Applause Awardees-2003

• January-Linda Rossiter (view nomination)
• February-Ron Jones (view nomination)
• March-Linda Luedtke (view nomination)
• April-Sue Hart (view nomination)
• May-Gregg Frey (view nomination)
• June-Luanne Anderson (view nomination)
• July-Laura Hanzl (view nomination)
• August-Corie Dolphens (view nomination)
• September-Dee Bitenieks (view nomination)
• October-Lori Anderson (view nomination)
• November-Julie Nearman (view nomination)

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November - Julie Nearman

Receiving eight nominations, our Applause awardee for the month of November is Julie Nearman. As her nominations state, "Julie Nearman has worked in the Arts and Sciences Advising Center for a little over a year and during that time she has made a big difference in Center operations. She has updated and revamped our Procedures notebook, assumed responsibility for the Student Adviser training and staff meetings, and improved overall office communications. In addition, she has worked with the other advisers in the office to develop workshops and handouts for pre-professional students. She is continually looking for ways to improve what the Center does and how it serves students. Finally, she is well respected by the student advisers who work for her, her co-workers, and the students she advises. Indeed, the Student Advisers think so highly of her performance that they initiated the effort to nominate Julie for the Applause Award... [Their nominations follow.]

" She has an exceptional rapport with the students whom she works with. In the last month, Julie has gone beyond the call of duty. She has assumed responsibilities of our former receptionist and of the professional adviser who is on maternity leave until January... She has done a fantastic job meeting with all the staff to insure that office working is going smoothly, and if not, she does her best to accomodate the needs of students and staff alike... Not only has she managed to complete the duties; but she has done so during the busiest time of the year, priority registration, and she makes it seem simple on a daily basis... Beyond her amazing abilities and dedication to getting the job done and done very well, Julie is the most approachable and sincere supervisor I have ever had. She inspires those around her to do their part as best they can while working more as a partner than a boss. Julie is not only the glue, but also the foundation that holds our office, and especially our student staff together...

" Many students that I get to speak with have nothing but high praise for the job she does here... The first day I came to work in the Advising Center, Julie handed me a card with a sunflower on it to welcome me to the office. Since that day, I have come to appreciate these gestures, including birthday cards, cookies, and other treats that I believe help to keep the Arts & Sciences Advising Center a welcoming environment. Her door is always open to advisers and students alike, not simply because she likes to hear the office bustle, but because she genuinely thinks of the Advising Center staff as a team... She truly makes our working community a better place!... you find Julie, with back-to-back appointments and a line of people knocking on her door. Yet, in spite of the enhanced demands on her time, Julie manages to maintain a superb employee-supervisor relationship. She continues to be approachable, sympathetic, and understanding. Julie Nearman deserves the Applause Award for her outstanding service to the students of the Arts and Sciences College and her dedication to being a great supervisor...

" I am continually amazed at all Julie is able to accomplish on any given day. The amount of effort she puts in to every single task astounds me--I wonder how she has time to do it all! And among all that she does, she still will put it aside to answer any questions or listen to any comments anyone might have. I can honestly say that Julie is one of the main reasons why I am so happy to work at the Advising Center..."

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October - Lori Anderson

Receiving 11 nominations, Lori Anderson from the A&S Publications Office is our Applause awardee for October. As her nominations say, "When we hired Lori in 1996, she began immediately to implement a plan to streamline the design elements of publications in the College of Arts and Sciences. In undertaking this effort she worked with people at all levels in the College - students, other staff members, faculty and administrators - and has always treated these "clients" with professionalism and respect. Lori is very conscientious and also very creative, consistently producing high-quality design work. She feels strongly about doing her work well and with care, always trying to make sure the client achieves the desired goal with its publications... These circumstances can create great deal of pressure, which Lori handles with professionalism and not a little humor. In fact, Lori's playfulness and sense of humor not only helps her to stay on track, but it often helps her co-workers deal with the stress of juggling multiple projects. But doing the job she was assigned isn't enough for Lori. She is always ready to learn new things - such as new graphic design software, or web design techniques - that are important to staying up-to-date for her own and for her clients' sake...

I am one of the few people remaining in the Dean's Office who can attest to what the image of the College was like before Lori was hired. Publications were very bland and 'vanilla,' almost archaic looking. There was no real Arts & Sciences identifier and the 'look' of departmental publications were as mixed and diversified as the departments themselves... Lori single-handedly changed the appearance of publications in the college and was intimately involved in the creation of the "Columns" logo for Arts & Sciences...

