President recognizes staff excellence

President and Vice-Chancellor Lorna R. Marsden (right) has announced the recipients of the 2003 President’s Staff Recognition Awards. The winners will be honoured, and their achievements celebrated, at an upcoming dinner.


The awards and recipients are as follows:


The Ronald Kent Medal


Cheryl Colman – administrative assistant, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Pure & Applied Science


President Emeritus H. Ian Macdonald established this award in 1979 in memory of Ronald Kent to acknowledge his unique personal commitment to the University throughout his dedicated years of service to the University. Kent exemplified the sincere and enthusiastic colleague who promoted and cultivated these qualities in others across departments, and in his external contacts he was a true ambassador for York.


The President’s CPM Award


Olivia Petrie – associate director, Centre for the Support of Teaching


The CPM award recognizes contributions which go beyond fulfilling the published requirements of a position and performance levels which foster a high level of professionalism and usually extend beyond an individual department into the University community at large.



The President’s Voice of York Award


Carla Zaffino – switchboard & mail clerk, Office of the Dean, Osgoode Hall Law School


The Voice of York Award is given to an individual who is employed as a receptionist or is a first-line-of-contact person at York University. The most important voice of York is the one who answers the telephone first or greets the visitor first. The quality of responsiveness in the most difficult or sensitive situations is essential to our work at York University.


The Deborah Hobson Citizenship Award


Lori Sgarbossa – academic advisor, Department of Economics, Faculty of Arts


The long career of former VP enrolment & student services, Deborah Hobson, is characterized by her energetic commitment and boundless enthusiasm for York University and its particular vision of higher education. The Deborah Hobson York Citizenship Award was established in her honour.


The Phyllis Clark Campus Service Award


Rebecca Muyal – planner, Facilities Planning, Facilities, Planning & Construction


The award has been established in honour of Phyllis Clark, former VP finance & administration. The award is presented annually to a non-academic employee of York University who has made exemplary contributions to the operations of either of York’s campuses in terms of efficiency, cleanliness, safety, security and/or other campus or plant services.