James W. Vick, Ph.D.

At the heart of Jim Vick’s approach to teaching is a fundamental desire to connect with other people, to understand their ideas and concerns, and to use whatever knowledge and talent he has to help them discover new and fascinating things about the world around us. This can be traced to the influence of his parents who were both professors. His forty-three years on The University of Texas at Austin campus have included eleven years as associate dean and sixteen years as Vice President for Student Affairs, but they have not kept him out of the classroom.  The connections he has built with students have produced an extensive international network. This semester Dr. Vick is teaching two of his favorite courses: a large section of calculus, primarily for science and engineering students, and a special math class for the Plan II Honors Program.  The students are predominately freshmen, so he can stay in contact with them as they continue their work on campus.  In his free time, Dr. Vick enjoys traveling, cooking, playing tennis, and writing poems.  With his wife Niki, he has hiked extensively in the U.S., Europe, and South America.  He aspires to become a better banjo player and to write a second novel.