CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Six academic professionals will receive 2010 Chancellor's Academic Professional Excellence awards at a reception April 1 at the I Hotel and Conference Center. Academic professionals perform a wide range of critical functions for the campus community and beyond. They provide critical administrative support, support research laboratories and educational programs, and offer important outreach programs throughout the state. Now in its 22nd year, the awards are intended to honor the accomplishments and contributions of individuals in this employment category.
Recipients are selected for work, personal and professional contributions. Each award winner receives $2,000 - a $1,000 increase in base salary and a $1,000 one-time budget increase for his/her department.
The CAPE recipients and a summary of their expertise, according to nominating documentation:
The 2010 recipients:
Angella L. Anderson, a disability specialist and text-conversion supervisor in the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services, works hard to provide students with print disabilities their course materials in accessible formats.
Many universities outsource text conversion or the video-captioning process, but Anderson has made it possible for her office to provide these services, saving the university thousands of dollars while providing equal access to disabled students.
She has reproduced graphics and Braille equations for a blind student taking calculus and converted foreign-language textbooks to French, German, Latin, Spanish and Swahili Braille as well as Arabic Braille, which uses a different alphabet.
Her job involves not only converting the materials, but also working with caseworkers to ensure that students are being supplied with the format that will best suit their individual needs, as well as with instructors to make sure students are receiving all the materials required for the course.
"Professionally, Anderson is recognized as an expert among her colleagues with her knowledge and experience working with accessible media technologies," said Karen L. Wold, learning disabilities specialist at DRES.
Anderson has been asked to be part of the AccessText Network, a collaboration with the largest publishers in the country in order to provide post-secondary colleges with electronic format books in a timely manner. In addition, Anderson is often invited to present at conferences regarding processes and procedures for both alternate-format books, as well as video captioning.
"As more and more academic content moves from hard copy to electronic media, Anderson is dealing with a moving target," wrote Mona Heath, deputy chief information officer. "In fact, the very nature of how students interact with course content is changing, necessitating a fundamental rethinking of how students with disabilities might access the content. Fortunately for the campus and our students, Anderson is up to the challenge and has shown the ability to simply find a way to make things work."
Maimouna Abdoulaye Barro, the associate director of curriculum at the Center for African Studies, provides innovative, collaborative, sustained curriculum on Africa as part of the UI's mission of excellence in international education. Her contributions continue to solidify the center's reputation as a leading authority on Africa locally, nationally and internationally.
Her daily tasks involve advising, teaching and working with graduate admissions. She has revitalized a popular 200-level introductory course in African studies for undergraduate students and has developed an online version of the course to reach audiences elsewhere in the state and nation.
Barro was instrumental in expanding the center's academic programs, helping establish a joint degree with the Graduate School of Library and Information Science and a graduate minor in African studies.
Barro also is involved in the task of reapplying to the U.S. Department of Education for the Title VI grant for the center. She has been writing key sections of this document as well as assuming the leadership role in data collection and assembly and helping to provide vision for the center's future programming. "Her contributions to ensuring that Illinois remain a federally funded area center is critical," wrote LAS associate dean Ann Mester in a letter of support.
"In spite of her increased responsibilities during the past four years at the center, Barro has not only excelled in a demanding position, but she has continued her own research," said Merle Bowen, a professor of political science affiliated with the Center for African Studies, in a letter of nomination.
"Although she is not a tenure-track faculty member, Dr. Barro engages in activities that one expects of faculty members," wrote Violet J. Harris, a professor and associate dean in the College of Education. "Her peers in other ethnic, gender and international studies programs respect her knowledge, professionalism and ability to interact with widely differing personalities for the greater good of the intellectual community. We are lucky to have someone of her caliber toiling to maintain the academic rigor that is associated with the university."
Kimberly Collins, a clinical psychologist and the assistant director of academic disability support services in the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services, has contributed significantly to the enhancement of educational access and opportunities for students with learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, brain injury and psychological disabilities.
"Through her efforts to enact, validate and disseminate post-secondary best practices for supporting these students, she has not only improved support for students at Illinois, but also at other institutions endeavoring to replicate her innovations on their campuses," said DRES director Brad Hedrick in his letter of nomination.
Since joining DRES in 1999, Collins has successfully increased the depth and scope of services provided to students with cognitive and psychological disabilities. She worked collaboratively with staff members of the Counseling Center and McKinley Mental Health Clinic to develop an innovative screening and neuropsychological assessment protocol that, in combination with academic coaching, individual therapy and support groups, has significantly improved the retention and graduation rates of students at risk of failing as a result of their disabilities not being diagnosed or not being accommodated.
She led the effort to develop an innovative transitional program to better prepare students with disabilities matriculating to the UI. In partnership with the Illinois departments of clinical and counseling psychology, as well as the Illinois School Psychologist Association, she added practicum students and interns to provide academic coaching services and to coordinate support groups for her students.
"She has helped students, faculty and administrators alike better understand these disorders and learn how accommodations can make it possible for all students to achieve their full potential," said Tanya M. Gallagher, the dean of the College of Applied Health Sciences.
