[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/MUFA-06.jpg” caption=”Daphne Maurer, Phyllis DeRosa Koetting and Elise Hayton received MUFA Outstanding Service Awards at the 2006 MUFA AGM.”]Following the McMaster University Faculty Association's (MUFA) recent annual general meeting (AGM), a special reception was held in honour of this year's recipients of the MUFA Faculty/Librarian Awards for Outstanding Service. Elise Hayton and Daphne Maurer were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the University, both receiving awards valued at $1,500. The selection committee chaired by past president Trevor Chamberlain, included student Abdul Basith, staff representative Paul Grunthal, librarian Linda Michtics, and faculty member John Weaver.

Chamberlain, on behalf of the selection committee, described Hayton's long and distinguished service to McMaster and the librarianship profession. “During her thirty-three years in the McMaster library system, Elise initiated and managed a number of major projects and, in doing so, gained an international reputation for her efficiency, effectiveness and innovation,” said Chamberlain. He went on to describe Hayton as a supportive and inspiring colleague – as a mentor and friend to librarians.

Not only respected for her professional skills in providing excellent service to McMaster library users, Hayton has been recognized as a leader among her colleagues in embracing technology and leading other projects within the library system. She has also been a leader in the professional librarian organizations at the local, provincial and national levels. Over her career, Hayton served as both vice-president and president of the McMaster University Professional Librarians' Association, and as vice-president and president of the Ontario College and Universities Association (OCULA), as editor of the OCULA newsletter, and has also been active in the Ontario Libraries Association. At the national level, she has served on a number of important committees of the Canadian Library Association. In 1994, Hayton was honoured by her colleagues at the provincial level when she was awarded OCULA's Award of Recognition.

Also chosen to receive a MUFA Service Award was Daphne Maurer, an internationally known researcher in the area of child visual development. Her book The World of the Newborn has been published in six languages and won the 1988 Book Award of the American Psychological Association. She has also published widely in leading academic journals and has been described as one of the most highly regarded developmental psycho biologists working in the world.

Maurer's contributions to scholarly life at McMaster include that of role model and mentor to many graduate students in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour. Her former students hold faculty positions throughout North America and a number have become academic leaders in their own right.

Maurer has also been a leader within the broader McMaster community, including terms as vice-president and president of MUFA. She has established her credentials as a community leader at McMaster in many ways. She was instrumental in having the University embrace the principle that Career Progress/Merit (CP/M) Plan at McMaster should be regarded as reward for performance, and should not be used to mitigate across-the-board increases. This principle has since become a central part of academic collective bargaining across Ontario. Maurer has also been a leader in initiatives to ensure female faculty members are paid equivalently to males and to devise equitable rules for the determination of employee pension contributions at McMaster.

As an added surprise ending to the afternoon, a group of MUFA past presidents entered the room and presented MUFA's executive director, Phyllis DeRosa Koetting, with the MUFA Presidents' Award for outstanding service, also valued at $1,500.

“A number of us felt she deserves an award,” says psychology professor Lorraine Allan. “Phyllis is a great resource, not only to MUFA, but for anyone who requires her assistance. Her files have become the University archives regarding policies, benefits and pension information.”

Past MUFA president and professor of economics, Les Robb, agrees with that assessment of DeRosa Koetting. “Individuals who become closely associated with the MUFA office are always amazed to find out how often the MUFA staff get calls from deans, vice-presidents, and other senior administrators to find out about a policy or procedure at McMaster. They know where to turn for the answer.”

DeRosa Koetting was overwhelmed and genuinely surprised by the recognition. “To receive the first ever Special MUFA Presidents' Award for Outstanding Service at the AGM was truly an honour,” says Koetting. “Watching the past presidents parade into the Great Hall of the University Club – well, it left me speechless. And then they were joined by my very first president (albeit not at MUFA), Alvin Lee, who showed me by his example that McMaster University is a very special place and that we are fortunate to be working in such a stimulating environment.”

Allan insists the award was well deserved. “Can you imagine what her job is like?” asks Allan. “Phyllis has a new president to work with each year and must adapt to his or her working style, knowledge base, and preferences. She really deserves recognition for her resiliency and commitment to quality work.”

The McMaster University Faculty Association was founded in 1952. It represents and protects the interests of all faculty members and professional librarians of McMaster University. It is not a union, but a professional association responsible for collective bargaining with the Administration.

The Association maintains an office on campus and employs a full-time executive director and a part-time administrative assistant. The president of the Association, vice-president and eleven members-at-large of the executive are elected annually by the membership. The executive meets every two weeks during the academic year, and reports to the membership at general meetings, held two or three times yearly. – Taken from the MUFA website.