In her quiet, competent, and fun way, Lori has effectively promoted the on-goings of the College of Arts and Sciences... Whether we need her to take photos for various events or prepare the layout of our department alumni newsletter, Lori is always available and performs her job with the utmost professionalism. Her keen insight and experience enable her to make suggestions that make us look better! On paper and in person, Lori is a gem to work with...

Lori manages the publications office and oversees multiple projects often with extremely tight deadlines while remaining always willing to take on additional tasks, attend college events, help out in the dean's office, or lend an ear to a coworker. The college greatly benefits from her professional and leadership skills as well as her energetic and caring personality... I never hear her complaining! She appears to truly enjoy her work and is a joy to have in our office. We know that publications designed and produced through the work of our publications office are complete, accurate, and interesting. Lori is competent, dependable and a pleasure to work with... Every office needs a Lori...

Her creations are visually striking, but never to the point that they distract from the content. I have often received compliments on the design of materials associated with my projects, and I have had to explain that it was not I who deserved the credit, but Lori Anderson... She respects the individuality of the 20+ departments and programs with whom she works while simultaneously achieving an overall College "look" AND maintaining university-wide design standards. No easy task. And certainly not least, Lori is responsible for the very graphic identity of APPLAUSE itself. In addition, each month she faithfully joins the "prize patrol" and works behind the scenes to plan the APPLAUSE annual appreciation event... Lori captures the moment for every Applause awardee with her digital camera and also assists in organizing the annual Applause event and Holiday Celebration... The College and University, our program in particular, have benefitted a great deal from her activities and efforts...

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September - Dee Bitenieks

Our Applause awardee for September received an incredible FOURTEEN nominations from her associates in the Department of Chemistry, far too many to quote here. The highlights of her nominations say, "Dee Bitenieks has worked at the University of Nebraska since 1986. Dee became the Recruiting Secretary in the Department of Chemistry in 1996. She assists with the recruitment and admissions process for prospective domestic graduate students... Employees like Dee are invaluable, but often taken for granted. She is very knowledgeable, reliable, punctual, and courteous to others... she makes people feel welcomed and at ease. She is a co-worker you can depend on, and go to for assistance. She makes coming to work pleasant...

Dee manages all of our domestic graduate recruiting and all PAFs for graduate students. Dee has worked her heart out to make sure all the paperwork for graduate student pay is done properly, timely and everyone will get paid. No small feat considering the number of graduate students we have in Chemistry... Besides her regular assigned duties, Dee is always willing to take on additional projects/tasks when others need assistance. In fact, she volunteers without being asked, when she sees a co-worker could use help with a project... I know that she had many other things that needed her attention, but she made sure that I got the help I needed ...

It is always difficult to 'break in' a new supervisor, but Dee has been very patient in helping me to learn what I need to know to do my job. She is always very helpful in explaining how things are done and alerting me to things that otherwise would have slipped through the cracks. She is quick to complete projects, always exceeding my expectations...

Without her hard work and dedication, I would not have chosen UNL, especially since she was the first face I saw when I came for my interviews! Dee deserves the APPLAUSE Award! Thanks for recognizing one of UNL's special assets... She deserves not just an applause, but a standing ovation... "

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August - Corie Dolphens

Our awardee for August is Corie Dolphens from the Department of Anthropology and Geography. As her SIX nominations say, "This is a newly merged department and Corie has handled the difficult issues of join[ing] personnel, budgets, and course scheduling, together with a myriad of daily complications, with skill, imagination, and good humor. She also managed the physical task of putting two departments together in the same space with a combination of ability and good attitude. That our department is funtionning well is in no small degree the result of Corie Dolphens' accomplishments... Corie did an outstanding job, while still running the day-to-day departmental operations in a department which was still new to her. One of the qualities I most admire in Corie is her integrity. She is always approachable and goes the extra mile to seek out answers if she doesn’t know an answer to a question...

Corie has been an inspiration to all faculty, staff and students in our department. She puts in countless hours, always making the extra effort to finish deadlines or helping us finish ours! Corie is also of a very sweet demeanor. She is always smiling and full of advice and aid... She is a truly wonderful woman working in a sometimes thankless job. We truly appreciate her here and hope that we can do this one small task to show a bit of our gratitude!...

