March 17-18, 2005

ITEM 126-1003-R0305:  Resolution to Confer the Title of Professor Emeritus of Economics upon John Photiades; The University of Montana-Missoula

THAT: Dr. John Photiades, in his thirty-fifth year of dedicated service to The University of Montana, has merited commendation of the Board of Regents of the Montana University System, and has earned the title of Professor Emeritus of Economics.

 

EXPLANATION: Dr. Photiades joined the Economics faculty at The University of Montana in 1970 as an Instructor and upon receiving his Ph.D. in 1972 from the University of Illinois Urbana was promoted to Assistant Professor. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1976, awarded tenure in 1977, and promoted to Full Professor in 1985. His outstanding performance in teaching, research and service was recognized in three merit awards during his career at The University of Montana.

Dr. Photiades' outstanding teaching was recognized when in 1983 he was chosen from the entire faculty to be the first recipient of The University of Montana's "Distinguished Teaching Award." He continued to have his outstanding teaching recognized campus-wide by the student honorary society "Mortar Board" that repeatedly named him "Teacher of the Month." In 2001 his teaching obtained national recognition as he was named a CASE United States Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Dr. Photiades has specialized in the philosophic and ethical underpinnings of Economics as a social science and the public policy prescriptions that flow from it. This led him into interdisciplinary endeavors with the Department of Philosophy, the School of Law, the School of Business, and the Department of History. He also worked under grants with the faculty of the School of Forestry. Dr. Photiades was responsible for initiating the joint Economics and Philosophy Degree that The University offered until the advent of the granting of academic minors.

Dr. Photiades' publications include several chapters in Globally and Locally: Seeking a Middle Path to Sustainable Development (Alan G. McQuillan and Ashley L. Preston, eds. 1998, University Press of America), the research for which was funded by the International Environmental Institute of Sapporo, Japan.

Dr. Photiades carried his outstanding teaching talents off-campus. For many years, he directed the Montana Center for Economic Education and the Montana State Council of Economic Education that ran economic workshops across the state. He regularly traveled to Great Falls to teach courses for Air Force officers at Malmstrom AFB. In addition, for many years he wrote a regular column on economic topics for the Missoulian.

The Economics Department is honored to recommend Dr. John Photiades for Emeritus status.