Academic staff honored for excellence

For their outstanding work in leadership, public service, research and teaching, seven university professionals have been honored with the 2004 Academic Staff Excellence Awards.

Winners were recognized by the Academic Staff Assembly on April 12 and will attend a chancellor’s reception Thursday, April 15.

Awards carry $2,500 stipends, except the Award for Excellence in Teaching which carries a $5,000 stipend.

Lynn Edlefson
Wisconsin Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Leadership

In the six years Edlefson has been on campus, her leadership has changed child care at the university and touched more than 350 families who use the services.

Ultimately, Edlefson, campus child-care coordinator, has created expanded services for infants and toddlers, and helped the university live up to its stated mission for child-care centers: that the campus will provide quality child care for faculty, staff and students, and educational opportunities through research.

Edlefson has begun to address chronic problems with child care, and brought infant care to campus.

“Lynn has been active and successful in both identifying the needs of parents who are part of the university community and also in generating the resources to bring her ideas to fruition,” writes Seth Pollak, assistant professor of psychology.

Martha (Meg) E. Gaines
Robert Heideman Award for Excellence in Public Service

As an associate clinical professor in the Law School, Gaines’ career is distinguished by her advocacy for individuals who are disadvantaged in various systems. Her commitment to advocacy helped save her life, and now she is fighting for others.

Gaines received the prognosis for a short life in 1994 after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer that spread to her liver. Gaines, along with friends and family, fought hard to find the health care that saved her life.

Realizing that most people did not have access to the care she received, Gaines created the Center for Patient Partnerships, which ensures successful health care by advocating for cancer patients and their families, and by promoting partnerships among patients and health-care providers.

“Her story is remarkable as she was able to act as her own advocate in a system which does not provide patients much power,” writes Bruce Wampold, professor of counseling psychology. “Her efforts are tireless, but more importantly, incredibly effective. I am continually and profoundly awed by her dedication.”

Joan Houston Hall
Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research

That the Dictionary of American Regional English has long been recognized nationally and internationally as the definitive reference work on American English is due in large part to Hall, senior scientist in the Department of English. She has served as the dictionary’s chief editor since the death in 2000 of founding editor Frederic G. Cassidy.

Since her career with DARE began in 1975, Hall has raised millions of dollars in grants to support the project. She has also provided the intellectual leadership necessary to keep a large staff on task. DARE’s staff of 11 academic and classified staff members functions efficiently because of Hall’s abilities as a leader, and, she says, because of their shared goal of reaching the letter Z.

“Hall has been hugely instrumental in the success of the Dictionary of American Regional English,” writes Susan Friedman, chair of the English Department. “She has, in fact, provided the leadership and knowledge that has made the dictionary the outstanding achievement that it is.”

Catherine Meschievitz
Wisconsin Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Leadership

The ability to see to the heart of an issue and present recommendations for change in a thoughtful way is a rare talent. Couple that with a deep understanding of people, policy and procedure, and you have a leader. Meschievitz has consistently demonstrated her leadership skills, taking on new responsibilities and challenges as the Office of International Studies and Programs, which she joined in 1990, evolved into the Division of International Studies and established the International Institute in 1996.

Meschievitz is known for her excellent rapport with people, an ability to listen and respond, and for her organizational leadership. Now associate dean in the Division of International Studies and associate director of the International Institute, she advances the interdisciplinary nature of international studies by using her keen understanding of the university’s organization to create collaborations across campus.

“Cathy is efficient in analyzing and solving problems, and her solutions are as practical as they are productive,” writes Klaus Berghahn, director of the Center for German and European Studies, a program of the International Institute.

Kathleen Schell
Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research

The Flow Cytometry Core Facility at the UW Comprehensive Cancer Center has grown from a small, local tool to a campuswide resource, thanks to Schell’s leadership and vision. As the facility’s technical supervisor since 1996, Schell has overseen cutting-edge applications in chromosome sorting, rare event detection, cell chemistry, immunological characterization and cell kinetics for more than 100 principal investigators on campus.

In 2001, Schell wrote a National Cancer Institute grant that provided $400,000 to purchase a new high-speed sorter for the facility. Buying the sorter was only part of the accomplishment; using it wisely and productively was equally important. Schell shared her training on the equipment, demonstrating the important formal and informal instructional role she plays for the more than 200 postdocs, graduate students, research technical staff members and principal investigators who use the facility.

“Kathy has provided an exceptionally high level of research support, insight and tireless guidance to a wide array of researchers on campus,” writes Paul J. Bertics, professor of biomolecular chemistry.

Ronald Troxel
Chancellor’s Hilldale Award for Excellence in Teaching

A sensitivity to students’ different religious faiths, well-organized lectures and skillful use of technology to advance teaching have earned rave student evaluations for Troxel, a senior lecturer with the Department of Hebrew and Semitic Studies. He also plays an important role with the Religious Studies Program, which cross lists most of his courses.

Troxel personifies the Religious Studies Program for students who have come to appreciate his teaching ability when they take a course on Jewish or Christian scripture. Subsequently, many enroll in another of his offerings, and some eventually earn a religious studies major or certificate. Besides teaching his complement of courses, Troxel regularly oversees several students who are completing their senior research projects for the major each semester.

“Though Dr. Troxel presents extremely difficult material at times, he strives for everyone to understand,” says a letter of support from about 20 students. “He is consistent in his method to provide students with several forms of class material, including visual aids in lectures, helpful readings, encouraging student study groups for exams and his comprehensive lectures.”

Connie L. Wilson
Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Service to the University

Working mostly behind the scenes, Wilson, the budget and personnel director of the Office of the Dean of Students, has advocated for student services for most of her more than 30-year career at UW–Madison.

Wilson’s greatest contribution may be her professional and personal commitment to improve the availability, quality and affordability of child care on campus. Wilson has motivated and encouraged faculty, staff and students to initiate large-scale programs to support child care for students and employees.

She also has nurtured the Dean of Students Crisis Loan Fund and cultivated ongoing donations to enable it to continue providing short-term financial support to students who are experiencing life emergencies.

Wilson has guided students and administrators through enormous growth in student governance involvement in segregated fee allocation. She has helped generations of students navigate the fee-allocation process and has interpreted and enforced fiscal policies, which is not always a pleasant task.

“Her accessibility to students to assist them with navigating the institution and understanding policy and financial considerations is commendable apart from all the other work she does as chief budget and personnel officer,” writes E. Alison Rice, director of Student Government Programs and Staff.