The people in this college are always a source of inspiration to me, in many ways, large and small.

Even in tough times, we work together as best we know how to keep moving ahead and taking care to celebrate our success.  Sometimes this means overcoming obstacles put in our way by well-intentioned, but frustrating nonetheless, policies, rules, and regulations.

I recently had occasion to be really proud of our faculty, who stepped up to a challenge I issued as follows:  Each year, our college's staff advisory committee selects four or five staff members, who have been nominated by others in the college, to receive a Dean's Staff Excellence Award.  The recipients this year -- as always -- represent a cross section of our many great staff.  This has always been a monetary award of $500 in recognition for jobs well done.  This year the obstacle was a state law passed as part of the budget cutting forced on us by the severe economic downturn we have been in for the past two years.  This law prohibits use of any university funds, regardless of the source of those funds, for cash awards to faculty or staff.  In this tough time that challenges our collective morale, we felt that it was more important than ever to provide the recognition and cash that go with these awards, so the faculty stepped up and gave to me funds that I then used to provide five staff members with the usual $500 cash award.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank these faculty -- and some senior staff from across the college who gave funds even though they were not asked to.  These were not donations to WSU.  They generated no tax deduction.  They were funds given to me personally in amounts from $20 to $200 and then passed through me to these five incredible staff members.

I not only thank these individuals for their generosity, but I thank them for trusting me to not use those funds to buy the spiffy new fly rods that I have my eye on.

Thanks so much!