UNews - Barbara Williams

2013 President's Award recipients

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:57:24 +0000

Each year, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge presents the President's Award for Service Excellence Award recognizing exceptional service to the U of L and members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community. This year, the award is given to one AUPE staff member, one APO/Exempt Support Staff member and one team.

AUPE Recipient - Barbara Hodgson

Described as the "best-kept secret at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge," Barbara Hodgson has been the administrative support for the Department of Political Science and now fulfills that role for the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.

In her administrative support roles, Hodgson makes sure all the parts of a university department work together smoothly, and innovates to make things work better. Taking a genuine pride in her work, she strives for perfection, and has done so at the U of L for over 30 years.

Hodgson takes initiative to learn new skills and improve the operation of the department. She has developed new ways to efficiently organize information and make it easily available to those who need it. For example, she learned basic HTML and web development software to maintain departmental web pages. To aid in the completion of Professional Activities Reports, Hodgson created a collection of records of the department's teaching activities, broken down by course, year and instructor, which was invaluable to faculty members for completing these reports. In all her work she demonstrates excellent know-how, experience and sheer hard work, combined with an ability to connect with people.

Supportive beyond the call of duty, Hodgson strives to treat all she works with as individuals. She often attends undergraduate thesis presentations, helping and reassuring first-time presenters. Always friendly and courteous, she admires, respects, and cares for people, and helps to make the university a better place for those who work and study here.

With skill, dedication, and care, Barbara Hodgson has given exemplary service to faculty and students.

APO Recipient - Barbara Williams

Described as a "wonderful colleague and supervisor," Barbara Williams works hard to provide exemplary service to all the students who come to Counselling Services, inspiring and encouraging her colleagues to do the same.

Williams is completely dedicated to meeting the needs of students. Her focus is always on ensuring that students have access to the supports they need to be successful. She is committed to ensuring that all Counselling Services programming is accessible and targeted to areas of need. Under her leadership and encouragement, Counselling Services goes beyond individual counselling sessions to offer services that address the total well-being of students.

In the Counselling Services office, Williams has been dedicated to building and nurturing a strong and committed team. She has worked hard to select and retain diversely skilled professionals and to facilitate the teamwork required to serve the student population. A compassionate supervisor, she offers her staff opportunities for growth and supports their initiatives. She is also known as an extremely positive person who brings out the best in others.

Before Counselling Services, Williams spent many years in Recruitment & Student Life, where she played a significant part in growing the student population. When prospective students inquired about the U of L, Williams would ensure that everyone was well prepared to show off the strengths of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Among the initiatives she developed for recruitment was the Student for a Day program, which allows prospective students to come to the U of L campus for one day to tour the facilities and attend lectures in their areas of interest. This successful program is still running today.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is proud to recognize Barbara Williams for her enthusiasm, dedication and passionate support of student success.

Team Recipient

Pictured (back row L to R) are Diane Layng, Judy Westcott, Kim Selk and Tyler Hayward, (front row L to R) Greg Martin, Murielle Guitard, Fiona Randle and Jeanette Leusink.

The tireless efforts, commitment and expertise of the Printing Services team – Greg Martin, Tyler Hayward, Fiona Randle, Kim Selk, Judy Westcott, Murielle Guitard, Diane Layng and Jeanette Leusink – results in superb customer service and beautifully printed products.

The Printing Services team makes extra effort to help its customers meet their printing needs and deadlines. Whether by phone, e-mail, or in-person, the team guides its customers through the printing and copying process, helping resolve any issues or challenges. Even when faced with difficult, time-sensitive jobs, the team's response is "we'll take care of it, and call you when it's ready."

The group has never been late in delivering on a job, and is often done in advance of a deadline. The Printing Services team is tightly co-ordinated, working under intense deadlines with confidence and care.

The team consistently strives to offer an expanding array of products and services. In a world of changing technology, Printing Services does an outstanding job of keeping the U of L at the forefront. Its ongoing goal is to produce the best finished product at the most affordable cost.

On top of being an excellent service provider, the Printing Services team makes the effort to educate its customers in the field of printing. The team takes the time to discuss the file type, file quality, colour separations, paper type and weight, adding a "bleed" to a document, and so forth. They make the effort to advise on issues such as matching the needed paper quality and weight to the length of use of the publication. The team at Printing Services is always there to answer questions and guides its customers through the process.

Renowned for exceptional craft and friendly, high quality service, the staff of Printing Services excels in supporting the needs of campus.

This story first appeared in the May 2013 edition of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

A clear focus on students

trevor.kenney — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:45:25 +0000

There's no doubt you've heard the buzz about a student portal or seen the campus-wide campaign about a U of L learning commons and study centre, while just recently the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ broke ground on another student residence.

If there are common threads to these initiatives, it's that they embody the student-centred ideal that is embedded within the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Strategic Plan; an ideal that is articulated in part by the activities of the Recruitment & Retention Integrated Planning (RRIP) team.

In 2009, in response to a dramatic shortfall in student application numbers, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ wide Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) program was formed to create a competitive advantage in recruitment by collaborating and sharing resources across campus.

