After 20+ years, all of these instructors are still teaching distance education classes for UW-Platteville, which is testimony to their belief that distance education is a worthwhile and needed form of education delivery.

STEVE BECKER, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTING
Steve Becker has been a professor of accounting in the Department of Business and Accounting at UW-Platteville since 1973. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from the University of Northern Iowa and a Master's degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Oregon.

Becker has diverse business experience in public accounting, industry, and education. He is a certified public accountant and consultant to clients in road construction, the community development block grant program, housing authorities with HUD and FMHA financing, other governmental units, not-for-profit organizations, and retail stores. Becker is a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the American Accounting Association.

Becker teaches ACCT 2010, Financial Accounting, and ACCT 3010, Advanced Accounting, for the undergraduate Business Administration program.

Becker estimates that he has taught more than 750 students at a distance over the last 25 years. He has witnessed the evolution of distance education at UW-Platteville and how technology has affected how he teaches distance education classes.

"The biggest change over the last 25 years has to be in how the assignments are submitted," says Becker. "Maybe 75 percent of the assignments now come to my e-mail each morning, which forces me to give them top priority and a fast turnaround."

Becker enjoys working with students at a distance and credits them as serious learners.

"I wish that my on-campus students were as dedicated as the distant students," says Becker. "My life would be easier."

F. GERALD BENCH, DEPARTMENT OF FINE ARTS
F. Gerald (Jerry) Bench joined the faculty of UW-Platteville in 1969. Before coming to UW-Platteville, he had successful teaching careers at the University of Utah and Weber State College (now Weber State University). Before teaching, he had been a commercial and educational broadcaster working with KSL Television in Salt Lake City, Utah; KOET educational television in Ogden, Utah; and producing and directing television for KUED-TV, Salt Lake City, Utah. He received a 1992 Telly Award as co-producer of a videotape chronicling the 125 year history of UW-Platteville. Bench has taught SPCH 1010, Public Speaking, at a distance for 20 years.

He received his B.A. from Brigham Young University and his M.S. from the University of Utah. He is a member of the Speech Communication Association and the Wisconsin Communication Association (serving as Executive Secretary of WCA from 1993-1995). In 1996, he was awarded the WCA service award in recognition of his service to the organization. He also served as a member of the University of Wisconsin System Speech Representatives Committee that brought together teachers from schools in the system to coordinate speech curriculum.

Bench says technology has greatly influenced how he teaches his distance education courses.

"Technology has brought the single biggest change in my approach to teaching Public Speaking for distance learning. The development of small camcorders at a reasonable price now makes it possible for students to submit their speeches on videotape, whereas in the early years audiotape was used," says Bench. "The Internet and email now make communication much easier and faster for both the answering of questions and the submission of written materials."

ROBERT FIDRYCH, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTING
Robert Fidrych is a professor of business administration and has been teaching for the Department of Business and Accounting at UW-Platteville since 1980. He received a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from the University of Connecticut; a Juris Doctor from Suffolk Law School, and a Master of Law from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

On campus, Fidrych has been involved with the UW-Platteville Faculty Senate Professional Development Committee, which is responsible for encouraging the continuous professional development of faculty.

Fidrych has taught BSAD 3140, Managerial Law, for the undergraduate Business Administration program since 1980.

STEVE KLEISATH, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTING
Steve Kleisath is a professor of business administration and has been teaching at UW-Platteville since 1980. He received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Penn State in 1964, a Master's of Industrial Psychology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1966, and a Doctorate in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University in 1993.

In addition to his teaching, Kleisath has co-authored and presented numerous papers on improved teaching techniques, teleconferencing, and various business topics. Kleisath is a member of the Academy of Management, Midwest Business Administration, and the North American Management Society (past president). He recently became a University of Wisconsin Teacher-Scholar recipient in recognition of his past teaching and teaching research.

Kleisath teaches BSAD 2330, Leadership and Management; BSAD 3530, Organizational Behavior; BSAD 4840, Business Policy; and BSAD 4940, Portfolio Development for the undergraduate Business Administration program.

He has seen his approach to teaching change over the last 25 years.

"My teaching philosophy has changed drastically over the last 25 years. I used to believe that the students who could do well on a memorization test were learning what I taught. Today I feel that students need to be able to apply and think through the material before they truly know the material. Thus I have moved from memorization exams to authentic assessment to evaluate learning," says Kleisath.

JAMIR UDDIN, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTING
Jamir Uddin has been a professor of accounting at UW-Platteville since 1977. He received his B.Com. from Dacca University (Bangladesh) and his M.S. and Ed.D. from Northern Illinois University.

Uddin has taught ACCT 3000, Accounting Issues for Managers (aka Managerial Accounting); ACCT 3230, Cost Accounting; and ACCT 3530, Budgets and Budgetary Control for the undergraduate Business Administration program since 1980.

Uddin believes that being understanding of his distance learning students' personal situations is crucial to their success.

"I try to remember that students usually are working 40 hours a week and they have family," says Uddin.

SCOTT WHITE, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTING
Scott White has taught at UW-Platteville since 1980. He has also taught at Wayne State College in Nebraska. He was chair of the UW-Platteville Department of Business from 1986 to 1994. He teaches business law, government regulation of business, and employment law. His research interests are in employment law and government regulation of business. He has written articles on labor law, discrimination in employment, and contract law.

White is a graduate of Creighton University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is admitted to the Nebraska and Wisconsin Bar Associations. He is also a member of the American Bar Association.

White has observed many changes in distance education over the last 25 years; however, he notes that some things never change.

"The students today are not much different than when I first started. Students still need the flexibility and personal touches of the UWP distance learning program," says White.

Like the other faculty, White appreciates how technology has enhanced his distance education classes.

"The use of email and online resources offers students a tremendous advantage compared with 20 years ago. Online sources of legal materials balance out the lack of a library for most of my students," says White.

All of the photos featured in this article were taken in the early eighties.