April 2, 2012 Selection Committee Distinguished Teaching Award Office of the Provost Western Michigan University 1903 W. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo MI 49008-5204 USA To the Selection Committee: As past and present students and colleagues of Dr. Richard Malott, professor of psychology and member of the behavior analysis faculty at Western Michigan University, we would like to nominate him for the 2012 Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Malott has served WMU since 1966, and he has largely dedicated his career to this university and its students. He is the consummate mentor, with the classroom just the foundation for his system of pedagogy. Not only does Dr. Malott carry a heavy teaching load, with many students each year; chair and serve on dozens of dissertation and thesis committees; supervise more than 100 practicum students; advise more than 30 graduate students plus supervise the advising of some 200 undergraduates; and assist a number of students in the preparation of posters for presentation at professional conferences, he is constantly evaluating and improving teaching tools and measures, and seeking out ways to enhance his students’ learning opportunities. Dr. Malott consistently challenges his students to learn and grow, and he is as passionate about teaching as he is about psychology and behavior analysis. Dr. Malott is intensely involved with his students, and even when his formal teaching and mentoring responsibilities to them are over, he often continues to consult informally about their careers. Dr. Malott’s students have become very successful teachers and practitioners, and many of them have gone on to be considered among the major figures in the field of behavior analysis. It is not an overstatement to say that Dr. Malott is not only a highly respected and admired teacher, he is also well-loved. He inspires enthusiasm in university students from freshmen to doctoral candidates. Dr. Malott is a prolific writer of articles, papers, chapters, and books on behavior analysis, and he has long been closely involved with the Association for Behavior Analysis International, the foremost professional association for behavior analysts in the world (he is a founding member of the association and is currently its president). Dr. Malott could have chosen to focus most of his attention on research, writing and speaking to fellow scientists, but he chose to devote most of his energy to preparing future generations of students. It is a testament to his enthusiasm for pedagogy and his dedication to his students that for more than 40 years he has made teaching the very heart of his professional life.

We hope you will consider Dr. Malott seriously for this honor. Sincerely,

Maria E. Malott PhD, Applied Behavior Analysis, 1987 MA, Industrial Psychology, 1984 Adjunct Professor Western Michigan University Chief Executive Officer/Secretary Treasurer Association for Behavior Analysis International (269) 492.9312 mmalott@abainternational.org ______________________ Kendra Combs Second year Master Student under Dr. Malott 213 W. Vine St. Kalamazoo, MI 49001 269-808-4293 kendra.combs@gmail.com When I was an uninspired and directionless undergraduate at WMU, it was Dr. Malott's psychology 1000 honors course that literally changed the course of my life. Because of the influence of that single course, I was set on the path to get my undergraduate degree in psychology, to complete a Fulbright scholarship, and finally to enter into Dr. Malott's Behavior Analysis Training System (BATS) as a Masters student. Being in BATS academically and professionally has been the hardest two years of my life. I've done more in these past two years than I ever did in my whole four years as an undergraduate. It has been challenging yet fulfilling on so many levels. As important as all this hard work though, was the chance to get to know and learn from one of the greatest men I have ever known. I went through several major personal tragedies during these two years, including the death of my father. Dr. Malott assisted me in getting the chance to see him one last time before he passed away and for that I will forever be grateful. As a mentor Dr. Malott has helped me learn how to balance the never-ending quest for knowledge with the drive to apply that knowledge to real life situations; to help people in my community here and now (something I think a lot of professors lose sight of). He truly is saving the world with behavior analysis.

___________________ Sarah Lichtenberger Master's student in the Behavior Analysis program at WMU 5200 Croyden Ave. Apt. 5101 Kalamazoo, MI 49009 (336) 327-9114 sarah.n.lichtenberger@wmich.edu I have had the privilege of working with Dr. Malott for the past two years as a master's student in his Behavior Analysis Training System. As the teaching assistant for PSY 1400, I have worked closely with Dr. Malott on a course designed to introduce students to behavior analysis. Dr. Malott is not only concerned about the success of the students in the class, but he is also passionate about piquing their interest in behavior analysis. I know of no other professor who has built into their teaching system an advising program in order to provide undergraduate students with information about careers and graduate school, as well as help them navigate through their undergraduate career. As a student in his program, I have learned a vast amount about behavior analysis and applying it not only to working with children with autism, but in every aspect of life. I know of no other professor who deserves this award more than Dr. Malott, as he has dedicated so much of his time, energy, and passion to the behavior analysis programs at Western Michigan University. Thank you, Sarah ___________________ Tim Obertein 2nd year behavior analysis MA student in BATS 1108 Merrill St., Kalamazoo, MI 49008 810-824-8703 TimObertein@gmail.com No student leaves BATS without a behavioral world view. Dr. Malott always inspires his students to “take it back to the Skinner box”. He ensures all his students that, no matter what they're analyzing, they can analyze it through contingencies. Knowing and truly believing this fact has influenced all aspects of my life and I also feel indebted to him for any success in my career and life. A thorough understanding of the principles of behavior analysis is the single most valuable skill in my repertoire Dr. Malott works more than anyone I know, doing everything in his power to ensure that the children at the Kalamazoo Autism Center receive the best ABA treatment available. He holds meetings for the parents of the children at the center, to talk about everything going on with their child, on his days off (which are few and far between). I believe he would do anything in his power to help children with autism, with little regard to his own needs. He truly cares about every child that receives treatment at his center or from one of his graduate students. I can only dream to have as much passion for the subject/field that he does and make as big of a difference in as many lives as he has.

______________________ Joseph Shane I am currently in Dr. Malott's PhD program, after getting my BA in Psych from WMU, and also my MA through BATS. 770 Alfa Court Apt 2D Portage, MI 49002 (269)876-9789 Joseph.t.shane@wmich.edu Dick Malott certainly fits the bill of distinguished teacher. I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Dr. Malott for the past five years. As an undergraduate student, Dr. Malott was the magical figurehead of the Behavior Analysis Training System (BATS) and he was responsible for the quality of three of my favorite classes as an undergraduate. His courses are tough at every level, but I have definitely learned more in any one of them than any two other classes combined. Taking Psy 3600 turned me on to what behavior analysis is, the Psy 3570 practicum showed me how it can be used to change lives, and Psy 4600 put the nail in the coffin. Taking three classes run by Dick Malott changed the course of my life, and I am very grateful for that opportunity. I then had the honor of being part of his MA program, and working closer with him over the course of those two years was extremely valuable. I really began to appreciate the effort he put in to making the system (which is vast) run so smoothly. By utilizing every available resource, he is able to affect so many students each semester in a positive way. I was flattered to be accepted into his doctoral program, and the amount of face time I've had with him over the past few years has been more beneficial than I could have imagined. He is completely invested in each of his graduate students, both as students and people. But he also shows the same amount of care for the undergraduate students in his courses, which I think is rare. And perhaps more enviable than any other trait, he is dedicated to training behavior analysts who will go out and make a difference in the world. The best example of this is the Kalamazoo Autism Center, which provides affordable treatment to children in our community, primarily because of the out of pocket contributions Malott makes to keeping it open. I have been in school for a long time. And I have never met a professor who is as invested and selfless as Dick Malott. It has been an honor. Joe Shane, MA, BCBA Doctoral Associate Behavior Analysis Training System Western Michigan University

