University staff vie for title

Ten University of Otago staff are vying for the title of the university's top teacher, after being nominated by their students.

Humanities staff feature strongly on the latest list, which also includes biochemistry teaching fellow Tony Zaharic, who won the overall Otago University Students' Association (OUSA) lecturer of the year title last year and on two other recent occasions.

Other teaching award winners are: Flavia Rubini-Lean, Portuguese; Dr Barbara Stone, French; Dr Gill Rutherford and Judy Layland, College of Education; Haruko Stuart, Japanese; Dr Jackie Hunter, psychology; Prof Mark Stringer, anatomy; Prof Tony Binns, geography; Dr Tony Schneiders, physiotherapy.

Several of the university staff named in the latest top 10 teaching awards have also been previously named in the annual list or have won other teaching awards.

OUSA education officer Katie Reid said students had nominated lecturers who had gone above and beyond the call of their educational duty and the 10 best had been found.

The association wanted to thank "all of the great lecturers who inspire us", she said.

The overall top teacher, and the "most inclusive" lecturer, the latter a disability-related award, will be announced in a ceremony at the university staff club on Thursday.

Vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne will take part in the presentations.