When I first started at UNL, Corie volunteered to help me understand the many paper trails and responsibilities that went with my job, even though we weren't in the same department. In doing so, not only was she very patient and kind, but she also added her sense of humor to the mix to put me at ease. Corie has an excellent grasp of her job duties,to be sure. Beyond that, she takes the initiative to give consideration to possible ways to make things more efficient and/or better. She is a true asset to the university, a top-notch co-worker, and an outstanding person... She is prompt, professional and thoughtful and we are very grateful for her work, effort and creativity ... she is more than just a great secretary. She not only does everything anyone asks of her, but she is always in a good mood and has time to talk whenever I see her. She makes the department a very nice place to work and study."

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July - Laura Hanzl

Our Applause awardee for July is Laura Hanzl , the College Recruitment Coordinator. One of Laura's duties is to guide the Arts & Sciences Student Ambassadors and her nominations came from them. As her nominations state, "Laura Hanzl besides being one of the most amazing people I have ever met, goes far and beyond the call of duty. She does a great job at going that extra mile with her Arts and Sciences Ambassadors. Laura has coffee with us, makes us hot chocolatte whenever we are in her office, is always willing to write us a letter of recommendation, and will even go to campus events with us such as choir concerts or meetings like FCA. Laura is a true role model and I have looked up to her since I first met her at LeaderShape my freshmen year... this college and University is extremely lucky to have someone like Laura on their staff... She has a smile for everyone, and her attitude towards life is amazing.... she makes prospective students feel welcome at this large university and probably helps them make their decision to attend. As a College Student Ambassador, I see Laura interact with students and parents on Red Letter Days and other special events with prospective students. Laura does a great job in her role as recruitment coordinator for the college..."

 

 

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June - Luanne Anderson

Our Applause awardee for June is Luanne Anderson in Modern Languages. As her nominations say "LuAnne Anderson has been with us for three years since coming over from Registration and Records. She has brought a spirit of efficiency and good cheer to the Business Manager's Office. LuAnne has dealt with financial uncertainty in a calm and professional manner, drafting countless enrollment and budget projections which have helped our department enormously in dealing with the current situation.

LuAnne is extremely competent and personable. She has an excellent working relationship with University administration and with each member of our Department. She diligently attends to every inquiry, has time for everyone, and sees both the big and the small picture. We are extremely fortunate to have her...

The job that LuAnne was hired includes two very important tasks--scheduling of classes and taking care of the accounts for the entire department. Both of the duties require an enormous amount of planning for the future after studying the patterns from the past years. She has to be constantly providing data on the budget situation and advising the Chair on issues concerning the enrollment figures for various courses with the need for hiring temporary instructors for uncovered classes. She has to take care of the salaries and reimbursement for work-related expenses for everyone, from the newest graduate student to the senior most professor. She has to work with everyone in the department from the moment he/she is hired and be aware of each one’s employment and advise him/her accurately...

The faculty was happy to meet a cheerful, patient, hardworking individual when LuAnne took over the job. She is never in a hurry. She always takes her time to double-check her calculations. She never is shy to ask someone more experienced than her when faced with problems. What I admire in her was that, if she did make a mistake, she admitted to it without hesitation.... She makes it easy to work with her, as she very unobtrusively, but responsibly points out problem areas. She is devoted to the job she is doing... Her position is key to the smooth functioning of the department. I am glad that we hired LuAnne Anderson and I would like to give her an APPLAUSE award to recognize our indebtedness to her..."

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May - Gregg Frey

We received EIGHT nominations for our May Applause Awardee, Gregg Frey. As his nominations say, "Gregg has been the driving force behind the Tech Support department in the Dean's Office which has become a model of sorts for the way departments should be run. The positive attitude that he maintains while managing the department is truly inspiring. Gregg is a wealth of information when it comes to needing something from one of the many different areas on campus to get the job accomplished, whether it be "who do I call to do..." or "what do you know about ..." or one of many other requests for information. I know that the Tech Support department would not be what it is today if not for Gregg...

" Gregg combines customer service and technical expertise. He is extremely dependable and efficient. Gregg often goes out of his way to lend assistance and contributes greatly to the competence and professionalism of the tech staff in the Dean's Office... I know that Gregg will know what to do or who to contact for assistance. His office is quick to answer our computer needs and his employees admire him and count him as a friend. Gregg is a professional... Gregg is always very helpful with IT problems and questions. He deals with issues quickly and professionally. He is dependable and courteous and in other ways extremely helpful... Gregg is always available. He makes one feel that whatever trivial question or problem you have is his highest priority! He answers every request promptly, professionally, and completely. And while he is trouble shooting, he is also teaching so that I feel more comfortable trying to fix whatever... Gregg is the greatest -- a tremendous asset to the Dean's Office and is deserving of every praise available... He is a good boss, he lets us do our job and doesn't micro-manage but he is always there when we need him...

