A significant public event honoring Washington State University’s faculty and staff was a dream of WSU President V. Lane Rawlins. Now, that dream has become a reality with planning for the first “Celebrating Excellence: An Evening Honoring Our Faculty and Staff.” It will recognize the university’s top faculty and staff award winners, as well as newly tenured and promoted faculty.
“I especially want everyone in the university community to mark this date on their calendar and plan to attend,” said Rawlins of the banquet, set to begin 6 p.m. March 26, at the Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum.
“This promises to be an annual event honoring and recognizing some of the most accomplished community winners in a meaningful way,” said Rawlins, who will preside and present awards along with Provost Robert C. Bates.
The banquet is part of the second “World Class. Face to Face. Showcase” weekend, March 26-27. During the weekend, members of WSU advisory boards and volunteer groups will meet with Rawlins and other university leaders to help plan strategies for supporting WSU.
Rawlins said the banquet succeeds the Faculty Honors Convocation, held for the past three years, and the Employee Excellence Awards reception, ceremony and luncheon, held since 1990.
A campuswide survey showed faculty and staff preferred an evening event instead of the previous events, said Rawlins.
During the banquet, Fran McSweeney will be honored as the Eminent Faculty Award winner, recognizing her career-long excellence in contributions to her field and WSU’s academic community. Also honored will be Ken Casavant, who has been selected to deliver the annual Distinguished Faculty Address, the oldest faculty award at WSU.
Also honored will be staff members Maxine Andrews, Robert Force and Robert Hubner. They will receive the university’s top honors for staff, the President’s Employee Excellence Awards, recognizing creative and innovative problem-solving, efficiency and productivity, as well as contributions to an improved work environment.
Other honorees, to be named later this month, will be:
• those whose faculty rank has been elevated from full professor to Regents Professor, and those who have received tenure, been promoted and/or named distinguished professors or to endowed chairs.
• the faculty member receiving the Marian E. Smith Faculty Achievement Award, recognizing significant and meritorious achievement in teaching.
• the three faculty members receiving Sahlin Faculty Excellence Awards, one each honoring excellence in instruction; public service; and research, scholarship and arts.
Newly tenured and promoted faculty, award recipients and one guest each will be hosted by the university at the banquet.
Beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 27, a preview for high school juniors will be held as part of the Showcase weekend. During a campuswide open house, juniors and their parents will meet with WSU faculty, learn about university academic programs and take part in other activities.
Reservations for “Celebrating Excellence: An Evening Honoring Our Faculty and Staff” may be made via http://www.capps.wsu.edu/showcase or by phoning 335-3530. Tickets cost $25 each for WSU employees and their guests and $50 each for the public.
For more information, contact Tena Old, WSU Marketing Communications, 335-1467 or skeen@wsu.edu.