Category: Employee News

Rodriguez wins first place in sports features in Texas Managing Editors

OLLU Senior Writer/Media Relations Manager Ken Rodriguez won first place in sports features in the annual Texas Managing Editors Awards competition.

Writing in the 2A division for the San Antonio Report, Rodriguez won for a piece published on Aug. 23 about former San Antonio Spurs star Sean Elliott marking the 24th anniversary of a kidney transplant.

The judges commented, “The story is rich in detail, draws you in with vivid storytelling and effectively weaves in some of the author’s personal experiences with a medical emergency and Elliott as a young prospect.”

The story can be seen here: 

Sean Elliott’s brother gave him a kidney 24 years ago. They still celebrate the life-saving gift.

Rodriguez also won first place in sports features last year for a story about the secret philanthropy of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

Priority deadline today for Adelante Training proposals

The university is excited to announce a call for presentation proposals for the 2024 OLLU Adelante Training and Development Conference, taking place on May 22 and 23. Sponsored by Staff Assembly, the conference will focus on training and development for OLLU employees working in roles outside of the classroom. All concurrent presentation sessions will take place on May 22 and will include a hybrid option for Houston and RGV participation. All employees are welcome.  

Submit a Presentation Proposal Here 

Priority deadline for proposal submission is today, Monday April 22.  

Employees are encouraged to develop proposals for presentations that will share information, advance learning opportunities, and support professional growth for our OLLU community.  


Proposed Conference Agenda 

Wednesday, May 22

8:30-9:00 Breakfast 

9:00-9:10 Opening and Prayer 

9:10-9:20 President Welcome Address  

9:30-10:15 Keynote

10:30-11:15 Concurrent Sessions 

11:30-12:15 Concurrent Sessions  

12:15-1:15 Lunch on Your Own  

1:15-2:00 Concurrent Sessions  

2:15-3:00 Concurrent Sessions  

3:15-4:00 Synergy Session  

4:15-5:00 Social  

Thursday, May 23

Employees will have an opportunity to participate in one of the following half-day trainings:
All trainings are tentative, and will be confirmed by May 1, 2024


Half-Day Training Topics:

  • Accessibility Zone
  • Dream Zone
  • Wellness and Self Care

For questions about the proposal submission process or conference, please contact Mary Scotka at mscotka@ollusa.edu or Staff Assembly Leadership at sac@ollusa.edu

Ten professors earn promotions, attain tenure

Congratulations to the following faculty: 

• Leda Barnett, PhD, Political Science, attained Tenure
• Maria Cabaniss, MSLS, Library, was promoted to Associate Professor
• Vanessa Clark, PhD,  Computer Information Systems and Security, was promoted to Professor
• Alegnta Felleke PhD, Social Work, was promoted to Associate Professor
• Yvette Lozano, M.A., Communication Sciences and Disorders, was promoted to Clinical Professor
• Ezequiel Pena, PhD, Psychology, was promoted to Professor
• Octavio Quintanilla, PhD, English, attained Tenure
• Carlos Ramos, PhD, Psychology, attained Tenure and was promoted to Associate Professor
• Rosa Robledo, MA, Communication Sciences and Disorders, was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor
• Wallace Sanborn, PhD, English, attained Tenure.

Adelante Training and Development Conference issues call for proposals

The university is excited to announce a call for presentation proposals for the 2024 OLLU Adelante Training and Development Conference, taking place on May 22 and 23. Sponsored by Staff Assembly, the conference will focus on training and development for OLLU employees working in roles outside of the classroom. All concurrent presentation sessions will take place on May 22 and will include a hybrid option for Houston and RGV participation. All employees are welcome.  

Submit a Presentation Proposal Here 

Priority deadline for proposal submission is Monday, April 22.  

Employees are encouraged to develop proposals for presentations that will share information, advance learning opportunities, and support professional growth for our OLLU community.  


Proposed Conference Agenda 

Wednesday, May 22

8:30-9:00 Breakfast 

9:00-9:10 Opening and Prayer 

9:10-9:20 President Welcome Address  

9:30-10:15 Keynote

10:30-11:15 Concurrent Sessions 

11:30-12:15 Concurrent Sessions  

12:15-1:15 Lunch on Your Own  

1:15-2:00 Concurrent Sessions  

2:15-3:00 Concurrent Sessions  

3:15-4:00 Synergy Session  

4:15-5:00 Social  

Thursday, May 23

Employees will have an opportunity to participate in one of the following half-day trainings:
All trainings are tentative, and will be confirmed by May 1, 2024


Half-Day Training Topics:

  • Accessibility Zone
  • Dream Zone
  • Wellness and Self Care

For questions about the proposal submission process or conference, please contact Mary Scotka at mscotka@ollusa.edu or Staff Assembly Leadership at sac@ollusa.edu

Second annual Dean of Academics Celebration set for Wednesday

The second annual Dean of Academics Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity will be held on Wednesday at 4 p.m. on the second floor of the Sueltenfuss Library.