North Carolina State University is a land- grant university and a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina

Department of Psychology: School Psychology Program

College of Humanities and Social Sciences 640 Poe Hall Campus Box 7650 Raleigh, NC 27695-7650

919.515.2251 (office) 919.515.1716 (fax) March 30, 2012

Dear WMU Selection Committee:

My name is John Begeny and I am a former WMU student and graduate (years of study: 1996-2000). It is with great pleasure that I am writing this letter on behalf of Dr. Richard Malott in strong support of his nomination for WMU’s Distinguished Teaching Award. As a graduate within WMU’s psychology department in 2000, then a doctoral student and graduate of School Psychology at Syracuse University (2000-2005), and now an associate professor of psychology at North Carolina State University (2005-present), I can say whole-heartedly that Dr. Malott’s teaching and advising has made a significant and positive influence throughout my studies and career. Starting at WMU in 1996 as a first-generation college student and very unsure about what college entailed or what my career options could be, I remember in my first year attending an information session that Dr. Malott held for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in psychology. During that meeting I not only learned about the essential things one must do to get accepted into graduate school in psychology (as well as the resources and people available at WMU to help students interested in that path), I also learned that Dr. Malott was exactly the kind of person I would want to have as a teacher. He was informative, honest, humorous, and perhaps most memorable, affable while professional.

I took a course with Dr. Malott the following semester and from that point on during my studies at WMU we maintained contact through additional classes I took with him, meetings with him as a mentor, interactions with his graduate students, and even work opportunities he helped me get with the Association for Behavior Analysis (formerly housed within WMU). It would be impossible to list each of the ways that Dr. Malott influenced my learning and positive experiences while at WMU, but I’d like to list below just a handful of things I learned from Dr. Malott that I carried with me into my graduate studies (both as a teacher and student) and continue to use as a professor at NC State University.

1. Creating multiple opportunities for students to be actively engaged in the learning process. Here I will simply note that Dr. Malott’s classes maximized active engagement like none I’ve ever seen—and I loved it! Not only did I take these active engagement techniques and strategies with me into my teaching (and even won awards with some of this work as a grad student), but I’ve also integrated this overall framework for teaching and learning into my research as a school psychologist.

2. Always conveying an importance about real-world and everyday things, and connecting that to his teaching and interactions with students. In his books, teaching, presentations, and stories about his everyday life, it was always clear as a student that Dr. Malott not only taught content about psychology, he applied it in his life and was passionate about explaining the ways others could do so to improve their own lives or society at large. His ability to do this not only better engaged students with readings and class discussion, it also gave learning a powerful sense of purpose and application that could be used well beyond the classroom and semester. In fact, as part of my English major, I once had an assignment to write a critical review about an important book and I chose to write about a book of Dr. Malott’s that was all about everyday application of psychology. Later, I shared this review

NC STATE UNIVERSITY

with Dr. Malott, and to further illustrate his interest in supporting undergraduate students, he published my review in the next edition of his book—my very first professional publication, in fact!

3. Getting students engaged with the psychology major beyond just taking one or two courses. I frequently tell people that my reasons for attending WMU were initially not well thought-out, but incredibly fortunate. As I alluded to earlier, I started college having pretty much no idea how college “worked” what was needed to be successful, or what I could even do with a degree in psychology. Incredibly fortunate for me, I pursued a psychology major within a very conceptually cohesive department, which included Dr. Malott who ensured that undergraduate students got many well-aligned learning experiences (both inside and outside of the classroom) and essentially designed systems within the major to help prepare students as if they were Master’s degree students. I still highly value this perspective of undergraduate teaching, and it is no surprise that in my own university I have created a system that allows dozens of undergraduate students each year to take well-aligned classes and be part of a research team for up to six consecutive semesters.

4. Being both a person and a professor. Although it may seem to be a rather easy, or perhaps trivial, task of appearing as both a person and a professor, Dr. Malott accomplished this in ways that really helped undergraduate students feel more than “just a student in the class.” For me, I took from this a philosophy that it is not only okay to be a teacher and professionally social/affable, this approach is likely to improve the ways that students learn and feel motivated to learn. Again, this is an approach I continue to use in my work with students today and have always found it the best way to create a successful learning environment.

In closing, I suspect that in any successful and enjoyable career, one encounters at least a handful of truly inspirational teachers and mentors—whether we know it at the time or not—who offer a level of experiences and type of guidance that is truly distinguished from all the other important educators during one’s career. For me, Dr. Malott is without a doubt one of those teachers. For this reason, I believe he is most deserving of WMU’s Distinguished Teaching Award. It is also worth noting that I have had very little contact with Dr. Malott since graduating from WMU (simply due to me pursuing a psychology-related career path slightly different from his), but the aforementioned sentiments still remain after more than 11 years outside of Dr. Malott’s classroom. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, John Begeny, Ph.D. Associate Professor North Carolina State University Department of Psychology Campus Box 7650 Raleigh, NC 27695-7650 919-513-7950 (office) john_begeny@ncsu.edu

___________________ Eliseo Jimenez WMU Alumnus, Class of 2004 BS Psychology, Departmental Honors 1074C Weybridge Rd. Columbus, OH 43220 512-796-4228 jimenez.94@osu.edu As an undergraduate student in the Psychology program, Dr. Malott took me, like all of his students, under his wing and mentored us in and outside of the classroom. Dr. Malott invests in every single one of his students and that investment continues to grow and mature even after graduation. I have continued in the Behavior Analysis field because of Dr. Malott and it is my goal to mirror his program at a university or hopefully return to WMU to continue the legacy. Dr. Malott's work is distinguished because his work is exemplary. I can honestly say that because I have met people who are also striving to mirror his work throughout the country. Students who graduate from Dr. Malott's program are highly sought-after, because of the training they received while at WMU. It has been over 8 years since graduating from WMU, and I still continue to seek advice from Dr. Malott. He is the reason why I love this field and why I strive for nothing but the best in my educational endeavors. The only measurement I have to determine why Dr. Malott should receive the 2012 Distinguished Teaching Award is only through direct comparison. There hasn't been a program or professor that I've met since graduating that is even close in comparison. Dr. Malott is not only a pioneer, but an innovator. I strive for excellence, and Dr. Malott is a perfect example of educational excellence. ___________________ Gerard Gaydos Alumni Bachelors 1977, Master’s 1981 26909 Ann Arbor Trail Dearborn Heights, MI 48127 (313) 561-3796 gerardgaydos@yahoo.com As an undergrad and graduate student I took classes from Dr. Malott and worked in systems/practicums designed by him and administered by his advanced students under his direction. Years later I worked with another distinguished alumni, Dr. Jerry Shook, on the state of Louisiana Department of Mental Retardation Behavior Analysis Peer Review project. We often talked about how fortunate we were to have received our training at WMU. It is the classes and systems Dr. Malott developed and mentored to which we owe this fortune. Dr. Malott has deserved this Distinguished Teaching Award, during all and any of the many years of his tenure at WMU. ___________________ Katherine Janczarek 115 Fox Cove Ct. Alpharetta, GA 30022 770 475-4900 katherin4900@comcast.net (770) 475-4900 I was a student at WMU from 1966 through 1970. From my introduction to Psychology with Drs. Malott and Whaley, my life changed. I started college as a music major and switched to Psychology after one course and never