"As a direct result of her vision and leadership," Hedrick said, "the UI is rapidly becoming as well known and heralded for its exemplary support for students with cognitive and psychological disabilities as it has been for nearly six decades in serving the needs of students with severe physical disabilities."
Danny R. Erickson, training coordinator in the National Soybean Research Laboratory in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, specializes in soybean outreach and education. He promotes dynamic processing and utilization techniques that enhance the knowledge and skill level of many audiences.
"Erickson's vast understanding of soybeans, along with a hands-on approach to helping others learn methods, procedures and practices, has positively impacted students, private industry, government agencies and humanitarian organizations," said Bridget Owen, NSRL, in her nomination letter. "Over his distinguished 30-year career, Erickson has trained more than 5,000 people about soybeans and the many uses of soybeans as food, fuel and as a functional ingredient that is a high quality, complete protein."
He has been instrumental in the development of the new biodiesel curriculum and production kit that made its debut at the 2009 National FFA Convention in October. The new curriculum encourages evaluation of the economic and environmental benefits of using bioenergy and is used in conjunction with a production kit that lets students produce fuel from raw soybean oil in the classroom or laboratory.
He also established a larger biodiesel production facility in the NSRL Pilot Plant. Private industry as well as soybean organizations use the facility to test techniques, experiment with processes and fine-tune alternative bioenergy sources.
Erickson also made significant contributions to the establishment of the National Soy Dairy Training Center where he serves as the senior training specialist.
He is the resident expert on SoyCows, which are processing systems that can grind and cook whole soybeans that are then made into soy milk, tofu, yogurt and other soy foods. SoyCows are well suited for developing countries as they produce protein-rich nutrition for people who are lactose-intolerant or where traditional dairy products are unavailable or expensive. He has installed SoyCows around the world and trained local staff to operate and maintain them.
"He has been called a soybean ambassador because he is able to transfer his enthusiasm to others, including students, international visitors and colleagues in the College of ACES," said Karl Weingartner, the director of INTSOY (International Soybean Program) in NSRL.
Mary Ellen O'Shaughnessey, executive assistant dean in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, has a 30-year record of contributing to fundamental improvements in the quality of the campus community.
"Mary Ellen has served in organizations focusing on students and she has worked in units designed to support academics," wrote C.K. Gunsalus, coordinator of undergraduate education in the College of Business. "She's been in administrative units and in service units. She's supported victims of sexual assault, counseled students with eating disorders, investigated grievances, guided appointments and solved problems in human resources. Mary Ellen has been one of a handful of 'go-to and get-the-right answer' people for scores of people over many years."
"She will not be shy to point out the emperor has no clothes," wrote Bill Riley, associate vice chancellor and dean of students (retired). "... and then willingly agree to assist the emperor as the chairperson of the task group to create a better kingdom. She is at once a continuing critic of 'the system' and a tireless volunteer to make the system as fair and sound as it can become."
She has led a number of teams in such efforts related to sexual orientation, sexual harassment, equity, multicultural education, invidious discrimination, leadership development, child care and others in student affairs and academic affairs. "She is not afraid to lead and yet is very skilled at serving as a member of a team," Riley wrote. "... The campus has benefited greatly in its development of policy and procedures with Mary Ellen's contributions."
"At every stage of her work here," Gunsalus wrote, "she has focused on the goals and aspirations of the larger organization. In recognition of her expertise, commitment and dedication to the university's mission, (campus) leaders have for decades singled her out with special assignments to help make this a better university. Few people can match her record in fundamental improvements in the quality of our campus community."
Dr. Robert D. Palinkas is the director of
McKinley Health Center, which provides ambulatory medical services and prevention education to students and medical expertise to campus leadership.
"Our vision is to be the (health)-care provider of choice, an integral part of the university's educational mission, and a recognized leader in collegiate health," wrote Dr. David P. Lawrance, a staff physician and the medical director at McKinley, in a letter of support. "Dr. Palinkas followed the mission and the vision and has transformed the building, the practice and us."
During the past eight years, he has worked to make McKinley a quality medical care facility and a good place to work. Toward that end, he has been a pioneer in the development of the electronic medical records system. Part of that system allows students to set up appointments online. In addition, he supervised the remodeling and renovation of McKinley, which improved the flow of traffic, medical care, medical records storage and retrieval, and all operations of the health center. He also established a system of primary care so students may select their own physician. In addition, he sees patients, serving as the center's infectious disease and tropical disease consultant.
During the past year, the H1N1 outbreak was especially difficult, but Dr. Palinkas rose to the challenge in a remarkable way, wrote vice chancellor for student affairs Renee Romano in her nomination letter.
Palinkas and his staff were proactive in preparing for an outbreak, setting up a separate flu clinic at McKinley so that H1N1 patients would not interact with other patients. He worked with Academic Affairs to adopt a policy encouraging sick students to leave campus to minimize the risk of an outbreak, collaborated with Housing to identify space that could be used to isolate students unable to leave campus, and worked with the Office of the Dean of Students to make sure that students received assistance when missing classes or exams. And, he kept the campus and community advised and informed.
"He is an incredible asset to the University of Illinois and to the health and wellness of our students," wrote Romano. "He meets the challenges of serving the health-care needs of 42,000 students in a way that educates and empowers them throughout their lifetime."
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