Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter (left) and Gazel Giles (second from left), president of the Staff Council, congratulate winners of the 2017 Outstanding Staff Member awards: Amanda Blair (second from left), Deetra Wiley, Susan Faust, Terrence Brown, Anne McCauley and Tony Ammeter. Pins, plaques and other recognitions were handed out to employees at the Staff Appreciation Awards Ceremony at the Ford Center. Photo by Marlee Crawford/Ole Miss Communications
Anne Dorsey McCauley, assistant director of the Office of Sustainability, is the University of Mississippi’s 2017 Overall Outstanding Staff Member winner.
McCauley was presented a plaque, $1,000 stipend and two season football tickets by Chancellor Jeffery Vitter during the annual Staff Appreciation Awards program Friday (May 19) in the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.
“I was overwhelmed by the announcement,” said McCauley, who has worked at the university since 2008. “My family and I will be moving to Bay St. Louis this summer, so this was a beautiful way to send me off. What a wonderful surprise!”
Six other employees were presented with Service Awards, including a $500 stipend, in their respective EEO categories. Winners included Anthony Paul “Tony” Ammeter, associate provost for undergraduate programs and associate professor of management and management information systems, for EEO1; Deetra Ann Wiley, applications analyst in Business Applications and ERP support, for EEO 3; Susan Faust, executive assistant in the Office of the Provost, for EEO 4; Amanda Howard White, network administrator at UM’s Desoto Center-Southaven campus, for EEO 5; Terrance Terrel Brown, carpenter in the Carpentry Shop, for EEO 6; and Sandra Buford Phillips, senior custodian in Custodial Services, for EEO 7.
“We owe our great staff for making the University of Mississippi a place where students love to study, employees want to work and visitors want to be,” Vitter said. “So, thank all of you for your excellent services rendered to this institution and its many constituents.”
Whitman Smith, director of admissions, introduced long-standing employees, who were presented certificates, lapel pins, plaques and/or keepsakes in recognition of each person’s 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 30-plus years of service to the institution. Employees in Campus Recreation and University Communications also received Daniel W. Jones, M.D. Outstanding Team Service Awards.
“The outstanding staff awards were created in 1990 as a way to honor staff members for their contributions to the university,” said Gazel Giles, receptionist in Facilities Planning and president of the UM Staff Council.
“Staff members can vote for other staff members in their respective EEO categories through myOleMiss. The person with the most votes in their respective EEO category is recognized at our awards day ceremony.”
Anyone can nominate someone for the overall outstanding staff member regardless of EEO category.
“Individuals wishing to nominate a staff member for the overall outstanding award submit a narrative explaining why they believe their nominee should be recognized,” Giles said. “These nomination forms then go before a committee of staff council members who choose the overall outstanding staff member.”
Congratulations to all this year’s winners!