Members of the RRIP team, including (Back Row L to R) Steve Brodrick, Heather Mirau and Trevor Flexhaug. (Front Row L to R) Dan Kazakoff, Nicole Leusink, Alice Miller and Karen Clearwater.

"It was designed as a vehicle that would pull the faculties together to support and have a more structured approach to recruitment techniques," says Vice-President (Academic) and Provost Dr. Andy Hakin.

Recognizing that getting students in the door was only half the solution however, Hakin began thinking about how the institution could keep its new students. RRIP was subsequently created to compliment the work of SEM and to drive student retention initiatives.

"RRIP basically looks at how we need to support our students once SEM has done its work in bringing students to the U of L," says Hakin. "They ask the basic questions about the student experience, about how students get into the institution and what supports students use when they are here."

Karen Clearwater, the lead on the RRIP team, brought members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community together from a number of different areas of the institution.

"We did not necessarily want all unit managers, we looked at those people that work directly with students on a day-to-day basis or that have been directly involved in providing services to students," says Clearwater.

The team includes faculty members, APO's and AUPE membership and all have been very dedicated to the RRIP project. The team started its work with focus groups and unit presentations, as well as an environmental scan.

"We collected information from as many sources as we could," says Clearwater.

From the information compiled, certain subject themes took on greater priority than others. It was at that point Subject Matter Teams (SMT) were established. Currently 85 faculty, staff and students are working toward the completion of priority projects. Student leaders on campus have played a critical role in these SMTs.

"The whole process has taken a lot of time and we are pleased to see the results coming forward with some great initiatives," says Clearwater.

Student retention rates have long been an issue for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and the RRIP initiatives have been aimed directly at improving those numbers.

"The idea is that we have to change what we are doing in respect to the student experience, with the overall goal of reducing that attrition number," says Hakin. "But no success will be possible without maintaining the high quality of our academic programs."

Four major projects are currently in the works, all having been identified as priorities by RRIP. They include the establishment of a student portal, the move from paper to electronic applications for graduate studies, the establishment of a 24-hour study centre with a more robust tutoring and mentor service and the creation of an academic success centre which will house a number of student services. As well, the push for more student housing came through RRIP recommendations, something that will be realized with the construction of Aperture Park Phase 3.

"That was another major piece that came forward from that group," says Hakin. "They identified that we needed more residence spaces, and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
responded to that because we know that students who are supported in a student housing environment perform better and have a substantially improved retention rate."

Both SEM and RRIP are seen as ongoing initiatives.

"It's a continuous improvement vehicle," says Hakin. "It cannot be one or two projects and we're done, things need to keep improving in terms of how we support our students, how we interact with them and how we improve their academic experience at our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

GET THE FACTS

· For more information on the RRIP project, check out the website www.uleth.ca/recruitment-retention

· The RRIP team was established in 2010

· In addition to team sponsors Andy Hakin and Nancy Walker and project manager Karen Clearwater, the 10-person team consists of co-ordinator Heather Mirau, Steve Brodrick, Trevor Flexhaug, Dan Kazakoff, Carma Leishman, Nicole Leusink, Heidi MacDonald, Alice Miller, Chris Roberts and Barbara Williams

This story first appeared in the December 2011 issue of the Legend. If you'd like to see the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Honouring long service

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:24:26 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ held its annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony recently, honouring 116 employees who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service. A total of 23 retiring employees were also honoured.

Following is a list of honoured employees.

RETIREES

Art Aitken, Dayna Daniels, Richard Epp, Rex Forsyth, Eldon Gardner, Wolfgang Holzmann, Bill Hudgins, Joan Kendall, Leslie Lavers, Lucie Linhart, Gerald McConaghy, Linda McLeod, Ken Nicol, Seamus O'Shea, Doug Parker, Ramrattie Ramtej, Donna Seyed Mahmoud, Ches Skinner, Philippe Teillet, Linda Van Esch, Wendy Vogel, Nick Wade and Ian Wells

LONG SERVICE RECIPIENTS

40 Years | Maria Draper

35 Years | Chris Charles, Bryan Kolb, Peter McCormick and Gerda VanderFluit

30 Years | Jane Allan, Cheryl Calver, Dayna Daniels, Gayle Durand, Rex Forsyth, Laurel Hamilton, Jay Johnston, Linda Kucheran, Greg Martin, David Naylor, Shari Platt and Leanne Wehlage-Ellis

25 Years | Shamsul Alam, Lana Barton, Bryson Brown, Cathy Campbell, Patricia Chuchryk, Leslie Gatner, Allan Gergel, Nancy Grigg, Tyler Hayward, Mary Anne Hellinga, Wolfgang Holzmann, Bill Hudgins, Margaret Joblonkay, Kas Mazurek, Alice Miller, Richard Mrazek, Thomas Robinson, Doug Ross, Jadranka Smiljanec, Brian Sullivan, Richard Tedesco, David Townsend, Sandy Wiest and Joan Zimmer