looked back. I became one of many undergraduate assistants that supported the animal labs, developed and 'starred' in videos demonstrating the proper way to handle and train your personal critter, and learned the fine art of splicing audio tapes in the production of the early slide show productions illustrating the philosophy of science and human behavior. He was on the cutting edge of media driven instruction. Dick recognized something in me that I didn't know was there—a strength, a confidence and a drive. He trusted and supported me to create and publish a study guide for the Introductory Psychology course. He encouraged me through my graduate studies at WMU and was my advisor for my Master’s thesis studying mastery learning in adults. He helped me find a school and mentor for my graduate work at the University of Illinois where I successfully completed my PhD in Educational Psychology. I would stop by to see him on my routine trip home from Champaign-Urbana, IL to Detroit. There was always a warm cup of coffee available and an update on the latest advancement in his ever-growing interest in teaching. As I would follow his career through the WMU newsletters and his on-line site, I was surprised and proud to see his work with autistic children grow. The organization and center he has built and staffed with many of his students is a testimony to his commitment. I am proud to have been one of his students. Kathy ___________________________ Brad Frieswyk BS, Psychology, 1993 MA, Applied Behavior Analysis, 1994 5454 N. Bernard Chicago IL 60625 (773) 539-7099 brad@bgfperformance.com It is difficult to convey the gravity that Dick Malott, as a teacher, a mentor, and a friend has exerted on the course of my life. I first met Dick in my junior year at WMU when he allowed me to enroll late into one of his Psychology 360 sections because I did not have the prerequisites to continue with another course for which I was enrolled. At the time I was quite grateful for the kindness, but I quickly learned that such generosity was not at all unusual for Dick. Out of a genuine concern for the success of his students and applying his mantra of “Save the World with Behavior Analysis,” Dick went out of his way to offer ABA designed study/tutoring sessions for struggling and at-risk students and a free GRE preparation class for students getting ready for graduate school. As a fantastic teacher and motivator, he transferred his enthusiasm for his subject matter to me in a way that quickly changed the course of my studies from business to psychology. I worked closely with Dick through the rest of my undergraduate work and on my master’s degree, with Dick as my thesis committee chair. Had I not met Dick, I probably would be in another field and far less happy. Now, nearly 20 years later, I have an extremely rewarding and enjoyable career as the president of an education company whose focus is still to “Save the Word with Behavior Analysis.” Brad ___________________ Yukiko Washio Alumna of WMU graduated in 2003. 27 War Admiral ln Media PA 19063 775-830-2616 ywashio@tresearch.org

I was a master's level student under Dr. Malott and worked in BATS. His major contribution is to teach students how to apply behavior analytic principles in an effective manner in students' actual life. Many behavior analysts I have seen do not know how to use behavior analysis in their own professional and personal life, as well as in the organizational context, but he did an excellent job teaching us how to do so through actual experiences, like a mock trial in a rat lab!! At the end of a day, I realized that sometimes it was a good thing to be a guinea pig because you yourself are part of the evolution in behavior analysis. So far, nobody else has been as systematic and as successful as Dr. Malott is in having students experience behavior analysis in professional and personal contexts. He needs to get acknowledged on this note because I do not think many people other than those in BATS understand the value of this particular contribution to the field. I am now a Ph.D. scientist at a leading addiction research institute, Treatment Research Institute associated with University of Pennsylvania, Department of Psychiatry, living in a beautiful house with a handsome husband and beautiful little boy. If you ask around who Yukiko was when she was a master's level student, including Dr. Malott, nobody would believe that she made it this far, considering her poor manner and English repertoire. I am a live successful guinea pig of his art and work, probably much beyond what he expected how I would turn out to be. Yukiko ______________________ Antonio Celso de Noronha Goyos Alumnus, Applied Behavior Analysis Master’s Program, 1978; I took several courses by Dr. Malott and he was a member of my thesis committee. Universidade Federal de São Carlos Psychology Department C.P. 676 São Carlos, S.P., Brazil CEP: 13565-905 Telephone number: 55 16 33518498 E-mail address: celsogoyos@hotmail.com ___________________________ Christina Vestevich christinavestevich@gmail.com 828 W Grace St #509 Chicago, IL 60613 (312)505-5372 To the Selection Committee: My name is Christina Vestevich, I am a graduate of Western Michigan University's with a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in behavior analysis. I would like to nominate Dr. Richard Malott for Western Michigan University's “Distinguished Teaching Award.” As an undergraduate I had the opportunity to cross paths with Dr. Malott at his Autism Practicum site. We both worked with the same child and every day we discussed the child's progress and what we could do to make things even better. This was the semester I got hooked on behavior analysis. I neared the end of my senior year and began searching for jobs finding very low paying jobs. I was shocked by what I had found. I mentioned in passing to Dr.

Malott how pitiful my findings were and he scheduled me to meet with him on the spot. At our follow up meeting, we discussed what I envisioned myself doing in the future and looked at my grades. He used the intonation and seriousness for motivating people that he's famous for to lay out exactly what he expected out of me. Ultimately, he suggested another semester of classes for me to qualify for consideration into his graduate school program. His graduate program transformed me into a well-spoken and well educated professional. Furthermore, his personal interest in all of my colleagues and me, helped develop us into highly respected members of our profession; which speaks to the quality of education available at Western Michigan University. To this day, when I make a new professional acquaintance and they hear that I studied under Dr. Malott, they immediately ask what it was like to study under his expert tutelage. My answer has always been a very simple response of, “my time spent under Dr. Malott was some of the most meaningful of my life.” With all of that being said, I believe Dr. Malott to be more than deserving of the highest forms of academic and personal recognition, especially considering the impact he has had on so many of us. Sincerely, Christina Vestevich John Pokrzywinski MA, Psychology, 1967 Woodward Resource Center, 1251 334th Street, Woodward, IA 50276 515-783-4322 pokrzywinski@netins.net During Dr. Richard Malott’s Presidential Address last year at the Annual Conference of the Association for Behavior Analysis in Denver, one of the slides presented pictured Dick with his long hair and beard stating that he had been on the faculty of Western Michigan University since 1965. This provided me with a pleasant reality check. I arrived at WMU in the fall of 1966 without any promise of an assistantship or other support to help provide for my wife, baby daughter, and a son who arrived at Bronson Methodist later that November. Fortunately, with Neil Kent’s help, I found work as a psychology technician at the Battle Creek VA Hospital doing statistical analysis for M. Ray Denny’s research. Neil also suggested I talk with Dr. Richard Malott. That meeting was a pivotal point in shaping the direction of my future. Dick started me off doing research in stimulus control for independent research credit and offered me a teaching position for a junior level course in the stimulus control of behavior. Some of the research I did was cited in the early editions of Elementary Principles of Behavior. I also believe that I might have been the inspiration for one of the characters in one of his Behavioraldelia publications. I finished my MA in 1967 being one of Dick’s first graduate students. Although over 45 years have passed I still manage to touch base with Dick through emails, websites, and in necessary a phone call. At all the ABAI conferences I attend Dick usually greets me with an invitation to dinner or coffee. The role that Dick Malott as played in my professional and personal life has been invaluable. There is hardly a day that goes by that I don’t utilize some of his teachings. I do not recall actually taking classes with him, except for independent research and thesis, but I learned more from him than can ever be taught in a book. ___________________ Lori H. Diener-Ludwig Ph.D. Applied Behavior Analysis 2003, WMU M.A. Industrial Organizational Psychology 2001, WMU B.A. Psychology 1997, WMU Address: 4064 Shulls Mill Road, Blowing Rock, NC 28605

