Recipients of 2013 Board of Regents Staff Awards Announced
Adelphi,
Md. (Sept. 20, 2013)
-- University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents Chairman James L. Shea and
USM Chancellor William E. Kirwan honored winners of the 2013 USM Regents' Staff
Awards at a breakfast ceremony before today's board meeting at the University
of Maryland, College Park.
The
awards recognize staff members who have made exceptional contributions to their
organizations, students and the university community.
Award
winners are selected based on nominations and letters of support from
colleagues, culminating in a formal recommendation from the Council of
University System Staff, which provides non-faculty USM employees with a voice
in system governance.
Each
award carries a $1,000 prize, provided by the institutions and the University
System of Maryland Foundation.
The
following USM staff members were honored:
Regents'
Staff Award for Exceptional Contribution to the Institution or Unit
Exempt: Karyn
Schulz, University of Baltimore (UB). In addition to her regular duties as director
of the Center for Educational Access, Ms. Schulz is an integral part of the shared
governance process at UB, where she has emerged as a leader not just for staff but
the entire UB community. Through her
continued involvement on UB's Staff Senate as Parliamentarian and on the
Culture and Diversity Committee, Ms. Schulz serves as a role model for others
engaged in and interested in participating in shared governance.
Non-Exempt:
Susan Weininger, Towson University (TU). From helping students with
registration and graduation requirements to providing them with advice and
assistance, Susan Weininger is one of the most utilized-and most popular-assets
in Towson's Department of English. Whether counseling a student, fixing a
printer problem, or looking up information for a faculty member, she never
loses sight of the fact that the best interests of students is the heart of the
university's mission.
Regents' Staff Award for Outstanding Service to Students in an Academic or Residential
Environment
Exempt: Jeff Klupt, Towson University (TU). Mr. Klupt has worked as
the electronics technician for the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics
for 21 years, but his service extends far beyond his official duties. Faculty
and departments rely on his expertise to design, construct and maintain all
electrical and mechanical devices in classrooms and laboratories. He also
maintains the "smart" classroom systems.
And he can often be found helping a student write code for an experiment,
or simply providing advice.
Non-Exempt: Lois
Bennett, Frostburg University (FSU). As the administrative assistant for the
Programs Advancing Student Success office (PASS), the Disability Support
Services Office (DSS) and the Registrar's office, Ms. Bennett is in charge of
Federal Work Study Students for both the PASS and Tutoring Center offices. However,
she is much more. In her 28 years at Frostburg, Ms. Bennett has been a friend,
mentor, and supporter to hundreds of students.
Regents' Staff Award
for Extraordinary Public Service to the University or to the Greater Community
Exempt: Brenda Ali,
University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). In addition to her duties as assistant
to the director of the Institute for Genomic Sciences, Ms. Ali works with the
James McHenry Elementary/Middle School, located a few blocks from the UMB
BioPark. And while she provides numerous services, she is best known for the
annual Halloween event that the BioPark hosts each year for community children.
Her personal commitment to the school and to the greater community has made a real
difference.
Non-Exempt: Elsa Kerry-Grant,
University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP). Ms. Kerry-Grant is a tremendous advocate
for some of the lower paid workers on campus, especially those who speak English
as a second language. She works with them to improve their skills to find
pathways to promotions and higher-paying jobs. While this work was never part
of her official duties, her understanding of the special challenges recent
immigrants face compelled her to reach out and help others. She is also working toward her bachelor's
degree in management, and she is on track to graduate next December.
Regents' Staff Award
for Effectiveness and Efficiency
Exempt: Stephen
Kolb, Towson University. As energy manager for Towson University, Mr. Kolb designed
and implemented the campus-wide lighting system improvement and retrofit of
over 35,000 lighting fixtures and the installation of some 9,600 lighting
occupancy sensors across 35 academic, administrative, and auxiliary buildings.
This system is saving the university approximately $1 million in electricity
costs per year. He also spearheaded other energy-saving initiatives that have
garnered the university $400,000 in energy rebates from Towson's local utility.
The entire project reduces the university's lighting energy use by 40%, its
total electricity energy consumption by 15 percent and its carbon emissions by
nearly 10,000 tons.
Non-Exempt: Brenda Grodzicki, Salisbury Universit. Ms. Grodzicki brings a range of skills
to her position as business manager and copy editor editor for the Literature/Film Quarterly, an international publication housed at Salisbury
University and a critical tool for studies in literature and film. Ms. Grodzicki developed
and implemented a plan to increase revenues for the publication, renegotiating
long-standing contracts with several companies that distributed the journal
online and securing additional contracts that will save the journal more than $10,000 annually. This cost savings has provided the financial stability that
will ensure the continued publication of this valuable faculty resource.
Contact: Mike Lurie
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: mlurie@usmd.edu
