Posted on May 7: McMaster University Faculty Association recognizes outstanding service

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/mufa_awards.jpg” caption=”MUFA award recipients”]The McMaster University Faculty Association presented its first ever Faculty/Librarian Outstanding Service Awards at its annual general meeting Wednesday.

Psychology professor Lorraine Allan, professor and associate chair of economics Leslie Robb and Mills Memorial Library map curator Cathy Moulder received the $1,500 award that recognizes outstanding contributions to the University.

The awards committee, composed of representatives of faculty, librarians, students, staff and alumni, considered how the candidate has affected the University, enhanced its reputation, provided excellent service and demonstrated innovation. Consideration was given to the breadth and depth of the candidate's impact on the University and the strength of support expressed in the nominating and reference letters. The full terms of reference for the award is on the MUFA Web site.

Allan has served for multiple terms on the Senate and Board of Governors and was chair of the Senate Committee on Appointments, as well as a member of numerous selection committees for deans, provosts and presidents. The two-time president of MUFA is an expert on the tenure and promotion document, having contributed to its continual revision since its inception.

Allan is an editor of a national journal in psychology and past president of the Canadian Society for Brain Behaviour and Cognitive Science. Allan, who has been chair of the NSERC Psychology Grants Committee, has been continually funded by NSERC since its inception. Recently she was appointed McMaster's official NSERC representative.

Robb has served on both Senate and the Board of Governors, chairing the Task Force on Space Allocation at its inception. He was on the Board/Senate Committee on Academic Planning and is currently chair of the Univesity Budget Committee. He was a member of the original joint committee to create a Career Progress/Merit plan. He has been president of MUFA and currently serves on a MUFA committee to review contractually limited appointments.

Robb, who chaired MUFA's Pension Committee a number of times, was appointed MUFA's representatives on the Working Group to Consider Retirement Provisions for Salaried Employees. His expertise was acknowledged when he was selected to chair the group representative staff, retirees and faculty and to oversee the four-year process, which resulted in the allocation and distribution of the pension surplus.

Moulder, who received the librarian award, was an early proponent of computerization (digitization) of maps and other geographical materials. She has a deep commitment to the new field of Geographic Information Systems and has used WebCT technology to assist students and faculty and other researchers.

Moulder is known provincially and nationally through her research and presence on professional bodies. She is editor of the Bulletin of the Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives (ACMLA) and in May 2000 she was the recipient of ACMLA's Honour Award for outstanding contributors to the profession of map librarianship.

Photo caption: From left, Cathy Moulder, Leslie Robb and Lorraine Allan, recognized at this week's MUFA annual general meeting. Photo credit: Robert Tatlock