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Vice-Chancellor's Executive Officer among winners of service awards

November 14, 2005

JennyIngrid.thumb.JPGProfessor Ingrid Moses has presented her annual Awards for Excellence in Service for the last time as Vice-Chancellor of The University of New England. Among this year’s awards was a special one to her Executive Officer, Jenny Edmunds.

Professor Moses, who will retire from UNE in early January (when she will become Chancellor of the University of Canberra), said when presenting the award last week: “In my eight years plus as Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Jenny has been of invaluable assistance and has provided outstanding and exemplary service. She assists, prompts, encourages, sympathises, organises, supports, protects, troubleshoots, and mothers me.”

“She is tireless in her pursuit of organisational efficiency and effectiveness, and of high standards in the Vice-Chancellor’s Office and in customer service,” Professor Moses continued.

Mrs Edmunds has worked in the Vice-Chancellor’s Unit since 1990, and has been the Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Officer since 1994. “She was in that position when I came on the 1st of July, 1997,” Professor Moses said, “and one of my wisest decisions has been to keep her.”

Mrs Edmunds said it had been “exceptionally special” to receive the award from Professor Moses as their work together drew towards an end. “Professor Moses is such an inspiration,” she said. “She cares so much about the University, its staff, and students. We both have high expectations of ourselves and the people around us, and it’s been a pleasure to work with her to achieve all the things she’s wanted to achieve.” (Jenny Edmunds is pictured here, at left, with Professor Moses after the award ceremony.)

Debbie Wilkinson, Establishment and Recruitment Manager in Human Resources, also received a Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Service at last week’s ceremony. “Debbie has spent her entire working life loyally serving the University in a most dedicated and impressive way,” Professor Moses said. “She is someone who has responded very well to the changes which the University has faced over the years – as is evidenced by her willingness to take on different types of work during her time with the University.”

“She is highly committed to her work, she is an excellent team player and leader, and despite a heavy workload, she is always willing to provide assistance,” Professor Moses continued. “The loyalty and support she gives to her fellow workers is invaluable. The service she has given over the years to the University, and the goodwill this has created, are without measure.”

The third of the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards went to the three members of the Professional Experience Office team, which is responsible for organising and monitoring the “practice” placements of more than 1,000 student teachers each year. The three team members are Sue Haydon, Jenny Sauer and Kim Vallance. “Sue and Jenny have been working together as a team in the Professional Experience Office for almost 15 years,” Professor Moses said, “and, with Kim Vallance’s help in recent times, have given exemplary service to the University.”

“Their work involves contact with both internal and externally enrolled students, as well as significant liaison work with schools (in New England, across Australia and internationally) at the level of Principals and supervising teachers,” she explained. “As the front line for UNE contact with up to 2,500 schools in many States of Australia annually, the professionalism of the Professional Experience team contributes in measurable ways to UNE’s good standing in the educational community.”


Posted by Jim Scanlan at November 14, 2005 12:30 PM