More than 80 University of Houston-Clear Lake faculty and staff were honored with service awards during the 31st Annual Faculty & Staff Awards Presentation in April. Pictured are (l to r) UH-Clear Lake President William A. Staples; Vice President of Administration and Finance Michelle Dotter; School of Human Sciences and Humanities Coordinator of Academic Advising and recipient of the Hugh P. Avery Prize – The President’s Distinguished Staff Service Award Ann Hinojosa; Professor of History and recipient of the President’s Distinguished Service Award Angela Howard; Professor of Literature and recipient of the President’s Distinguished Teaching Award Gretchen Mieszkowski; Professor of Philosophy and Educational Foundations and recipient of the President’s Distinguished Research Award Paul Wagner; and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Carl A. Stockton.

Celebrating service and dedication to the University of Houston-Clear Lake was the theme of the day on April 1 as the university’s administration, faculty and staff gathered together to recognize those who had earned 2009 services awards and UH-Clear Lake specialty awards.

During the celebration, 82 faculty and staff members received service awards, which were presented by UH-Clear Lake President William A. Staples, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Carl A. Stockton and Vice President for Administration and Finance Michelle Dotter.

As the service award recipients were announced, Staples explained a UH-Clear Lake tradition surrounding those who received 30-year Service Awards.

“Thirty-year awards are presented to individuals who joined UH-Clear Lake in 1978, in the university’s fifth year,” said Staples. “In keeping with a tradition begun in 2005 honoring 15 of UH-Clear Lake’s 30-year charter faculty, we will plant and dedicate a tree in honor of each of these individuals. Italian Cypress trees have been planted around the pond adjacent to Liberty Park, and a nameplate will be displayed in front of each tree, in recognition of each 30-year employee. In addition, a plaque describing the honor is displayed near the flagpoles.”

Eight members of the UH-Clear Lake faculty and staff who have retired or will be retiring during this fiscal year also were recognized during the program.

“The eight faculty and staff retirees recognized today represent more than 235 years of service to UH-Clear Lake!,” announced Staples.

A highlight of this program is the awarding of the 2009 Hugh P. Avery Prize—The President’s Distinguished Staff Service Award. The 2009 winner was Ann Hinojosa, coordinator of academic advising in the School of Human Sciences and Humanities.

“She has double responsibilities – first, to the academic programs and the university and all the myriad policies and regulations, and at the same time to the faculty and students,” said Staples. “Much of what we praise in her is how marvelously she manages the very difficult job of capably serving both the university and her faculty and student clientele. Her bright and tireless excellence in service of our university and school deserve recognition. We couldn’t ask for a more humane and comprehensively helpful individual in her position.”

Three UH-Clear Lake employees were recognized with 2009 Staff Merit Awards. They included Robert Hohmann, administrative secretary in the Office of Sponsored Programs; Katherine Justice, executive director of human resources and affirmative action in the Office of Human Resources; and David Rachita, assistant dean of student life in the Office of Student Life.

The 2009 President’s Distinguished Service Award was bestowed on Angela Howard, professor of History in the School of Human Sciences and Humanities. Paul A. Wagner, professor of philosophy and educational foundations in the School of Education, was the recipient of the President’s Distinguished Research Award and Gretchen Mieszkowski, professor of literature in the School of Human Sciences and Humanities, was the winner of the President’s Distinguished Teaching Award.

“It is particularly significant to note that faculty can be nominated only by their faculty colleagues – a procedure that itself proclaims that the individuals so honored are most highly regarded in their profession and among their peers,” said Staples.

For the first time, two awards were added to this annual ceremony: the Outstanding Lecturer Award and the Outstanding Adjunct Award. Krishani Abeysekera, lecturer/system administrator of computer science and computer information systems in the School of Science And Computer Engineering, was the recipient of the 2009 Outstanding Lecturer Award.

“Our award winner brings a level of enthusiasm, competence and professionalism crucial to the success of her students and the success of the School of Science and Computer Engineering’s computing programs,” explained Stockton. “She is also actively involved in the accreditation effort of the computer science and computer information systems programs, assisting in the critical learning assessment effort and participating in ABET (accrediting board for applied science, computing, engineering and technical education) workshops. She is also an alumnus, having received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UH-Clear Lake.”

The Outstanding Adjunct Award was presented to Kumar Peeris of the UH-Clear Lake School of Science and Computer Engineering.

“This award winner is also an alumnus of UH-Clear Lake, receiving both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from UH-Clear Lake,” said Stockton. “His academic performance was so exemplary that we hired him as an adjunct faculty member immediately after his graduation. He is so well respected that he has been entrusted to teach many computer science and computer information systems core courses usually taught by full-time faculty members.”

The ceremony concluded with Staples congratulating award winners and thanking all faculty and staff for their work to support the university.

During its 31st Annual Faculty & Staff Awards Presentation, University of Houston-Clear Lake administrators honored four staff members for outstanding achievements. Pictured (l to r) are UH-Clear Lake President William A. Staples; Vice President for Administration and Finance Michelle Dotter; Coordinator of Academic Advising and recipient of the Hugh P. Avery Prize – The Presidents Distinguished Staff Service Award Ann Hinojosa; Executive Director  of Human Resources and Merit Award recipient Katherine Justice; Office of Research Administration Administrative Secretary and Merit Award recipient Roberta Hohmann; and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Carl A. Stockton. Not pictured is Assistant Dean of Student Life and Merit Award recipient David Rachita.

Two new awards were added to the University of Houston-Clear Lake’s 31st Annual Faculty & Staff Awards Presentation held in April. Pictured are (l to r) UH-Clear Lake President William A. Staples; Lecturer/System Administrator of Computer Science and Computer Information Systems and 2009 Outstanding Lecturer Award recipient Krishani Abeysekera; School of Science and Computer Engineering adjunct professor and 2009 Outstanding Adjunct Award recipient Kumar Peeris; and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Carl A. Stockton.

Eight University of Houston-Clear Lake faculty and staff retirees were recognized during the recent Faculty & Staff Awards Presentation. Of the eight retirees, six attended the luncheon. Pictured (l to r) are Professor of Management Robert McGlashan; Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Psychology Howard Eisner; Professor of Reading and Language Arts Martha Dillner; Professor of Literature Gretchen Mieszkowski; Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost Executive Secretary Anna Lowery; and Interim Registrar and Director of Academic Records Janice Sauerwein. Those not able to attend include International and Cultural Program Director Ingeborg Hayes and School of Human Sciences and Humanities Secretary Elizabeth Sander. Four of those recognized were charter faculty having joined the university its first year including McGlashan, Eisner, Dillner and Mieszkowski.