MADISON, Wis.—The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents today announced the recipients of the University Staff Excellence Awards. These awards recognize exceptional service to the university and are the UW System’s highest recognition bestowed on members of its university staff. The 2023 recipients will be honored at the next Regents meeting, October 6.
The awards, in their third year, are part of a family of awards that the Regents sponsor, including the Regents Teaching Excellence Awards, the Regents Academic Staff Excellence Awards, and the Regents Diversity Awards.
“The Board of Regents is delighted to recognize this year’s recipients of the University Staff Excellence Awards,” said Regent Angela Adams, chair of the selection committee. “Their exemplary dedication strengthens our UW campus communities and supports student success.”
Award recipients are selected for superior performance resulting in significant contributions to the department and university; use of positive personal interaction to manage work changes; and a consistently innovative approach that improves productivity and work quality. Each recipient is awarded $7,500 to support professional development or program enhancements.
The 2023 recipients include two individuals and one program:
Dale Lovejoy, Power Plant Superintendent, Facilities Management, UW-Parkside.
Lovejoy serves UW-Parkside as the superintendent of the Heating and Chilling Plant. He started his career as a boiler technician in the U.S. Navy and became UW-Parkside’s power plant operator senior in 1994 before becoming superintendent in 1998. He manages the daily operations of the most critical building on campus and is responsible for the utility distribution that is the basis for a safe and comfortable learning environment. Lovejoy serves as the main administrator for all campus building automation systems that ensure effective, efficient delivery of services to the buildings. Recognizing the need for talent development, he recently began bringing plant operators from other state facilities to observe and assist plant operations as a cross-training exercise. He advocates for creating and nurturing a critical talent pipeline for plant operators for industrial utility plants across the state. He served as department interim director about seven years ago while still holding his other full-time job of running the Heating and Chilling Plant and co-chaired the search committee for the new director. He offers entertaining and educational tours of the plant.
Carrie Kline, Library Circulation Supervisor, University Library, UW-Stevens Point.
Kline, who joined UW-Stevens Point in 2018, leads the daily operations of the Circulation department of the University Library, supervising and scheduling about 25 students and 100 hours of building operation per week. She assists with promoting the libraries on the University Library Facebook and Instagram accounts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she researched safe methods to access library materials, which allowed the library to function effectively throughout the pandemic. She also advocated for the physical and mental health safety of members of the university community as she worked to initiate a hybrid model for service. She served as a critical bridge between internal staff operations and ensuring that student support remained front and center. In addition, Kline provided considerable support to the physical relocation of the University Library operations for the multi-year replacement of Albertson Hall. Her work to organize and assess the collection resulted in a significant reduction of materials that needed to be moved to the temporary location. Kline volunteers to serve on numerous committees and working groups. She co-chairs the library’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion working group and is an active member of the Common Council and University Staff Council.-
Several UW-Stout staff and faculty members pose with Dining Service
branded plates for the Great Stout Cookout.University Dining Services, UW-Stout.
University Dining Services, a unit in Student Life and Services, employs many levels of university staff, including managers, chefs, cooks, retail and catering leads, production assistants, and food service and office leads, along with hundreds of student employees. As one of five self-operated dining services in the UW System, the unit retains revenue on campus and closely aligns dining services with university initiatives and the student experience. University Dining is responsible for several long-standing traditions that create a sense of community and belonging at UW-Stout, including the annual Great Stout Cookout, recognized nationally, that welcomes students to campus. In addition, Oktoberfest and the Holiday Buffet bring faculty, staff, retirees, and community members together to celebrate the respective season with traditional foods and cultural entertainment. The handing out of exam bags, donated and put together by University Dining Services with healthy snacks and notes of encouragement, are distributed by administrators to students at the start of final exams. The team is well known in the greater Menomonie community, not only for excellent cuisine, but also for exemplary service catering a wide range of events for up to 900 guests. Past national awards and accolades include the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) Silver Award for a special meal and the NACUFS Gold Award for a catering online menu.
Other members of the University Staff Excellence Awards selection committee included Regent Edmund Manydeeds III, Regent Jennifer Staton, and Regent Kyle Weatherly.
The committee also recognizes the important contributions of this year’s other nominees:
Individual nominees included Kelly Arnost, UW-La Crosse; Lisa Goetsch, UW Oshkosh; Anna Klimesh, UW-Platteville; Jody Pederson, UW-River Falls; Cally Henderson, UW-Stout; and Donya Shehan-King, UW‑Superior.
Program nominees included the Administrative Professionals Collaborative Group, UW-Eau Claire; University Police Services, UW-La Crosse; Botany Garden and Greenhouse, UW-Madison; University Police Community Service Officer Program, UW Oshkosh; Police and Security Services, UW-Stevens Point; and the Trades and Maintenance Team, UW-Whitewater.
To download high-resolution photos of recipients, click each image above.
The University of Wisconsin System serves approximately 161,000 students. Awarding nearly 37,000 degrees annually, the UW System is Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state UW System graduates stay in Wisconsin five years after earning a degree. The UW System provides a 23:1 return on state investment. UW System institutions also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy.