The academic system in TKU is such that it assigns one teacher to each class as its class adviser in order to have a closer supervision on a vast number of students. Each year, the university elects some of them based on the recommendation of respective colleges to be awarded with the Outstanding Class Advisers Awards for their dedicated work to various student affairs. This year 37 of such teachers have been elected and will receive their awards in a public ceremony next Thursday, April 21. This ceremony will be held during a symposium on the quality of counseling work for class advisers and counselors organized by the Office of Student Affairs.

These dedicated 37 class advisers are Chen Wen-hua, Huang Fan-kuang, Yang Ming-yu, Chin Yi-nan, Wang Bo-cheng, Chou Chia-peng, Lei Ying-hui, Shiau Jenq-tzong, Wang Ying-tien, Chang Yu-chi, Chiu Chien-ching, Lee Ching-lieh, Chang Chih-yuang, Tan Ching-min, Chuan Wu-jen, Wan Jer-yuh, Liao Shu-yuan, Tsai Jeng-yan, Deng Yu-ying, Chen Yi-heng, Lee Ching-fen, Wang Mei-lan, Lin Jyh-jiuan, Yang Ming-yu, Wei Shih-chieh, Shyr Feng-yu, Liu Shu-hui, Huang Kuo-long, Chen Chi-szu, Lin Hui-ying, Mohamad Kerkalli, Tao Wei, Ku Chin-fen, Liu Yi-cheng, Huang Fu-kuo, Huang Ya-ping and Chang Ya-fang.

All of them have gone a long way in helping, guiding and providing advice to their students’ individual academic needs, career choices and personal issues. Among them, Chang Ya-fang, the class adviser specializing in Middle School Education for the class 2B at the Center for Teacher Education, for example, plans her students’ internship according to their individual background and expertise in local junior high schools, for which she and her students have set up a team to aid after-school homework, English syllabus designs and interactive multi-media teaching plans. Such an involvement not only enhances students’ practical experience, but also their sense of belonging to a community.

Other teachers also work along this line to enhance students’ horizon. Lin Jyh-jiuan, the class adviser of 4B at the Statistics Department, Mohamad Kerkalli of 4C at the French Department and Chang Chih-yuang of 3D at the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering share their experiences of studying/living abroad generously so as to encourage their students to either take part in the Junior Year Abroad Program or take up a graduate study abroad. Tao Wei from the German Department, on the other hand, brings foreign cultures to students by showing a series of DVD on Germany and Austria after teaching hours. All their efforts in promoting greater cultural understanding are deeply appreciated by their students. (Ying-hsueh Hu)