" Gregg Frey is a reliable and dedicated worker, who does his job with competence and without complaint. In all my dealings with him, he always has shown a cheerful willingness to stop whatever he was doing to take care of my problem. I know that my requests often have been inconvenient for him. I also know that I tend to think my own problem is the most important one in the college at the time. Still, Gregg never objects, never asks me to wait, or to come back at a later time. He truly is one of the easiest persons with whom to work that I have dealt with in the entire college. In addition, the quality of his work is consistently outstanding. He always manages to diagnose my computer problems quickly and come up with a suitable solution. Gregg Frey clearly is a valuable member of the UNL community and highly deserving of this award..."

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April - Sue Hart

With a phenomenal SEVEN nominations from the Department of English, our Applause awardee for April is Sue Hart . As her nominations say, "Sue is the "nerve center" of the department, handling many requests from students and faculty throughout each day, distributing the mail, and routing telephone inquiries to the appropriate person. Her days are full and very busy, but she never complains...not even when the Prairie Schooner receives hundreds of packages in one day in response to its Writing Award contest... We didn't even have to ask her--she VOLUNTEERED! She is one of the main reasons the unforseen positive response to the book contest was a triumph...and not a disaster.

" Everyone receives such attention from Sue. She also helps students and visitors who ask where a classroom is located, who need faculty information, etc. She assists other staff members and goes beyond her duties by cleaning up the office, cleaning up after faculty functions, setting up for meetings, and updating the calendar on monthly activities for the whole department. The traffic coming in and out of the department of English is consistently busy and I often wonder how Sue can carry on throughout the day with such grace. But she does... The best way a member of the department has descibed her, to my recollection, is that she does her job with a lot of heart...

" Whether it be a student, a parent, a visiting scholar, the faculty, or a delivery person, Sue meets everyone at her desk with a smile, and more importantly, she finds solutions to their questions, directs them to the right resource or person, even tracks down their lost and found items. In many ways, the success of the English department is directly linked to the work of Sue Hart. She is incredibly patient and helpful to everyone. She brings a cheerfulness and enthusiasm to her job. Her smile is contagious, as is her ability to focus on the task at hand, even in the midst of frequently chaotic periods in the semester, especially the first few weeks of any given semester...

'The manner in which she handles and helps demanding, disoriented, disorganized and even disgruntled students, parents, and faculty is simply extraordinary. She has a seemingly inordinate supply of patience, and is able to put a face on a large complex department - a face of compassion and diligence, competency and collegiality. Sue Hart is a gem. "

 

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March - Linda Luedtke

Our Applause awardee for the month of March is Linda Luedtke in the Dean's Office. As her nomination states, "She is a gem who's sheen glows brighter each day. Linda is in her second year in Arts and Sciences, although she has served the University since 1994. Since Linda's first day in the Dean's Office her responsibilities have been evolving. She has encountered transitions in our own administrative staff (deans and associate deans), as well as changes in the university's policies, procedures and financial systems. She has been asked to serve as "Recorder" for a number of college/university organizations. She has superb organizational skills and is a adept at keeping those she supports in an organized state as well. Linda's value to the college and university is immeasurable...

Arts & Sciences Business Support Group: Linda records, publishes and works with our web specialist to post the minutes of this college business staff support group who meets regularly to discuss common objectives, problems and training issues. She assists in scheduling, arranging meeting locations, and handling any special needs of the group.

Business Manager Council: Linda records, publishes and works with our web specialist to post the minutes of this UNL organization of business managers who meet monthly to discuss policy and systemic issues.

Business Oversight - Human Resources (Academic) Committee: Linda serves as the recorder for this offshoot of the Business Manager Council. This group is identifying, breaking down, and documenting step-by-step business processes for various academic human resource activities. Linda not only holds the chief responsibility for recording this information to an Access database, she also provides insightful input based on current and previous work experiences. Again Linda assists in scheduling, arranges meeting locations, and handles any special needs of the group.

Arts & Sciences Applause Liaison: Linda provides support to Dave Howe, Asst. Dean in arranging and handling the many details involved in the presentation of the Applause Awards in the college. She employs great tact and confidentiality in carrying out her responsibilities.

