SOUTHEAST'S GARY MILLER RECEIVES STATE TEACHING AWARD

Dr. Gary Miller of Southeast Missouri State University was one of 62 faculty members from around the state who received the Governor's Award for Excellence in Teaching Thursday.

Miller is a professor of music at Southeast. He was given a 1998 Faculty Merit Award by the university previously this year and will deliver Saturday's commencement address at the Show Me Center.

Miller teaches organ, harpsichord and music theory at the university. He also is coordinator of graduate studies in Southeast's department of music.

The Governor's Awards are given annually to recognize excellence among the state's university, college and technical-professional school faculties. They were presented at the 1998 Governor's Conference on Higher Education hosted in Jefferson City by Gov. Mel Carnahan and the Missouri Coordinating Board of Higher Education.

Miller downplayed being singled out for recognition. "I am constantly amazed by the abundance of teaching talent at Southeast," he said. "It is an honor but I don't think I am any more deserving of it than any one of a number of wonderful colleagues with whom I teach."

This year's conference, titled "Straight Talk about the Cost, Price and Affordability of Missouri Higher Education," concluded Thursday at the Capitol Plaza Hotel.

Miller said Missouri is in the forefront of an attempt to examine the escalating costs of higher education.

"Anybody who teaches in higher education is concerned with the cost factor. It has everything to do with recruitment."

Among those attending the annual conference from Southeast were Miller and the school's president, Dr. Dale Nitzschke, and executive vice president, Dr. Ken Dobbins.

In one of the actions taken at the conference, the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education established a commission to study the rising cost of higher education in Missouri.

Among the 26 members of the Missouri Commission on the Affordability of Higher Education is Dr. Nancy Blattner, an associate professor and chairperson of the Faculty Senate at Southeast. Blattner is director of the Writing Assessment Program at Southeast and teaches literature.

Some of the other members include state Sen. Roseann Bentley, Culver-Stockton College President Dr. Edwin B. Strong Jr. and Lynn Ray, plant manager for Dana Corp. in Columbia.

The commission will present its findings to the governor and the coordinating board in December 1999.

Miller joined the Southeast faculty in 1980 after receiving his doctorate from the University of Michigan. He previously played with the U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet bands and studied organ at the Staatliche Houchschule fur Musik in Cologne, Germany.

He gives frequent organ and harpsichord recitals and performs with the Southeast Baroque Trio.