The event is a platform for esteemed faculty to showcase their research, creative projects, grants, and awards, all within the last 12 months. 

This year’s presentations will follow a dynamic format with a 5-minute limit, encouraging presenters to embody the B-IDEA principle: Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility.

Heavy appetizers will be served.   

The event concludes at 6:30 p.m.

Deadline Wednesday for Staff and Faculty Awards nominations

Nominations for the annual Staff and Faculty Awards must be received by Wednesday. Selected recipients will receive recognition and a monetary award during the Staff and Faculty Appreciation Awards Dinner on April 18 in Chapel Auditorium (more details to come).

Our Lady of the Lake University encourages the recognition of performance excellence and high achievement. Each year, a member of the OLLU staff and a member of the OLLU faculty are selected by a committee to receive the Sister Jane Ann Slater Leadership Award. The award recognizes individuals who have had a positive impact on the university by building unity and community through their generosity of spirit and heart, exceptional leadership, enthusiasm, respect, and optimism.

Eligibility:

  • All full-time and part-time staff and faculty members are eligible for this award.
  • Previous award winners are not eligible for nomination.
  • All OLLU community members (staff, faculty, students, trustees, and alumni) are welcome to submit nominations.
  • Nominees must be in good standing with the university.

One staff member will be selected for each of the four awards listed below: 

  • The Rosemary Saenz Award for Customer Service recognizes a person that has understood, throughout the past year, that the work of the University needs willing hands and is the type of person that you think of when you need help, even when it is outside of their department or area of expertise. They provide excellent customer service to all constituencies.
  • The Rosemary Saenz Award for Staff Excellence honors such individuals, whose work, this year, shines just a bit brighter and who serve as shining examples of how to reach even greater heights. In particular, he/she is conscientious in performing his or her duties and continually met or exceeded his or her goals. He/she is accountable to one another, as well as to the University as a whole. During the past year, the candidate has consistently exceeded the expectations of the position, performing at a level above and beyond the normal job requirements and expectations.
  • The Robert Davis Award for Service to Students is given to a staff member who has gone beyond the call of duty in service to the students. Robert “Bubba” Davis exemplified caring, dedication, and support for service to students at Our Lady of the Lake University at a level that goes beyond normal expectations. Robert would always find the time and made himself available to help a student whether it be to register the student for classes or answer questions about their degree program or graduation status or other concerns. Robert was a student advocate and mentor, and it was important to see a student be successful and graduate.
  • The Robert Davis Award for Community Building recognizes the importance of teamwork for OLLU, goals of customer satisfaction, and employee harmony. The award is given to a staff member who participates in community building across divisions and departments. This person should exemplify the spirit of thanksgiving for the contributions that every OLLU job makes toward the whole well being of the University. Robert “Bubba” Davis led several efforts in support for staff morale initiatives, which helped employees cross the threshold from being just an eight-to-five employee to really being part of the OLLU family. Through attitude and action, he thought that having fun and social support are important for a happy employee environment.

Eligibility:

  • OLLU staff employees must have completed three years of full-time or half-time employment, through March 1, to be eligible for consideration.
  • Only staff employees who are in good standing with the University will be eligible for consideration. The selection committee chair will verify that the employee is in good standing with the multiple departments in which staff have employee or business transactions.
  • Additionally, the employee should not have received a written warning, initiated through the Human Resources Office, during the recognition year.
  • Recipients of the Rose Mary Saenz Award or Robert Davis Award within the last three years are ineligible to receive any of the Rose Mary Saenz or Robert Davis Awards this year.

Second annual Dean of Academics Celebration set for March 27

The second annual Dean of Academics Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity will be held on March 27 at 4 p.m. on the second floor of the Sueltenfuss Library.

The event is a platform for esteemed faculty to showcase their research, creative projects, grants, and awards, all within the last 12 months. 

This year’s presentations will follow a dynamic format with a 5-minute limit, encouraging presenters to embody the B-IDEA principle: Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility.

Heavy appetizers will be served. The event concludes at 6:30 p.m.

Nominations sought for annual Staff and Faculty Awards

The award descriptions and full eligibility criteria are available on the submission forms below. The nomination forms are different for each of the five awards. Please refer to each one for the specific criteria.

Nomination forms are submitted electronically and must be received by Wednesday, March 27. Selected recipients will receive recognition and a monetary award during the Staff and Faculty Appreciation Awards Dinner on April 18 in Chapel Auditorium (more details to come).

