Employees of the month

October: Ngondi Kamatuka
Unclassified employee of the month

Started at KU: Ngondi Kamatuka came to KU in 1981 as a graduate student and earned master’s and doctoral degrees in higher education. In 1987, he accepted an entry-level position as an academic services coordinator for the School of Education’s Upward Bound program.

Current title: Kamatuka is director of the school’s Educational Opportunity Programs, a group of federally funded projects that provide opportunities for economically and educationally disadvantaged people.

What that means: Thirteen projects now serve the university, the Topeka-to-Kansas City corridor and the state as a whole. Each year more than 3,000 students and their families benefit from Kamatuka’s leadership and his colleagues’ work.

Notable: Kamatuka is described as a positive, nurturing leader who hires the best staff and then provides avenues for exceptional training. He builds his staff’s confidence through regular mentoring and genuine trust. He sets high standards of behavior for himself, his staff and the clients the programs serve.

Recent feat: Last fall Kamatuka oversaw the submission of four Trio grant proposals within a one-month window. Submission of the proposals was in itself a monumental accomplishment. Even more impressive is that all four were funded for a four- to five-year period, at a total of more than $4.6 million.

October: Tammie Zordel
Classified employee of the month

Started at KU: Tammie Zordel came to KU in 1991 at the inception of the graduate program for clinical child psychology.

Current title: She is an administrative specialist who serves as the secretary for the graduate program.

What that means: Clinical child psychology is an interdepartmental program of the departments of psychology and of human development and family life, but it is separated physically and to some degree administratively from the departments. Zordel handles the regular duties associated with the professional responsibilities of four active professors and two part-time instructors.

Notable: Because of the location and size of the program she has assumed a wider range of duties than might be assigned to a staff member in a larger unit. She helps plan a biennial conference for more than 250 participants, monitors admissions applications (more than 100 each year), and responds to inquiries, arranges on-site visits for the top 20 applicants, and helps gather and maintain the data that the American Psychological Association requires for program accreditation.

Recent feat:If it appears that off-campus students may not enroll on time, Zordel makes extra efforts to contact them so they can avoid late fees and enrollment hassles. When bad weather interrupted interviews, Zordel made alternate arrangements for the applicants.

November: Paula Courtney
Unclassified employee of the month

Started at KU: Paula Courtney came to KU as a word processing typist I in the Department of History.

Current title: Twenty-five years and several promotions later, she is the director of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Word Processing Center in Wescoe Hall.

What that means: The center produces camera-ready copy for journals, newsletters, manuals, books, flyers, forms and certificates. Other services include file conversions, file transfers, document cleanup, fax services, typing and printing. Last year, Courtney and her staff prepared for publication 25 books, 16 pamphlets, one bibliography and one book of poetry. In addition, they completed other projects—six journals, newsletters for 22 departments, and a wide array of departmental forms, fliers, certificates and other materials.

Notable: Journal editors, who often have to contend with late submissions and pressing deadlines, particularly appreciate Courtney’s work.

Recent feat: Linda Schotts, office manager in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, said Courtney “has a special way with people when she helps them with her projects. What amazes many people is how she puts together every manuscript, program or text and makes it look so easy.”

November: Helen L. Carr
Classified employee of the month

Started at KU: Helen Carr began her KU career in September 1955 as a clerk III in Continuing Education.

Current title: For the past 28 years, she has been a mainstay of the Edwards Campus in Overland Park, where she is now a public service administrator I.

What that means: Carr has been responsible for Edwards Campus enrollment for many years. As the campus liaison to the university registrar, she is the main enrollment contact for 2,000 students and 250 faculty and advisers each semester. She is dedicated to the well-being of students, interacting with them on a daily basis to ensure that enrollment, fee payments and other related issues are in order.

Notable: Carr was on the staff of the Regents Center when it first opened its doors and has experienced firsthand both its growing pains and its triumphs. She is the institutional memory of the campus.

Recent feat:Over the years Carr has dealt with many versions of the enrollment process. She has adapted readily to the new software for the recent upgrade of the Enroll and Pay system, offered to be trained on all aspects of the system and has been a helpful troubleshooter. Recently she was asked to represent the Edwards Campus on a committee that is reviewing the Graduate School’s application process.