Faculty Council Awards celebrate contributions to shared governance
Faculty Council came together May 23 for an in-person meeting at 1800 Grant St. and celebrated four winners of the annual Faculty Council Awards.
Faculty Council Chair Alastair Norcross presented three awards to those who were able to attend: Ravinder Singh and Monica Yoo, both honored for Distinguished Service, and Maria Lewis, Administrator of the Year. Outgoing CU Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano also will receive the Administrator of the Year Award at a later date.
Ravinder Singh, Ph.D., is an associate professor in Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology at CU Boulder, serving for over 20 years. He has served faculty governance in leadership roles including chair of Faculty Council and the council’s Educational Policy and University Standards (EPUS) Committee.
In its resolution, the Faculty Council praised Singh for being outstanding in his ability to build consensus with faculty and administration; for being a steward of the principles of academic freedom, creating a more inclusive campus for all students, faculty and staff; and for making significant contributions to shared governance and university policy, benefiting the entire CU community.
Monica Yoo, Ph.D., is an associate professor of teaching and learning in the College of Education at UCCS with 13 years of service. A member of Faculty Council since 2016, she was recognized for the quality and integrity of her commitment to faculty rights and responsibilities. She has been a member and president of the UCCS Faculty Assembly, and a member of the Faculty Council Bylaws Revision Committee and the CU Diversity and Excellence Grants Awards Committee.
The council’s resolution called her a steward of the principles of academic freedom, creating a more inclusive campus for all students, faculty and staff, and praised her for making significant contributions to shared governance and university policy, benefiting the entire CU community.
Maria Lewis, MPA, is Faculty Council administrator in the Office of Academic Affairs. She has served in that role and as graduate assistant for the past four years. The council’s resolution said she has worked tirelessly to support the work of Faculty Council, which relies on her expertise. She was praised for exhibiting grace, competence and diligence, earning the admiration and gratitude of Faculty Council members and leadership.
CU Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano, who is concluding 15 years at the post this summer, was recognized for his 50 years of service at the campus. The council’s resolution stated he has embodied the best of administration with his effective and positive leadership and vast knowledge of institutional operations.
It goes on to praise him for demonstrating care and understanding for the needs of faculty and staff, consistently going above and beyond the duties of the position to foster relationships across CU Boulder and the CU system. DiStefano has cultivated a culture of excellence in service and is an inspiration for collaborative work between administration and faculty, and he has significantly contributed to the success of shared governance at CU through his outstanding support to the Faculty Council.