20 Years | Patti-Jo Aiken, Linda Anderson, Roberto Aragon-Garcia, Jochen Bocksnick, Carl Budny, James Byrne, Peter Dibble, Deborah Grant, Bill Halma, Andrew Hurly, Janet Macdonald, Karen McCallum, Louise Miller, Al Mueller, Claudia Notzke, Sergio Pellis, Dwayne Pepin, Vern Peterson, Maria Quinteros, Kathy Schrage, Colleen Sullivan, Brian Titley, Donna Townley and Mark Walton

15 Years | Doug Berry, James Dobbie, Jackie Edwards, Lance Grigg,
Michelle Hogue, Marie Matkin, Ian McAdam, Gerald McConaghy, Chris Moroz, Jeff Oliver, Derek Peddle, Michael Perry, John Poulsen, William Ramp, Keith Roscoe, Elizabeth Schultz, Ivan Townshend and Kenneth Vos

10 Years | Louise Arsenault, Stella Baah, Brenda Bell, Donald Birchfield, Ryan Buckman, Jill Cassidy, Lorena deLange, Christopher Epplett, Margaret Forgie, Don Gill, Bill Glaister, Val Hill, Patricia Horrocks, Nancy Hosgood, Frank Huss, Deborah Jarvie, Helen Kelley, Carol Knibbs, Keith Knowles, Josh Korthuis, Christopher Kukucha, Greg Lacey, Corie Lazenby, Wayne Lippa, Karen Mahar, Jeremiah Merkl, Josephine Mills, Joy Morris, Chris Nicol, Chris Picken, Jeremy Pierson, Mike Pinder, Catharine Reader, Michael Robinson, Victor Rodych, Tammy Rogness, Mark Sabo, Robin Schafthuizen, Shelley Scott, Behnam Seyed Mahmoud, Gerry Ste. Marie, Robert Sutherland, William Tietz, Raquel Trillia, John von Heyking, Kevin Ward, Katherine Wasiak, Robert Williams, Barbara Williams, Jim Wishloff, Robert Wood and Jing Zhu

To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Counselling Services offers safe haven

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:37:33 +0000

When it comes to maintaining their physical health, people know where to turn. However, maintaining one's mental health may present unique challenges and it is important to know what resources are available to students on campus.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, through collaboration of the Counselling Services office and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Health Centre, has created a safe environment through which students can get the assistance they need.

"This is a trusting and nurturing place where you can refocus and get some balance to your life," Counselling Services Coordinator Barbara Williams says.

"If we can reach out to folks and make them realize that everyone, at some point in their lives, hits some kind of a bump. If you are unable, for whatever reason, to find your own way around it, then this is a safe and reasonable place for them to come for some help."

The Counselling Services office is celebrating its one-year anniversary in Turcotte Hall (TH218) and Williams and her staff could not be happier with the change in location. Previously located in the Registrar's Office, that site did not provide the privacy they so desperately need to help students feel comfortable when they are seeking assistance.

Williams describes the new office as a one-flow environment where students can come in, be discreetly directed to a counsellor and then leave through a separate entrance — all designed to build trust and honour privacy.

The months of January and February are typically difficult times for many students, Williams explains. For new students, the reality of their first post-secondary term has hit with the first set of grades. Some have found it difficult to adjust to the university lifestyle as the newness of the experience wears off. Combine that with the cold, dark days of winter and the post-Christmas lull and it can be a tough time.

"This is the point where they are really changing a lot about themselves and their environment," she says.

"They've been out there trying to implement some of the strategies that worked for them in high school and discovered they may not work for them anymore."

It is important students recognize when they need help — and that's before they hit a crisis point.

"You don't have to be in crisis to come here, in fact it's so much better if we can have students come to us when they are feeling a little stressed or that there is something that's not balanced in their life," says Williams. "It's much better if we can get them at that point because the strategies that we can help them incorporate into their lives will be much more preventative."

It is a team approach they use, one that reaches beyond the counselling office to the Health Centre where psychiatrist Dr. Wayne Edwards can also be utilized. Williams' team is well rounded and can deal with any issues that walk through the door.

"We are all mental health professionals but various members of our team come with different educational backgrounds and different clinical backgrounds so they are able to bring those strengths into our unit," she says. "That allows us to funnel our students to the counsellor who gives them the strongest support."

Allison Roest is one of those counsellors. She's quick to add that they do not do all the work, getting through a problem is a shared responsibility with the student.

"It's a collaborative process, it's not something we're going to do to them, we're going to work together with the student in order to find solutions to whatever is happening," Roest says.

What is important to remember, adds fellow counsellor Mark Slomp, is that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, rather it's just the opposite.

"We really see counselling as an empowering experience," he says.

GET THE FACTS

• The Counselling Services office sees more than 70 students per week, on average

• Counselling Services offers a variety of outreach programs and workshops, headed by Heather Rowland. The workshops are psychoeducational and Rowland says it can be a non-threatening way for students to engage in counselling services

• Counsellors Allison Roest and Mark Slomp teach a full-credit course in career development, available to all students through the Faculty of Education

• To make an appointment with a counsellor, contact the Counselling Services office at 403-317-2845

UNews - Barbara Williams

2013 President's Award recipients

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