Telephone: 828-773-6972 Email: ldiener@performanceblueprints.com Dr. Malott changed my life. As an undergraduate, it was through his courses where I received opportunities to get involved in real-life behavior analysis projects outside of the classroom. These opportunities led to other opportunities, and before I was graduated, I was certain that I would spend the rest of my life contributing to advancing the field of behavior analysis. As a graduate student, my advisor had retired so Dr. Malott graciously took me under his wing to see my dissertation through. During this process, he showed me a level of mentorship I had never experienced before. I remember sitting for hours and hours in his house while we would go through my dissertation one sentence at a time. He challenged me to consider how each statement was ultimately connected to the bigger system and articulate it better. He would also challenge himself to think expansively with me. We were both learning. Knowing how busy he was, this was an extraordinary honor to receive his undivided attention and wisdom. He put a great deal of consideration in the quality of every aspect of my work, as well as the lessons I was learning. He also paid attention to aspects of my personal and professional balance, and kept me on the path to completing my Ph.D. Almost a decade later, I am still inspired to apply Dr. Malott’s lessons in my daily life and work. He has helped to shape me to into being a careful listener, thinker and most of all, doer! He is an amazing teacher that is highly deserving of the honor of WMU’s Distinguished Teaching Award. ___________________ Corina Groeger Angeli WMU Ph.D. Applied Behavior Analysis, 1998 4241 Arlet Ct, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 616-633-6224 corinagroeger@comcast.net With a few bags and our souls full of dreams my husband, my son (then five years old) and I came to the US. We arrived on a hot summer day, it was 1994, and I was admitted to the Behavior Analysis Ph.D. program at Western Michigan University; we were ready to start our new life. A few days after our arrival my first class with Dr. Richard Malott began, I was positively surprised with the quality of the class; it had a small number of students, the main book had all key concepts and principles clearly highlighted, descriptive and easy to read cases were used to introduce those concepts and principles; homework assignments perfectly matched the book and lectures; all interactions, discussions, everything perfectly designed to help us not only learn the materials but get us to the place we needed to get to… be able to teach and walk other students over the same content. I soon learned that this class was no exception, its mastermind was Dr. Richard Malott and it was the result of countless years of dedication, hard work and excruciating attention to detail; all his classes were designed this way; some with content easier to understand others much more complex but all carefully designed to maximize learning. It is true that Dr. Malott, or Dick, or better yet uncle Richard (Tio Ricardo) as he would call himself, has dedicated his life to perfecting the teaching of Behavior Analysis but, as his former student, I would expand that to simply say that he has dedicated his life to his students. All he did, including his carefully crafted classes, was designed with the intention of also helping his students, he dedicated countless hours to mentoring each and every one of the students he had in his program; he would provide guidance, careful constructive feedback to help us achieve our goals. I believe I was special; all the students in the program were special to tio Ricardo. While at Western I felt privileged to have been accepted into the program by Dr. Malott; as a Latin American student it was a dream come true to be able to have as a mentor an accomplished author with the caliber of Dr. Malott. I graduated in 1998 and tio Ricardo came to the ceremony; when I see the pictures with him standing by my side I still feel privileged, and as the years pass I feel more so. It was crucial to learn about Behavior Analysis and to learn

to save the world with it, that was the basis of the program; but every day, what stayed with me the most is the desire to be a better wife, a better mother, a better boss, a much better contributor to society and to the world as a whole, the desire to help others as I saw Dr. Malott do. My husband and I have achieved some of the dreams that came with us, and each day we have more and more dreams that need achieving. It was my honor to have had Dr. Malott as my mentor; I was so unbelievably lucky. After all these years he continues to inspire me to work hard, to go after my dreams and to just be a better person; because he is just that, an outstanding person and professor.

___________________________ Linda J. Hayes Ph.D., Western Michigan University, 1983 University of Nevada, Reno lhayes@unr.edu I wish to nominate Dick Malott for WMU’s Award for Distinguished Teaching. Dick has probably taught and graduated more behavior analysts – directly or indirectly – than any other member of the Behavior Analysis community. This has been the result of his instructional management, widely read textual materials, his willingness to take on sensitive topics with a sense of humor – not to mention his boundless energy. He has also provided excellent service to the community as the Coordinator of the ABAI Education Board and Chair of the Teaching of Behavior Analysis Special Interest Group. I’ve known Dick Malott since I was a graduate student at Western Michigan University some 30+ years ago – and he is still my teacher. Linda Hayes ___________________________ Lori Johnson Warner, PhD, LP, BCBA-D I'm an alum (graduated 1993) and continue to support the school's Medallion Scholarship (I was a 1989 recipient) and the Lee Honors College Longfellow Avenue, Royal Oak, MI 48067 248-217-3396 lwarner@beaumont.edu Like thousands of other students over the years, I took several courses with Dr. Malott during my time at WMU. I really connected to his passion about bringing the mindset of behavior analysts to every area of life, even some that were “taboo” or not typically thought of in behavioral terms. He was an engaging and motivating speaker, but more than that, he truly LIVED behavior analysis. I recall our class visiting his house and learning about all the ways he incorporated his behavior analytic worldview into his daily life. Many of these ideas resonated with me and colored the way I changed things in my own life. I was fortunate to be selected as a Teaching Assistant for Dr. Malott after I graduated and thoroughly enjoyed this experience. Dr. Malott also chaired my Senior Honors Thesis for the Lee Honors College and paved the way for my entry into the world of experimentation and research. Dr. Malott continues to be someone I turn to when I am in need of high-quality graduates for the behavioral treatment program I direct at Beaumont Children's Hospital. I continue to use many of his ideas in the course I teach at Oakland University (an introductory ABA course). I believe Dr. Malott is one of those few professors who truly practices what he preaches, in all areas of his life, and lights the spark of enthusiasm in his students with humor, keen intelligence, and humility.

___________________________ Helen D. Pratt, Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist Director, Behavioral Developmental Pediatrics Division Pediatrics Program 1000 Oakland Drive Kalamazoo, MI 49008 Phone: 269-337-6450 E-mail: pratt@kcms.msu.edu Professor of Pediatrics and Human Medicine College of Human Medicine Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Adjunct Professor Department of Psychology College of Arts and Sciences Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI April 2, 2012 Selection Committee Distinguished Teaching Award Office of the Provost Western Michigan University 1903 W. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo MI 49008-5204 USA To the Selection Committee: This letter is written in support of Dr. Richard (Dick) Malott’s nomination for Western Michigan University’s prestigious Distinguished Teaching Award. My name is Helen D. Pratt, Ph.D. I am a former student, mentee, and current colleague of Dr. Malott. He also served on my committee for my Master’s Thesis and was my doctoral thesis Chair. Although I am a product of the excellent professors at Western, in particular the psychology Department, I can attest to Dr. Malott being the strongest influence on who I have become as a psychologist. Although he respected my unique needs, he deftly guided my learning and application of psychology. I developed unique business, analytic, managing, and clinical skills from matriculating through the psych program under his direction. Dr. Malott helped be blend the superb teachings from the IO psychology, ABA and Clinical Psychology divisions of the department. My training was and remains invaluable. Dr. Malott demanded that I focus my energy on “saving the world” by teaching, conducting research, presenting my findings, publishing, and applying my knowledge and skills. His innovative teaching style demanded excellence from his students and allowed me to complete my bachelors’ degree in two years and one semester while developing skills of mastery and excellence. The greatest testament to his competence as a

