March 7, 2002

Buchholz

Schroeder

Buchholz, Schroeder win UAAD's honors

By Rachelle Setsodi for UAAD

The University Association for Administrative Development conferred awards on two of its members at its Annual Founders' Day Awards Luncheon Feb. 20.

Sally Buchholz received the Floyd S. Oldt Award for Exceptional Service to the University, and Mark Schroeder received the Carl A. Donaldson Award for Excellence in Management.

The Oldt award is given to a person who devotes significant time and energy in service to the university, shows creativity and innovation, and who unselfishly serves UAAD, his or her department and the community at large.

Buchholz directs the annual fund at the University Foundation. Before joining the foundation last fall, she had been a publications coordinator, assistant director of publications, manager of publications and photography, and interim director of public relations. One of her nominators said, "I couldn't have asked for a better employee hard working, dependable, committed, articulate, fair she always went the extra mile"

Other finalists for the award were Pat Amedeo, director of data entry; Mark Davis, academic adviser for the College of Business Administration; Mark Powell, assistant director of Intramural Sports at Campus Recreation; Pat Smith, payroll/data entry coordinator, IANR Finance and Personnel; Al Stark, manager of clientele services for IANR Communication & Information Technology; and Pat Tetreault, sexuality education coordinator, University Health Center.

The Donaldson Award recognizes excellence in management. Selection criteria include communication and conflict resolution skills, promotion of teamwork, and skills in planning, delegating and decision-making as well as commitment to professional development.

Schroeder is operations manager for biological systems engineering activities at the Agricultural Research and Development Center near Ithaca and the Rogers Memorial Farm. He is responsible for overall management of all agricultural duties at the 3,500-acre ARDC, a job that requires much coordination, planning and timing among a variety of individuals. One of his nominators said, "Mark is an innovative manager, a remarkable professional, and a notable contributor to the UNL community."

Other finalists for the Donaldson award were Amedeo and Kim Phelps, assistant vice chancellor for fiscal affairs.

Burke, Gillam earn University Kudos

Ron Burke and Belinda Gillam received the University Kudos Award at the Feb. 23 meeting of the NU Regents.

Burke (shown at right) is director of Housing Dining Services. With the university since 1991, Burke is responsible for all of Housing's everyday food services demands and assumes catering responsibilities for about 250 additional events each year. He supports food services for Learning Communities and summer conferences, from special events to award dinners, both on-site and off.

"Ron Burke is an asset not only to Housing Dining Services, but to the entire university. He is keenly interested in cost reduction measures while continuing to increase quality and variety within housing food services," his nominator said. "Over the past five years, because of Ron's initiatives, $2.5 million dollars have been saved in the purchase of food by contracting with a prime vendor."

Gillam (shown at left) is an accounting clerk III in Biological Systems Engineering. She has been with the university since 1984. She is responsible for input and update of records in the SAP program. She reviews and processes requests for requisitions and prepares biweekly payroll and time cards. She also prepares deposits and manages the petty cash funds. She processes and files PAF and PDF forms for personnel use and assists other departments in developing and maintaining accurate and functional record keeping systems.

"Besides her capacity to work hard and accurately, another attribute is Belinda's disposition. Belinda consistently exceeds her job description and is able to manage all of this with a smile and a positive attitude," her nominator said.

Zeleny named Marshall Fellow

Mike Zeleny, assistant vice chancellor for research, has been named one of 38 emerging American leaders from 16 states who was awarded Marshall Memorial Fellowships by the German Marshall Fund of the United States for intensive study tours of Europe in 2002.

The 2002 American Marshall Memorial Fellows will spend three weeks in Europe to gain a greater understanding of European institutions and societies, and to explore a host of European and trans-Atlantic economic, political and social issues. They will join 25 fellows originally scheduled to travel in October 2001 whose fall Fellowship programs were suspended in the aftermath of Sept. 11.

The 63 fellows will travel to Brussels, Belgium, for briefings on the European Union, NATO, and trans-Atlantic issues before splitting into smaller groups that will continue on to cities in other European countries. The groups will reunite in either Paris or Berlin at the end of the three weeks for final briefings and an evaluation session. This unique program combines one-on-one meetings, site visits, hands-on experiences and formal briefings to provide a variety of perspectives on key issues affecting Europe and the trans-Atlantic relationship. The three programs to Europe will take place Feb. 28-March 24, May 31-June 23, and Oct. 3-27, 2002.

GMF works closely with partners in nine U.S. cities to identify and select the Marshall Memorial Fellows through a nomination and application process.

The German Marshall Fund of the United States promotes collaboration between the United States and Europe in the spirit of the postwar Marshall Plan.

Former biochem head Klucas died Feb. 28

By Sandi Alswager, IANR CIT

Robert V. Klucas, former director of the Center for Biological Chemistry and head of the biochemistry department, died Feb. 28. He was 61.

Klucas provided administrative leadership for the multidisciplinary center, with headquarters at NU's Beadle Center, including faculty and students from the IANR and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Klucas was appointed head of the biochemistry department and director of the center in 1999 after filling those jobs for about three years on an interim basis. He left the posts because of illness.

Klucas spent much of his career researching biological nitrogen fixation, a process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms in legumes, such as soybeans, which would help farmers use less nitrogen fertilizer. His career at UNL began in 1969 as an assistant professor of biochemistry.

He had been a visiting professor at Oregon State University and a visiting scientist in Canberra, Australia. Klucas received his bachelor's degree from South Dakota State University and master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Klucas was born in Montevideo, Minn., on Oct. 19, 1940. He was a member of the American Society of Plant Physiologists, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and other professional groups.

Survivors include his wife, Carol; son and daughter-in-law, Pete and Gina, Lincoln; daughter, Gillian, Lincoln; brothers, Jim, San Angelo, Texas; Ron, Pierre, S.D.; sister, Pat Schulz, Watertown, S.D.; granddaughter, Sydney, Lincoln; nieces and nephews.

Memorials can be sent to Saint Elizabeth Hospice.

2 trees earn national status

By Andrea Fischer, IANR News and Publishing

Two Nebraska trees were named national champions by the American Forests' National Champion Tree Program.

Nebraska's state champion eastern cottonwood, southeast of Seward, was named national champion along with the reigning eastern cottonwood champion in Idaho. A dwarf chinkapin oak in Richardson County also was given national champion status, said Christine Meyer, University of Nebraska information and education specialist.

"Having two national champion trees is a huge accomplishment for the state," Meyer said. The national champion status identifies the trees as the largest of their species in the country, she said.

The Nebraska Champion Trees program nominates trees to the American Forests' Big Tree program for championship consideration after taking measurements.

The Nebraska Champion Trees program is designed to identify and recognize the largest living specimens of all native and the most common introduced tree species in Nebraska. More than 80 species are listed in the Nebraska Champion Tree Register. The Nebraska Champion Trees program uses rules of the American Forests' Big Tree program.