Five SUNY New Paltz academic, professional and classified staff members have been honored with the Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence for the 2015-16 academic year:
- Salvatore Engel-Di Mauro, associate professor of geography
- Barry Lawless, plant utility engineer 2 in Facilities Operations
- Jim Lyons, print & mail services manager in the Office of Communication & Marketing
- Joel Mumper, senior programmer/analyst in the Department of Information Technology
- Lisa Sandick, program director of special events & sponsorships in the Office of Development & Alumni Relations
“We take great pride in the exceptional work of our faculty and staff, who care deeply for our students and the campus community,” said President Donald P. Christian. “This year’s honorees have accomplished much in dedicated service to the College, and we appreciate SUNY System’s recognition of their achievements. I congratulate each of them for the continued pursuit of excellence.”
The Awards are presented annually in seven categories: Faculty Service, Librarianship, Professional Service, Scholarship and Creative Activities, Teaching, Classified Service and Adjunct Teaching. The System-level honor acknowledges consistently superior professional achievement and the ongoing pursuit of excellence.
“The Chancellor’s Award for Excellence is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the many faculty across our university system who have gone above and beyond as they educate, mentor and conduct research alongside our students, as well as the staff whose service to SUNY is of the highest caliber,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients.”
In acknowledgment of their selection, the recipients will be presented with a certificate and a Chancellor’s Excellence Medallion at the College’s first faculty meeting or classified staff gathering of the fall 2016 semester, as well as a permanent stipend.
Salvatore Engel-Di Mauro, Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship & Creative Activities
Salvatore Engel-Di Mauro is an exceptional scholar whose reputation, nationally and internationally, is expanding with the publication of his latest book, Ecology, Soils, and the Left: An Eco-Social Approach. His acute understanding of feminist, socialist and critical theories, coupled with his grasp of natural science processes, his commitment to traditional field techniques and the use of empirical evidence, inform every aspect of his interdisciplinary research at the intersection of the physical and social sciences.
Engel-Di Mauro’s sustained record of research publications, conference presentations and successful grant applications make him an outstanding candidate for the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities. He is well deserving of the recognition that award will bring.
Barry Lawless, Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service
Barry Lawless celebrated his 30th anniversary at SUNY New Paltz earlier this year. During his career he has demonstrated an exemplary work ethic and dedicated service to the campus community, in positions including Maintenance Assistant, General Mechanic and his current position, Plant Utilities Engineer 2.
Lawless’s supervisor has stated that he is always willing to work overtime in response to emergencies, and that his expertise and professionalism have distinguished him among his peers. He has received several letters of commendation over the years from various campus departments thanking him and his staff for a job well done.
Jim Lyons, Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service
Jim Lyons has repeatedly demonstrated exemplary service to SUNY New Paltz since joining the College in 2004. Under his management, both the Print Shop and the Mailroom have evolved into extraordinarily efficient operations within the Office of Communication & Marketing, known around campus for providing expansive services and top-notch customer responsiveness.
Letters of support for Lyons’ nomination consistently describe him as an exemplary leader and a consummate professional who goes the extra mile to provide excellent service. He is repeatedly referred to as an individual with personal integrity who remains calm in any circumstance, continually seeks to improve operations and takes great pride in his work.
Joel Mumper, Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service
Since Joel Mumper joined the Department of Information Technology/Computer Services in 2005, colleagues across campus have come to rely on his expertise and his extraordinary programming skills. Mumper has demonstrated many times an affinity for creative problem solving, as he did when he led the College through an aggressive Banner implementation and the migration from our old degree-audit software to Degree Works; developed a multitude of innovative applications to augment Banner’s capabilities; and created complex new data processing tools to more effectively extract, analyze and learn from the information housed in Banner.
During a time of major change in higher education, exciting advancements in technology and tremendous growth in the College’s information needs, Joel Mumper has met each initiative with extraordinary analytical skills, great dedication and an unfailing can-do attitude, eagerly sharing his expertise in support of areas as diverse as financial aid, student admissions, records and registration, academic advising and institutional research.
Lisa Sandick, Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service
Lisa Sandick’s contributions to the New Paltz community, both on and off campus, have consistently garnered widespread praise and appreciation. As Program Director for Special Events and Sponsorships, Sandick oversees and executes multiple events ranging from roundtables, panel discussions and private VIP dinners to large-scale academic, cultural and fundraising events. She is also responsible for proactively cultivating relationships with businesses engaged in supporting the College through event sponsorships, an endeavor she pursues with admirable diligence and a positive attitude.
Sandick has repeatedly demonstrated her capacity to manage large and complex campus events with skill, care, grace and good humor, working with volunteers and staff from various offices across the campus, providing them with direction and inspiring them to do their best on behalf of students, parents, visitors, alumni and donors.