professor is that a number of his mentees, like myself have gone on to become exemplars in their chosen fields. He remains committed to my success and is ever supportive of my endeavors. I can never thank him enough for all he has given of himself to me. I strongly urge you to consider Dr. Malott for this honor. Sincerely, Helen D. Pratt ___________________________ Amy E. Scrima, PhD MA, Applied Behavior Analysis,1998, WMU PhD, Applied Behavior Analysis, 2009, WMU Faculty Instructor Director of Undergraduate Research Lake Michigan College ascrima@lakemichigancollege.edu (269) 927-8100 x 5150 Dr. Malott has been my advisor, professor, mentor and friend. He taught me how to be a scholar, a true scientist, the importance of professionalism and integrity, and in doing so, what it means to be a good teacher. He accomplished this through his instruction and more importantly, his example. He lives everything he teaches and that is as rare and distinguishing a characteristic in a teacher as one can find. I am not just a better teacher, but a better person, for his influence. I could not recommend him highly enough for the WMU Distinguished Teaching Award. ____________________ Satoru Shimamune WMU Alumna Ehara-cho 2-4-9-801 Nakano-ku Tokyo, 165-0023, Japan +81-3-3952-5418 simamune@hosei.ac.jp Dr. Malott was my academic advisor when I studying at WMU as a doctoral student. He was a mentor to me, not only in psychology (behavior analysis), but also in how you use the science of behavior to improve the quality of life; both mine and people around me. I'm still using what he taught me at WMU in my teaching psychology at Hosei University, Tokyo. My students and I appreciate his dedication and distinguished services. ___________________ Nicholas L Weatherly I am a current alum of WMU’s psychology program (BS, MA, and PhD) 4002 Springhill Rd., Louisville, KY 40207 269-207-3092 nweatherly@spalding.edu I worked with Dick since I was an undergraduate student and stayed with him through my doctoral degree in 2008. I taught classes, trained clinicians, conducted research, and published under his direction for more than 5 years and

have been proud to call him a colleague since graduating. As a current professor and department head, I have found both his professional and personal guidance invaluable. I have evaluated a number of instructional methods since graduating and his methods and materials consistently produce both the best instructional results and the highest social validity with all of my students. His rule-governance theories have shaped my current research interests and his cultural change techniques have guided my personal legislative involvement and, in turn, has been responsible for much of the current legislative progress in Kentucky. Personally, his work ethic and passion for the field have inspired all levels of my life and career. This has resulted in the formation of the Kentucky Association for Behavior Analysis which, at our first conference this past March, included Dick as our first keynote. I plan to continue spreading his techniques and teaching others to do the same throughout the rest of my life. ___________________ Guillermo Yáber Oltra Ph.D., Applied Behavior Analysis, 1993, WMU Telephone number (58-212-7514970) E-mail address (gyabero@gmail.com) It is an honor for me to cosign a nomination of Dr. Richard Malott, professor of psychology and member of the behavior analysis faculty at Western Michigan University, for the 2012 Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Malott has been an exemplar and inspiration of my own teaching practices since 1979. At that time, I was a licensed psychologist and instructor of psychology at the higher education level in my homeland, Venezuela. During that year, I had the opportunity to read the Spanish version of his book “Behaviorism and Higher Education”, dealing with conceptual analysis and higher education. Also, I was really impressed reading his article in the Psychological Record, written 10 years before (1969), concerning “Contingency Management in an Introductory Psychology Course for One Thousand Students.” He showed me in 1979, that I could handle larger undergraduate classes using behavioral technology. My first personal contact with Dr. Malott was in Caracas, Venezuela, in 1985, during the XX Inter-American Congress of Psychology. I learned from him and one of his doctoral students at that time about how to use contingency management and behavioral technology for improving research skills among undergraduate and graduate students. As a result of their presentation at this congress, a research group, two books, several publications, and at least two Research Supervisory Systems, were developed in Venezuelan universities. Those systems have helped undergraduate and graduate students ever since (1985), to accomplish long term research projects. In 1990, I was awarded with an academic scholarship to pursue a doctoral degree in psychology. I was accepted in Western Michigan University, a place I dreamed to study since 1976 when I got my licensed degree in psychology. My efforts of getting a scholarship were also rewarded by the fact that Dr. Richard Malott accepted me as one of his doctoral students. Between 1990 and 1993, I learned several lessons from him I have never forgotten. “Don´t blame the student,” “Nothing in moderation,” and “Don’t procrastinate” are just a few of his “sayings” about how to deal with undergraduate students under my supervision as a teaching assistant. He showed me how to handle diversity that results of having undergraduate and graduate international students and how to take advantage of those differences to improve international understanding, communication and group learning. He used slide-shows during classes and informal meetings at the end of any academic term, to have personal encounters with students. I have not known any other professor who had a personal and academic dedication for his students than Dr. Malott in my entire academic life.

In 2008, I received the life-time teaching award granted by the Simón Bolívar University, in Caracas-Venezuela. Needless to say, I would never achieved this distinction without having the exemplar model of Dr. Richard Malott, “uncle Dickie”, my exemplar master teacher of Behavior Analysis and global cultural understanding of human behavior. _____________ Antonio M. Harrison 3744 Mohawk St. Pasadena, CA 91107 626.316.3622 Amh7280@ego.thechicagoschool.edu To whom it may concern, I would like to nominate Dr. Dick Malott for the Distinguished Teaching Award for the year 2012 at the ABAI Annual Convention in Seattle. I have had the opportunity to get to know Dr. Malott as I have served as the ABAI Student Representative on the Executive Council for the past three years as Dr. Malott was transitioning into, as current, and now transitioning out of Presidency of ABAI. Though I have never been an official student of Dr. Malott, I consider myself lucky to have had a chance to be taught by him outside of the classroom setting. His commitment to the science, the field, the members, and the students is phenomenal. From the moment I walked into the first Executive Council dinner, as I stood from a distance nervously watching everyone gather, he approached with warmth and open arms by beginning a conversation about my interests. As the conversation proceeded, he asked about my Master’s Thesis at the time and then did something I didn’t expect. He didn’t criticize or offer any suggestions; he simply suggested what other lines of research may come from my study. It made me feel proud and confident in my presence on the council and ultimately within the field. Over the last three years, I have come to admire how Dr. Malott deals with every situation and provides a learning opportunity for anyone around at that time. Another example of his leadership was throughout the Student Poster Initiative at the 2012 Autism Conference. In an attempt to resurrect an ABAI Student Committee Poster Initiative, Dr. Malott stepped in and in complete support reminded all in the field the importance of the poster sessions, the feedback provided to students, a history of the poster session, and a plea to increase the prestige of the poster session as we progress forward as a science and scientific organization. That email gave the student initiative all the support it needed and did resurrect the initiative to the point of the highest rate of participation and an excitement of continuing the initiative at the annual conference. That excitement was shared by the poster presenters, the expert reviewers, and the ABAI student committee. The thing that makes that so special is Dr. Malott never, not once, asked for credit or notoriety for his involvement. He allowed the student committee to take full credit and even participated as a poster expert reviewer. These examples, not to mention his continued efforts to make sure I have been comfortable and his personal concerns, is a very obvious reason for why I am nominating Dr. Malott for the Distinguished Teaching Award for the year 2012 at the ABAI Annual Convention in Seattle. Sincerely, Antonio M. Harrison

___________________ Joshua K. Pritchard Florida Institute of Technology 775.742.9265 josh@joshpritchard.com ___________________________ Jessica Frieder WMU Professor of Psychology 269-387-4495 jessica.frieder@wmich.edu ___________________________ Alan Poling WMU Professor of Psychology 269-387-4483 alan.poling@wmich.edu

John Austin, PhD

3219 Fleetwood Drive

Portage, MI 49024

269-599-2163

john@reachingresults.com

To whom it may concern:

As a Professor in Psychology at WMU, I worked with Dr. Richard Malott for more than 15 years. My

office was immediately beside his office, and we interacted frequently about teaching, scholarship, and

behavior analysis. Since my departure from the university in August 2011, Dick and I have kept in touch.

