UC Honors Outstanding Teaching With Levenson Awards

By ALEXANDER B. GINSBERG

Crimson Staff Writer

The Undergraduate Council's 19th annual Levenson Awards dinner, honoring outstanding teaching, was held last night in Eliot House's dining hall and recognized instructors from two of the College's most popular classes.

Eric Rentschler, who chairs the Germanic Languages and Literature Department and teaches Foreign Cultures 76: "Mass Culture in Nazi Germany"-a perennial Core favorite-won the award for outstanding teaching by a senior Faculty member.

Long-time Social Analysis 10 teaching fellow Bruce D. Watson, a resident tutor in Lowell House, was honored in the teaching fellow category.

The junior Faculty prize went to Brett Flehinger, a popular American history lecturer in the History Department.

Each candidate was nominated by students and chosen by council members from among dozens of nominees. The award carries no stipend, but the winners received plaques recognizing their efforts.

The awards ceremony, attended by close to 100 students and Faculty-many of whom were award nominees-began with an invocation by Todd E. Plants `01, chair of the council's Student Affairs Committee, which organized the event.

"We want to say thank you to those who make our College years our formative years," Plants said.

Soon thereafter, council member Brian R. Smith `02, a student in Rentschler's Core class, presented him with the senior Faculty award, saying Rentschler had single-handedly improved the Core curriculum.

Rentschler, however, could not attend the dinner to accept his prize.

Flehinger was honored in the junior Faculty category, with students commenting on his accessibility and helpfulness.

Council member Rohit Chopra `04, who presented the award, noted that Flehinger has inspired many former students to join him in academia.

Flehinger imbued his victory with a political message.

"It's wonderful," he said. "But it's also ironic that I won this the same week I was denied entrance into Mass. Hall to teach [who are involved in the living wage protest]. We need to give teachers access to students."

Watson, a five-year Ec-10 TF and four-year Lowell resident, won in the most competitive category.

A number of students who nominated Watson said he was the main reason they decided to concentrate in economics.

They also noted his famed Ec-10 review sessions, which have been known to pack lecture halls within the Science Center.

"I have been very privileged to be associated with Ec-10 for these years," Watson said. "This class tries to recruit good TF's and make them better TF's." "It's been a pleasure to work with Martin Feldstein, but mostly it's been a pleasure to work with students."

The ceremony concluded with remarks from Plants, and the presentation of certificates to all of the nominees.