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Faculty Recognized at Annual Faculty Senate Kick-Off

10/04/2022

The annual Faculty Senate kick-off event brings together members of the faculty senate, the University administration, and trustees. Faculty were recognized for their commitment to shared governance and engaged scholarship and service. 

The event was led by the Faculty Senate president, Terry Tomazic, Ph.D.  Remarks were given by Tomazic, Joseph Conran, chair of the University Board of Trustees, and University President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D. 

Remarks were followed by the presentation of two awards.

John A. Slosar Shared Governance Award

Ruth Evans, Ph.D. (English) was awarded the John A. Slosar Shared Governance Award in honor of her contributions to advancing shared governance at SLU.  

"Dr. Evans has not only bent her energies toward manifold committees at the University level, contributing faculty oversight to University budgeting priorities and faculty affairs, but immensely increased the openness and transparency of the Senate and its proceedings through regular inclusion of full committee reports in electronic minutes and with a widely used process of publicly answering confidential letters sent to the Senate President," said Stacey Harris,  Ph.D who presented the award.

Dr. Norman A. White Award for Engaged Scholarship and Service

The award, named for Norman A White, Ph.D., who was highly respected as a scholar and community activist, is given to honor others at SLU whose work is similarly focused on engaged academic-community scholarship and focuses on improving systems and structures to improve equity.  

This year the award was given to two faculty who exemplify such work, Katie Heiden-Rootes, Ph.D., and Fred Rottnek, M.D., both from the SLU Department of Family and Community Medicine. 

”Both of this year's winners have long histories of engaged scholarship designed to address complex problems and lead to inclusive and equitable systems and practices," said As Michael Mancini, Ph.D., who presented the award. "The exemplary work of Dr. Heiden-Rootes has increased the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ youth and their families across the region. And Dr. Rottnek has dedicated his career to creating a healthcare workforce that is committed, competent and compassionate about helping patients recover from addiction. I know that I am not alone when I say that I am proud to be a colleague of these two amazing scholars."

The award committee is comprised of faculty members from across the University and includes Mancini (Chair), Sidney Watson, J.D.;  Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D.; Amber Johnson, Ph.D.; Kira Banks, Ph.D.; Tim Huffman, Ph.D.; Eddie Clark, Ph.D.; Lori Jones, Ph.D; Brian Downes, Ph.D; and Kerrin Kowach, J.D.