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Department of Political Science and International Studies
Dr. Stephen Ullman
Professor
233 AWB
(585) 395-5677
Email: sullman@brockport.edu
Education:
Yale University, June 1965; Major: Political Science
M.A., Northwestern University, August 1967; Major: Political Science
Ph.D., University of Minnesota, December 1973; Major: Political Science
Awards:
Yale University Dean's List
Recipient, State University of New York Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, 1975
Recipient, State University of New York Research Foundation Grant, Summer, 1975
Participant, United States Department of State Scholar-Diplomat Program, October, 1975
Recipient, Government of Canada Faculty Enrichment Grant, Summer
1977, and Summer 1982
Recipient, United University Professions Grant, 1985-1986
Recipient, Rufus Z. Smith Prize for Most Distinguished Article in
American Review of Canadian Studies, 1989-1991
Teaching Philosophy:
Viewpoint#1: I believe that the teacher must periodically re-evaluate and change his teaching methods. I began my career as a pure lecturer. I did this well enough to win the State University of New York's Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1975. In the 1980's I began to notice that my students seem to benefit from simulations of the Constitutional Convention or a Congressional conference committee and so I began to add to my methodological repertoire.
Viewpoint#2: I believe that students need to relate the general principles I teach them in class to ongoing political and governmental developments. Therefore, in various classes I often assign the Internet versions of the New York Times (for American politics, urban, and state and local government courses), the Times of London, and various new services from France, Germany, and Russia (for foreign governments), and several Canadian newspapers (for my Canadian politics course). I seek to illuminate the stream of current political events about which students are reading with classroom commentary. In addition, each week students must submit at least one comment or question based on their newspaper reading.
Viewpoint#3: I believe that students should be tested frequently on various aspects of their intellectual accomplishment in my courses. In a typical course, I administer six reading quizzes and three tests. I also evaluate my students' verbal performance in student debates and reading-oriented group discussions. Each week my students participate in a debate on topics such as "Americans ought to borrow significant elements from the British governmental system" or "most state constitutions are so flawed that they should be completely revised." In each of my course I assign a research paper at least ten typed pages in length. I actively assist my students in developing the thesis and overall framework for these papers.
Viewpoint#4: I believe that students should be taught the most contemporary information technology. My students are actively electronic bibliographical databases and several other World Wide Web-base data sources.
Viewpoint#5: I spend a great deal of time working on my students' writing skills. I instruct my students about developing "arguable theses" and the various logical structures, which they can use to organize their papers such as compare and contrast, problem-solution, cause-effect, classification, analogy, and process. I require my students to submit two rather elaborate outline forms to which I react with written and verbal comments before they can begin writing the final drafts of their required research papers.
Viewpoint #6: I demand active participation in my classroom.
I utilize a variety of discussion methods which compel most students to
actively participate in most classes. I also require all my students to
meet with me after their first exam so that I can assist them in improving
their performance on subsequent tests.
Courses Taught:
Foreign Governments
(PLS 112)
Public
Opinion (PLS 361)
American Political Systems (PLS 113)
Political Science Research Methods (PLS 303)
International Organization Simulation (PLS 304)
State and local Government (PLS 318)
Urban Politics (PLS 319)
Canadian Politics and Society (PLS 343)
Local Government Internship (PLS 401)
Administrative Experience:
August 1984 - September 1985 Program Director, Global Studies Program State University of New York College at Brockport
August 1984 - September 1985 Acting Director Women's Studies Program
September 1984 - August, 1986 Assistant Dean, School of Letters and
Sciences
September 1984 - August, 1988 Director, Master of Arts in Liberal
September, 1990 - August, 1993 Studies Program
September 1986 - August, 1988 Associate Dean, School of Letters and
September, 1990 - August, 1992 Sciences
August 1992 - July 1993 Interim Dean, School of Letters and Sciences
September 1994 - present Director, Canadian Studies Program
September, 1998 - August, 2001 Chair, Department of Political Science
and International Studies
Government Experience:
July, 1994 - June, 1999 Trustee, Brockport Central School District Board of Education
September, 1995 - August, 1996 Chair, Governmental Relations Committee, Monroe County School Boards Association
