- April employees of the month Terrie Saunders, office specialist
with the chemistry department, and Patrick Emerson, computer
coordinator for Basic Studies in the Department of Art and Design,
were honored recently with surprise ceremonies.
- n Terrie Saunders, office specialist with the chemistry department,
was named the classified staff employee of the month for April.
Terrie has been a KU employee for more than 20 years and came
to the department eight years ago. At that time, she was a keyboard
operator III for the physical chemistry division, one of four
divisions in the department. She had duties in the front office
and was responsible for typing exams and manuscripts for members
of the division and for maintaining class grades.
As the size of the secretarial staff has decreased over the past
five years, Terrie has taken on many additional responsibilities.
She now types exams, copies exams for courses of 500 to 1,000
students, and maintains grades for chemistry, organic chemistry
and physical chemistry courses.
In October 1999, one of the two remaining secretaries resigned,
leaving Terrie as the only secretary in the front office. Because
of the hiring freeze, the position was not filled until mid-March.
Although two other staff members helped maintain the front office
during the interim, Terrie bore the brunt of the load for a department
that includes nearly 30 faculty and staff members.
"Terrie has been incredible in her capability to carry out
duties that should actually fall to two or more secretarial staff,"
said Kristin Bowman-James, professor and chair of the chemistry
department. "In the 25 years that I have been at KU, I have
not encountered any secretary with her qualifications and dedication,
and downright cheerfulness under pressure. We all feel fortunate
to have someone like Terrie in our departmental family."
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- n Patrick Emerson, unclassified non-teaching employee of
the month, came to KU as a student. In 1983 he joined Basic Studies
in the Department of Art and Design as a clerk III. As desktop
computers came into use, Patrick became the department's "go-to
guy" for computer questions, and in 1989 he became an unclassified
employee with the title of computer area coordinator.
He now oversees and maintains more than 150 computers and peripherals
in several PC, Mac, print and video labs in the Art and Design
Building. He also maintains the computers in faculty offices
and has served as a consultant to the fine arts dean on computer-related
issues.
When the department opened its first computer lab. Patrick offered
demonstrations and seminars on Saturdays for both faculty and
students. Several years later, he is still coming in on weekends
and evenings to solve problems and answer frantic pleas for help.
"He has managed to maintain control over the complexity
and growth of the 150 computers in the building today, and he
has done this with a smile and a positive attitude even when
he has been pushed to the breaking point," commented one
design professor. "He is admired by all of the faculty and
the many students who have been assisted and nurtured by his
patience and manners over the years."
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