Offer Letter Routing and Support: Linda has enhanced a system for routing and tracking each and every offer letter which requires Dean/SVCAA signature(s). There are a number of individuals in the Dean's office involved in the review and approval of such letters and Linda insures that these letters receive highest priority and follows up to avoid any unnecessary hold ups. She is a vital link to the department, apprising them when the letter is ready to be picked up or if there are any problems.

SAP: Linda works closely with the staff of the Arts & Sciences Publications office to record and bill for their services. She has responsibility for entering these charges in to SAP. She also provides back-up support for various other SAP financial transactions required of the Dean's Office.

General Office Support: Not only does Linda routinely provide the above services to the college and university, she also provides individual support to two Deans and is a key member of the administrative support team which is the back bone of the Dean's Office.

Linda has a very pleasant, upbeat personality and does an excellent job representing the College and Dean's Office in all that she does. Without a doubt, Linda deserves a great deal of APPLAUSE!"

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February - Ron Jones

Our Applause awardee for February is Ron Jones, Animal Care Manager for Biological Sciences. As his nominations say, "Ron has been with the School for over 34 years, working long hours supervising and providing constant seven day care for city campus animal room facilities. Ron has spent those 34 years, cleaning, feeding and maintaining the room by working different schedules, supervising an assistant and student workers so that the animals and rooms meet all the govermental regulations along with the appropriate animal care requested by the faculty/staff who use the facility... He can be all business in the management role as a supervisor and facilitator but has a sociable and pleasant personality. He manages to meet all he comes in contact with a smile and still maintains the commitment for the animals he has taken care of over the years...

"Because of his attention to detail and his dedication, we are able to go about our work, ordering and using animals with little attention to their day to day care. This speaks to the magnitude of Ron's significance. As a member of the UNL-Animal Care Committee, I participate in facility inspections twice a year. When we schedule these, various members of the committee invariably state how pleasant it is to inspect Manter Hall, because Ron does such a great job with animal facilities. The facilities are always neat, clean, and the animals are well cared for. This is the definition of Ron's job, and yet, without his level of care, many courses and research labs would and could be shut down by IACUC. This award would mean a lot to all of us who tend to forget that Ron is toiling away down there in the basement with the rats, mice and birds...

"His responsibilities require him to come in at least once every weekend, which he does without complaint. He is also the most accommodating employee I have encountered at the university. Too often we hear no when we ask someone to do something out of the ordinary. That has never been the case with Ron. He will do whatever we ask him to ensure the experimental animals are maintained in a way that will maximize the probability of our research success, even if this includes learning to do something he has not done previously. As a result, the care and maintenance of the animal room in Biological Sciences is a real selling point when we are trying to recruit new faculty. Recognition of Ron with an Applause Award for a job well done is long overdue."

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January - Linda Rossiter

Our Applause awardee for January is Linda Rossiter. As her nominations say "As administrative assistant in the English department, Linda Rossiter embodies the very best of our department. She is the quintessential professional AND the humanist extraordinaire, a woman of keen mind, quick wit, enormous grace, and--always--great, great kindness...

[She} is the quintessential professional in managing the department's financial books: she sees we're all paid on time; she manages project funds, large and small; she assists in preparing budgets for grant applications; she helps guide us through the university's accounting systems. Linda Rossiter knows--REALLY knows--the endless details of these accounts; she maintains the order that is critical to everything else....

She conveys to all of us that this is a good place to be--right here, in this department in the University of Nebraska. She remembers when a parent is ailing, she knows the graduate student who has just had a baby, and she is there to help with whatever she might. I know first-hand the grace with which she helps prepare a budget for a grant submission, when I've felt respect for her knowledge and gratitude for her personality. She has never--not once in all these years -- conveyed a sense of being put upon by the endless questions & requests that come to her...

In her role as assistant to the chair Linda handles sophisticated and confidential personnel matters. She has also helped create a half dozen Self Studies over the years for various chairs. Her judgement is superb, her skill always expanding. She is simply the best kind of employee UNL could have among its staff...

Linda Rossiter plays a large part in making the English department a great place to work. Always sunny, helpful and creative, she is a forward-looking leader and mentor who combines high-level administrative and technical skills with a caring attitude... Linda also contributes to the life of the College of Arts and Sciences and UNL as a whole. She is active in the Arts and Sciences Business Support Group and, during the last three years alone, has also served on UNL's parking services committee and the Campus Rec board... her ability to see the 'big picture' is quite an asset when making procedural changes or brainstorming new policies. She is long overdue for an Applause Award..."