Our Lady of the Lake University encourages the recognition of performance excellence and high achievement. Each year, a member of the OLLU staff and a member of the OLLU faculty are selected by a committee to receive the Sister Jane Ann Slater Leadership Award. The award recognizes individuals who have had a positive impact on the university by building unity and community through their generosity of spirit and heart, exceptional leadership, enthusiasm, respect, and optimism.

Eligibility:

  • All full-time and part-time staff and faculty members are eligible for this award.
  • Previous award winners are not eligible for nomination.
  • All OLLU community members (staff, faculty, students, trustees, and alumni) are welcome to submit nominations.
  • Nominees must be in good standing with the university.

One staff member will be selected for each of the four awards listed below: 

  • The Rosemary Saenz Award for Customer Service recognizes a person that has understood, throughout the past year, that the work of the University needs willing hands and is the type of person that you think of when you need help, even when it is outside of their department or area of expertise. They provide excellent customer service to all constituencies.
  • The Rosemary Saenz Award for Staff Excellence honors such individuals, whose work, this year, shines just a bit brighter and who serve as shining examples of how to reach even greater heights. In particular, he/she is conscientious in performing his or her duties and continually met or exceeded his or her goals. He/she is accountable to one another, as well as to the University as a whole. During the past year, the candidate has consistently exceeded the expectations of the position, performing at a level above and beyond the normal job requirements and expectations.
  • The Robert Davis Award for Service to Students is given to a staff member who has gone beyond the call of duty in service to the students. Robert “Bubba” Davis exemplified caring, dedication, and support for service to students at Our Lady of the Lake University at a level that goes beyond normal expectations. Robert would always find the time and made himself available to help a student whether it be to register the student for classes or answer questions about their degree program or graduation status or other concerns. Robert was a student advocate and mentor, and it was important to see a student be successful and graduate.
  • The Robert Davis Award for Community Building recognizes the importance of teamwork for OLLU, goals of customer satisfaction, and employee harmony. The award is given to a staff member who participates in community building across divisions and departments. This person should exemplify the spirit of thanksgiving for the contributions that every OLLU job makes toward the whole well being of the University. Robert “Bubba” Davis led several efforts in support for staff morale initiatives, which helped employees cross the threshold from being just an eight-to-five employee to really being part of the OLLU family. Through attitude and action, he thought that having fun and social support are important for a happy employee environment.

Eligibility:

  • OLLU staff employees must have completed three years of full-time or half-time employment, through March 1, to be eligible for consideration.
  • Only staff employees who are in good standing with the University will be eligible for consideration. The selection committee chair will verify that the employee is in good standing with the multiple departments in which staff have employee or business transactions.
  • Additionally, the employee should not have received a written warning, initiated through the Human Resources Office, during the recognition year.
  • Recipients of the Rose Mary Saenz Award or Robert Davis Award within the last three years are ineligible to receive any of the Rose Mary Saenz or Robert Davis Awards this year.

Second annual Dean of Academics Celebration set for March 27

The second annual Dean of Academics Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity will be held on March 27 at 4 p.m. on the second floor of the Sueltenfuss Library.

The event is a platform for esteemed faculty to showcase their research, creative projects, grants, and awards, all within the last 12 months. 

This year’s presentations will follow a dynamic format with a 5-minute limit, encouraging presenters to embody the B-IDEA principle: Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility.

Heavy appetizers will be served.  The event concludes at 6:30 p.m.

Today is last day for nominations for Excellence in Teaching Awards

The deadline to nominate a fellow faculty member for an Excellence in Teaching Award is Monday, March 10. To nominate a colleague, please fill out the Excellence Award Nomination Submission Form.

The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) welcomes nominations for colleagues who have demonstrated outstanding teaching, research, service, and innovation in the field of education. We have also included new CTE Awards for 2024.

The awards categories are as follows:

  • The Fleming Award
  • Moody Professorship
  • Excellence in Service-Learning Faculty Award
  • 1895 Commemorative Award for Faculty Excellence
  • The Agnes M. (Lehman) Gloyna Award for Technological Innovation in Teaching and Learning
  • Word on the Street Reserved Parking Spot Award
  • Part-Time Faculty Award for Creativity in Teaching
  • Funtastic 5-year Service Award
  • Team of the Year Award **new CTE award** (woohoo!)
    The Faculty Team of the Year Award recognizes a group of faculty members who have worked together to achieve outstanding results. (This could be a team of researchers who have published groundbreaking work, a team of faculty who have created a transformational learning environment, or a team of department chairs/administrators who have improved the efficiency and effectiveness of the faculty together).