of her notable accomplishments was developing structured agendas so that themed topics cut across Senate, Steering and Faculty Council meetings.”
"Perhaps one of the greatest testaments to her leadership was how she changed the culture in Senate Cabinet. Cabinet is a monthly meeting of all the senate committee chairs. Under Caroline’s leadership, this became a more productive meeting where we were able to identify and discuss topics that cut across the various committees.”
Colette Dollarhide, recently professor emeritus of counselor education, wrote: “Her passion for faculty governance and ardent advocacy for faculty integrity, academic voice and responsibility are a consistent hallmark of her contribution to the University and the college.”
“What is remarkable is that in addition to getting things done, she seeks input from faculty, opens the discussion for various perspectives, listens intently to that discussion, and then facilitates decision-making in a way that honors all perspectives and input. These skills are very rare and very important for faculty to know that they have a voice.”
In his nomination, Bryan Warnick, professor and interim chair of the Department of Educational Studies, praised Clark’s dedicated service at both the university and college level. He also quoted a student who described Clark’s support:
“Caroline is incredibly committed to her students, colleagues and community. As her advisee, I know how generous she is with time, opportunities and resources. She is a mentor to her graduate students, her pre-service teachers and countless educators in the Columbus area and beyond. She works tirelessly to advocate for educators and students in her scholarship, but also in the community.”