Based on my knowledge of Dick’s strategies and abilities, I feel comfortable writing a letter in strong

support of him receiving the WMU Distinguished Award in Teaching.

The primary criteria and demonstrable qualities I am using to evaluate Dr. Malott’s teaching

effectiveness are:

1. A relentless pursuit of improved techniques

2. Stellar reviews from students

3. Obvious demonstrations of learning and skill building from his students

A relentless pursuit of improved techniques

In my teaching-related conversations with Dr. Malott and through my approximately 40 graduate

student advisees, I have always been struck by his ability to innovate and improve his teaching

techniques. For example, long before RF polling devices existed, he issued colored response cards to his

students (even graduate students) so that he could accurately assess and revise his classroom

discussions to make them truly student-centered. There are many examples of Dr. Malott’s

improvement techniques, but two more involve his ability to engage students in making the instruction

more effective and giving him the insightful feedback necessary to make improvements; and his

willingness to create elaborate instructional systems, use them for 5-7 years and then tear them apart to

start all over again – all in search of a more effective way of doing things.

Stellar reviews from students

Over the years, I advised probably 40 graduate students who each took Dr. Malott’s graduate course in

behavior analysis. The reviews of the course were resoundingly positive, and students clearly ‘knew

their stuff’ when they left his class.

The same can be said for the undergraduate students who took his class. I taught an upper level elective

course for undergraduate Psychology majors, and whenever we came across a basic concept in class I

would ask who had taken Dick’s course. I knew I could call on any of them to answer questions about

concepts in behavior analysis and they would flawlessly and rapidly answer without nervousness.

Obvious demonstrations of learning and skill building from his students

The last example I gave in the previous section also falls under ‘obvious demonstrations of learning’ –

however there are many more examples. Aside from my graduate students demonstrating having

learning basic principles to a very high level of fluency during theoretical discussions in our lab meetings,

I also saw first-hand the kinds of work Dr. Malott’s graduate students could produce. Every year, Dr.

Malott would hold a day long series of oral presentations and defenses from his cadre of graduate

students, in which they each presented the work they had been engaged in over the course of the year.

These presentations were uniformly polished, interesting, and applied. That is, rather than just doing

something theoretically interesting, his students invariably worked on improving something about the

system of instruction, or something within the university wherein they could solve a problem and

document the successes of their strategies.

In sum, Dr. Malott is one of those rare people who has devoted his entire productive life to the work of

delivering more effective instruction, and advancing the goals of WMU. An award such as this is not

nearly enough recognition for the more than 40 years of service he has given the University – to put it

bluntly, it’s the least you can do for him.

I don’t know anyone who spends more time, thought, and effort on improving their teaching than Dr.

Richard Malott. I can’t imagine a more deserving recipient of this award.

Sincerely,

Dr. John Austin

3700 Wood Hall, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5439 PHONE: (269) 387-4500 FAX: (269) 387-4550

May 29, 2012 Dear Colleagues: I am writing to strongly support the nomination of Richard (“Dick”) Malott for the 2012 Distinguished Teaching Award. I have known Dick personally since I joined the Psychology Department at WMU in 2003, although I knew him from his writings long before then. I can think of no person more deserving of this award. Dick is passionate about teaching and an expert at designing effective curriculum. He devotes considerable time and energy to improving his teaching, evaluating the outcomes of his teaching practices, assessing students' opinions of the class and the course content, and improving student engagement. For example, Dick has designed a sequence of practicums for undergraduate students that require increasing levels of responsibility. Included in this sequence is a pre-practicum class that he designed so that students are immediately prepared to become involved in meaningful practicum activities. He polls students about the usefulness of the material they’ve learned, and changes course content based on those outcomes. He and I both teach a section of an undergraduate learning class; we’ve had repeated discussions on which topics we should assess. Recently, the Psychology Department re-designed our undergraduate curriculum and developed a new undergraduate class that would allow students to learn important principles of learning early in their training. There was no question that Dick would be the person to teach this new class, as he has a unique capability to generate enthusiasm about psychology in his students. More than anyone I know, Dick “practices what he preaches” by applying the principles of learning that he teaches about to his own teaching. Dick has written a well-known undergraduate textbook on principles of learning, and developed a very nice lab manual for our undergraduate learning lab, which I have adopted for my lab class. Dick also teaches students how to manage their time and behavior effectively to achieve their career goals (he has even designed a curriculum to teach time management). He encourages his students to become engaged professionally, and teaches them how to teach others. Moreover, he models the very behavior he expects in his students: He himself works actively to manage his time, is extremely active professionally, and constantly seeks out new learning opportunities. Dick believes in the potential of every student, and I’ve seen him again and again do whatever he can to help students succeed. I’ve observed him help undergraduate students enroll in classes they need, even if it requires complicated schedule juggling. He helps students apply to graduate programs, and has developed an undergraduate class on GRE preparation. If he thinks a student is committed to graduate work, he will do whatever he can to help them obtain a degree, even if the student does not have an exceptional academic record. He establishes clear timelines and deadlines for his graduate students so that they meet necessary goals. He expects all of his graduate students to attend department colloquia (I

3700 Wood Hall, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5439 PHONE: (269) 387-4500 FAX: (269) 387-4550

see them at almost every one) and local behavior analysis conferences (where they frequently make poster presentations). He often hosts get-togethers at his home for his graduate students to celebrate graduations, the arrival of new cohorts of graduate students, and to recognize other student accomplishments. Each year our department holds a conference during which graduate students present their research. Dick takes notes on students’ presentations and afterwards emails questions and supportive comments to the students. I am always impressed by this, and by how much students appreciate his feedback. I’ve had many of Dick’s graduate students in my courses. They are hardworking students, and it is obvious that they are extremely grateful for the opportunity they have to work with him. They talk about what they’ve learned with him in my classes, and it is clear that they develop the same passion and enthusiasm for behavior analysis and learning that he exhibits. His students go on to have productive careers, and many of them have become leaders in the field of behavior analysis. Given that Dick has been teaching at WMU for over 40 years, I find his enthusiasm and dedication to teaching even more impressive. He is certainly deserving of recognition. Regards,

Cynthia Pietras Associate Professor of Psychology 1903 W. Michigan Ave Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5439 Cynthia.pietras@wmich.edu (269) 387-4464

