��Ӱֱ��

Two members of ��Ӱֱ�� State College's staff were honored with the SUNY (State University of New York) Chancellor's Award for Excellence this spring. Those so honored were Deborah Claire, Arkport, senior programming analyst, Technology Services, who received her award for Professional Service, and Annette Burdett, Hornell, secretary, Physical and Health Sciences, who received her award for Classified Service.

Recipients were honored at the college's annual recognition luncheon held at the end of the spring semester.

The two are among more than 100 classroom teachers, librarians, professional and classified service employees in the SUNY system cited for excellence in the performance of their duties.

Announcement of the winners was made by SUNY officials who noted that the selection of recipients follows the recommendation by the SUNY Advisory Committee on Awards. The committee reviews nominations from the faculty, students, and colleagues of the recipients throughout the 64-campus system.

Each winner receives a cast bronze medallion, suitable to be worn at academic ceremonies, and an inscribed certificate.

The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service recognizes a member of the professional staff who has provided outstanding service to ��Ӱֱ�� State College and demonstrates excellence in professional activities beyond the job description.

Among Claire’s accomplishments, she was especially cited for her reputation for excellence across campus. Her exceptional work ethic, her ingenuity and creativity, and her significant contributions to the College were noted.

Her nomination further read, in part: “Deb serves as the Banner ‘go-to’ person for campus clients; she is responsible for the programming needs of a number of offices on campus and works with these offices to create or revise existing or outdated programs, often using Banner applications; she is responsible, in part, for the overall improvement of campus computer systems, including the design, implementation, and evaluation of the systems. In fulfilling these duties Deb must continually maintain and improve her own knowledge of major programming languages and operating systems.

“Deb’s incredible loyalty and work ethic make her a true leader on campus. A colleague of hers quotes well-known football coach Jimmy Johnson, who said, ‘The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.’ This colleague goes on to say that ‘Deb gives that little extra to make the extraordinary, ordinary,’ and points to Deb as someone who ‘leads by example.’”

The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service was established to give SUNY-wide recognition for superior performance and extraordinary achievement by employees in the Classified Service. These awards demonstrate SUNY’s commitment to individuals who provide superior service to its students and the community at large.

Burdett was cited for her “Excellence in Compassionate Service, Communication Service, Competent Service, Complex Service, Camaraderie Service, Confidential Service, ‘Can do’ Service, Consistent Service, Copious Service, Cooperative Service, “Crazy good” Service…and so on.

Burdett’s nomination read, in part: “Annette is one of the most efficient, organized, and knowledgeable people you will ever meet. In a typical moment of her busy day she will be on the phone with an upset parent, dealing with a difficult student questioning a schedule, and a faculty member requesting a software glitch clarification, all while working through a row of Post-Its of things to do and the e-mail from an online student with Blackboard and financial aid problems. Annette excels in this environment because she has a staggering grasp of and fluency with the myriad of college policies/procedures and administrative programs and software packages.

“This may sound like business as usual for a secretary, but it is the degree of passion and compassion she exhibits, especially with students. The environment she creates for students is pleasant and approachable, but she also requires them to be accountable. Her cheerful “can do” attitude and willingness to continually assist others is essential.”