The Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering Department Personnel Committe has evaluated the materials that you have submitted for reappointment. I am pleased to inform you that the Committee recommends that you be reappointed to the rank of associate professor with tenure.

The Committee considers your teaching effectiveness to be very good. Over the past year, your teaching evaluations have improved substantially. Most students consider you to be an excellent teacher. You have successfully engaged students in your research, as demonstrated by the impressive number of undergraduate and graduate students that have completed independent study or thesis under your supervision. We particularly note the production of nine theses in the past three years.

The Committee considers your professional growth to be excellent. You have successfully obtained a major grant from the highly competitive Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which should continue to support your work in enhanced anaerobic digestion. In addition, in the past year, you have published five refereed journal papers in recognized journals, such as Chemosphere, Ozonde Science and Engineering, Water and Science Technology, and Hazardous Materials. The Committee observes that these accomplishments are a sure proof of scholarship and commends you on these efforts.

The Committee considers your service to be very good to excellent. Your involvement with the faculty searches in Environmental Engineering is commendable. In addition, you continue to be active in extramural service at the local and national level, as demonstrated by your membership on a National ASCE Technical Committee.

In summary, the Committee finds your teaching effectiveness to be very good, your professional growth to be excellent, and your service to be very good to excellent. The Committee congratulates you on your efforts and wishes you continued success in your academic endeavors.

You have the right to submit a response or rebuttal in writing to this letter of recommendation. If you choose to submit a written response, it must be delivered to the departmental office by October XX, 2011 using the response/rebuttal form available from the Faculty Affairs website (http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~facaff/newrtp.html)

Sincerely yours,

Victor M. Ponce

Chair, Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering Department Personnel Committee

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