___________________________ David Lyon Retired professor of psychology with 35 years of service at Western Michigan University. I have known Richard Malott for about forty-five years. We were members of the psychology faculty at Western Michigan University from 1965 to my retirement in 1999 and our relationship continues to this day. 27405 Shaw Rd. Lawton MI 49065 269-624-6757 lyon@wmich.edu Richard Malott’s legacy in education is not one of the stirring lecturer, although he certainly can deliver a message, but one of experimental work in teaching and learning. That work is represented here by five projects. 1) Introductory Psychology: Shortly after his arrival at Western Michigan University in the mid 1960s, he assumed the directorship of the large introductory psychology course. This was a managed course with a hierarchy of student assistants who not only helped in the classroom, but became young professionals at the university. The program was controversial, but highly effective, and many of those assistants now have an advanced degree and a faculty position at a university. 2) Animal Laboratory: He introduced an animal laboratory into the introductory course in psychology making it a hands-on-course in science. A course in which the student could witness and modify the behavior of a rodent. This teaching concept was not only new, but most effective even in its complexity. 3) Student Centered: He established the Student Centered Education Project (SCEP) and developed a description of that program with three integrated slide projectors that he used to present the concepts and the logic to faculty at other universities. The SCEP concept and the audio-visual presentation were revolutionary at the time, but many students who were nurtured by it, continue to work in education to this day. 4) Psychology Text: He wrote an introductory text book, and I have lost track of the number of renditions of this text, which was presented in the lexicon of the student of the 1960s. These were unsettling times, and rather than fight the student philosophy he used it to bring the content of psychology and behaviorism to them in a meaningful way. 5) Interactive Learning: His graduate courses in psychology are not typical, for he demands that the student become a part of the process through their class preparation. They are not extended the luxury of just listening to lectures, but must present and discuss ideas. Students I have spoken to about this class contend that they “never worked so hard nor learned so much.” Summary: Richard Malott is one of the few people I know who experiments with life by introducing new ideas into every facet of his life, e.g. he built an earth sheltered home where he still resides because he was convinced of the viability of the energy conservation concept. He has spent some forty-five years not lecturing at the student, but trying to get students to be involved in their own education. His goal was to create an independent learner.

I have selected five areas of accomplishment which make this case. Much of his work was controversial at the time and he pursued his teaching with criticism from those who did not understand it. In the final analysis, he brought new concepts and a new vision to the art of teaching and the work of learning in a way that few can match. _____________ Dr. Peter Kobrak Faculty Emeritus—I remain active on the Board of the Friends of WMU (FOWMU) and with the Theater Guild 1304 West Maple Street Kalamazoo, MI 49008 343-1825 peter.kobrak@wmich.edu Dick and I worked together on the College of Arts & Sciences Affirmative Action Committee. Dick played a key role as we developed a strategy for assisting minority students seeking to build their academic skills and to adjust to a markedly different organizational culture. I eventually wrote an article on our work (which identified both the committee and its key members) that was published in the Journal of Negro Education. That article had a surprising impact, including the publication of a dissertation building on it. Dick's commitment to African-American and Hispanic students extended well beyond our committee. He worked independently with a number of them in his home and provided them with significant support when they took his undergraduate and graduate courses. I witnessed some of these informal sessions while working with him in his home on matters relating to our interest in Affirmative Action. Dick did not talk much about this work. He is a quiet man who concentrates on doing something rather than talking about it. His contribution in this area and in so many other WMU activities has been outstanding. He greatly deserves this award, and I suspect that his selection would be well-received by his colleagues. ___________________ Andy Bondy, PhD 106 Willow Way Pl Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 856 7954059 abondy@pecs.com I have no formal relationship to WMU though I’ve been invited there to train students regarding PECS and the Pyramid Approach to Education. I believe Dr Malott is deserving of this recognition because of his clear commitment to the ongoing education of his students. I have observed him with his students in both formal and informal settings and he always treats them with the upmost respect. He maintains high expectations for their skills and provides clear and encouraging feedback. He encourages his students to challenge ‘traditional’ ways of seeing complex issues and welcomes questions to promote clarification of understanding. I believe he is particularly adept at ‘cutting to the heart of the matter’- he demonstrates an extraordinary range of knowledge but not in a way that distances himself from those he is teaching. He perceptively challenges dearly held positions- including those of mine!- in a way that helps others review why they describe things as they currently do while subtly suggesting alternative perspectives. I also have always been an admirer of his manner of integrating and moving theoretical factors toward practical applications. He can talk about relatively lofty ideas but brings his students back to earth with an emphasis on how the real world will be improved by various strategies and interventions. While I was not a formal student of Dr Malott, he remains a significant teacher to me now!

___________________ Michael Dorsey Endicott College 617-441-1891 mdorsey@endicott.edu ___________________ E. Scott Geller, Ph.D. Alumni Distinguished Professor Center for Applied Behavior Systems 213 Williams Hall Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061-0436 esgeller@vt.edu Dick Malott has always been a hero for me with regard to teaching, from his ground-breaking slide shows in the mid-70’s to his creative PowerPoint presentations today. He has been an inspiration to me in many ways, especially his passion for teaching and the special connections he makes with his colleagues and students. His list of students who have become professionals in our field is exemplary. None of us will ever come close to the teaching legacy from Dick Malott. Dick Malott is my hero when it comes to teaching applied behavior analysis. He calls me a dream chaser, but he is a “dream creator”. Cheers, Scott ___________________ Daniel Gomez Universidad Veracruzana 52-228-8146158 dgomez@uv.mx ___________________ Robert Douglas Greer (Relationship to WMU) I presented a colloquium at WMU this year. I have observed Professor Malott's students over a forty year period. His students have played a defining role in our field. His mentorship of students is a model! Programs in Behavior Analysis, Box 76 Teachers College Columbia University 535 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 917-916-7402 rdg13@columbia.edu I believe that real teaching at the university level and particularly at the graduate level is a process that continues beyond a single course. Simply speaking, real teaching is a process of ensuring that the students master the relevant material, apply what they have learned to doing good work and to their own betterment. This involves the

progressive instantiation of ever more polished repertoires. I have taught graduate school for over forty years and have sponsored over 160 PhD dissertations and I am the advisor to many PhD and Masters students. Thus, I have considerable knowledge/experience with the process of teaching and mentoring towards the goals I stated. I KNOW OF NO ONE WHO DOES, AND HAS DONE THIS BETTER THAN DICK MALOTT. To me he is WMU. WISH I COULD HAVE STUDIED WITH HIM. Robert Douglas Greer ___________________ Ramona Houmanfar, Ph.D. Associate Professor Director, Behavior Analysis Program Department of Psychology University of Nevada, Reno Reno, NV 89557 775-682-8693 ramonah@unr.edu Dear Award Committee, I am writing this note to offer my utmost recommendation of Dr. Richard Malott for the Western Michigan University’s Distinguished Teaching Award. I have known Dr. Malott for approximately 20 years as an academic scholar, scientific practitioner, and colleague. I have attended numerous presentations he has conducted at conferences and have engaged with his scholarly work and applied work. Through all these years, I have also been very impressed with Dr. Malott’s high energy and enormous productivity. Simply stated, his outstanding scholarly accomplishments in behavioral science ranging from his theoretical work (e.g., rule governance, principles of behavior analysis, behavioral systems analysis) to his applied contributions in the area of Autism have guided the training and practices of many scholars, researchers and practitioners in behavioral science. My colleagues and I at the University of Nevada, Reno have studied number of his publications (including his seminal book titled “Elementary Principles of Behavior) and have used many of them in our undergraduate and graduate courses. Through the years I have also learned that Dr. Malott is a person with positively unique and wonderful human qualities. Simply stated, he brings out the best in his colleagues and promotes the success of institutions and organizations for which he works through his exceptional approach toward teaching, scholarly work and leadership. In sum, Dr. Malott is an exceptional teacher, scholar, and leader, and is very committed to the university, to his students, and his scientific community. My familiarity with Dr. Malott in all of these capacities enables me to offer my full support and highest recommendation for his receipt of the Western Michigan University’s Distinguished Teaching Award. For any question or further elaboration, please contact me at 775-682-8693 or via a e-mail at ramonah@unr.edu. Sincerely, Ramona Houmanfar-

___________________________ Kent Johnson, Ph.D. Founder and Director Morningside Academy 201 Westlake Avenue North Seattle, WA 98109 206-709-9500 kent@morningsideacademy.org www.morningsideacademy.org I want to enthusiastically endorse the nomination of Richard Malott for Western Michigan University's Distinguished Teaching Award. I have known Dr. Malott since I was a graduate student in the 1970s. I did not attend WMU, so he was not formally my professor, but I always attended his presentations at the Association for Behavior Analysis (ABA) conferences. His presentations included direct and explicit instruction for the whole audience to grasp his meaning, not esoteric information for the elite among us. He would always take time to talk with me at ABA, and gave me so much encouragement, as if I was indeed his student. I have valued his teaching and mentoring ever since. Dick is a natural teacher and I am so fortunate to have been in his path. He also wrote the first as well as the most teaching-oriented textbook in our field, Elementary Principles of Behavior, extending his influence far beyond the students he was paid to teach at WMU. So many people who have read his book have said that they feel like Dick was personally teaching them as they read. The award would be a fine cap on his long and distinguished career of teaching behavior analysis. __________________________ Gerald C. Mertens Department of Psychology St. Cloud State University St. Cloud, MN 56301 gmertens@stcloudstate.edu March 31, 2012 To Whom It May Concern: I have taught at St. Cloud State University in the Department of Psychology for 47 years. I have known Dick Malott for just about as long as I have taught here. I know of no person more deserving of a distinguished teacher award.” He has earned such an award on many grounds: I. PERSONAL “MENTOR-LIKE” CONTACT WITH DICK: Even though I am a few days older, and I have never been a student, or on the same faculty, with Dick, I have looked informally at Dick as a mentor. I have come to view his analysis of complex behaviors with a deep respect. He truly is a genius in his analysis of complex behavior. Even in those rare situations where I like my analysis better; I have learned to study closely his excellent, well thought through analysis, because he is usually correct. Even though I have never had him for a college class, he has, in my lifetime, been my most influential teacher. II. ONE ILLUSTATION OF DICK'S IMPORTANCE IN OUR FIELD: I have been given the credit for being the initiating stimulus, the “father of ABAI,” (Association of Behavior Analysis International) the professional group of interest in our area. Certainly in the analysis of the history of ABAI, Dick was the quickest reinforcer for my initiating a

suggested meeting of the people with this interest. He also filled the role of being the most important in keeping the initial effort going. III. MY PAST STUDENTS: In past years Dick has been a faculty advisor for a number of my students for their graduate work. All of these students have done very well under Dick's supervision, and all of these students have, in conversations with me, stated that the Malott educational experience in graduate school was most beneficial. IV. MY CURRENT STUDENTS: In some form or other, I have used all six editions of the current text Principles of Behavior (P of B). My students have received all six editions of the book with high praise. For a novel contribution to this letter, in the one class period I had available before the deadline for this material, I requested my students for comments about the text (P of B). I opted for two examples copied below. These are typical of student’s responses to all editions: “The text P of B has introduced me to the fundamentals of behavior analysis. Malott succeeds in making understandable the basic principles of behavior. The stories, diagrams and charts presented in the text appeal to the reader’s imagination and assist in provoking excitement while generating real interest in the topics of behavior analysis. The text has developed a high enough level of personal interest for me to continue my education and pursue a path in behavior analysis.” - Sipple, Brittany “My class uses Malott’s text, Principles of Behavior (6th edition), in a near biblical manner. Malott is able to take complex ideas and present them in a way that makes them more understandable. Through the use of fictional cases to present research from actual cases, as well as vocabulary broken down bit by bit, Malott can take a concept as complex as rule governed behavior and make it simpler to understand and learn.” - Anbro, Steven J. V. DICK AS AN “IN COGNITO” INSTRUCTOR IN ALL THE CLASSES I TEACH: I am the faculty of record, yes, I am the one who gets paid, but without Dick, my teaching job would have been much more difficult. Just a few samples of how he has done this: -Answering my emails, phone calls, and in person content questions as I encountered them over close to 47 years. -An excellent graduate advisor for many of my students. -Together we have conducted sessions at ABAI Convention where those attending the session shared teaching concepts involving his text P of B. -Over many years I have come to appreciate many of Dick's excellent students. One contact with his students I have enjoyed many times has been my interaction with Dick's classes in Kalamazoo over the years on the topic of a behavioral look at psychic events. -Using extensively the vast number of excellent articles and books he has written. -This list could go on for a long time, but most important he has been for nearly 47 years of college teaching a good friend, and a strong influence on my teaching content and methods. Peace, Gerald C. Mertens

___________________________ Joseph E. Morrow, Ph.D.,BCBA-D President, Applied Behavior Consultants Professor of Psychology and Behavior Analysis (Emeritus) California State University, Sacramento Licensed Psychologist, State of California JMorrow223@aol.com I would like to strongly support the Distinguished Teaching award for Dr. Richard Malott. I have known Richard for about 30 years. He is the teacher's teacher. His many texts and his continual striving to raise the skills of himself and others, are without par in academia. He has tailored his teaching to the level of understanding of the students. At the same time he has not dumbed down the level of conceptual knowledge he carefully brings out in his students. Many students have asked me over the years, “what course should I take?” I assert that it is not the course, but the teacher that one should be concerned with. I have used the analogy that “one should not bet on the horses but on the jockeys”. If one had consistently bet on Willie Shoemaker, the bettor would be rich. If one had taken courses form Richard Malott, they would be knowledge rich. I rate Richard as best among the best. ___________________ Travis I. Thompson, PhD I have no relationship with Western Michigan University Graduate Faculty Member Department of Educational Psychology University if Minnesota 2187 Ferris Lane Roseville, MN 55113 651-636 5466 thomp199@umn.edu I have known Dick Malott for many years and have observed him in a teaching capacity as a professor teaching at Western Michigan University during visits, and as visiting speaker at the University of Minnesota. In addition, I was fortunate to recruit several of his MA students to the doctoral program at the university of Minnesota, attesting to the quality of his training. He is one of the most innovative and dedicated university teachers I have known, distinguishing himself in his support for minority students seeking college and post-graduate education. There are few people in our field who exhibit comparable commitment to disadvantaged students, promoting their advancement into careers in applied behavior analysis. ___________________ Mary Jane Weiss, PhD Endicott College 732-932-3017 x158 mjinnj@gmail.com