For the 2008 – 2009 academic year, our President asked me to serve as chair of this committee. The CASEA Distinguished Service Award Committee is responsible for receiving and adjudicating nominations received for this annual award. Using the information posted on the CASEA, I sent out invitations by e-mail to CASEA members to submit nominations for the award. With Feb. 1 as the closing date for nominations, I waited until the receipt of nominations to select additional members of the committee. This would allow me to choose committee members from institutions other than those associated with any nominees.
The committee received one nomination package this year, along with several letters of support. I asked my colleagues Glenn Rideout from the University of Windsor and Janice Wallace from the University of Alberta to join me on the committee. We received the materials submitted on behalf of the nominee and agreed that the candidate had met the criteria for the award. In accordance with CASEA tradition, the name of the recipient was announced and the award presented at the CASEA banquet on May 25, 2009, to Dr. Carolyn Shields of the University of Illinois.
For the 2009 – 2010 academic year, I would recommend that a notice be sent to CASEA members early in the Fall 2009 with respect to the Distinguished Service Award. In particular, members wishing to nominate a colleague for this award need to be aware that the nomination procedures are quite demanding and that is may take a significant amount of time and effort to prepare a suitable nomination package. All required information about the award, including both process and criteria, is clearly and completely provided on the CASEA website. I would also recommend that the committee chair be named early in the fall of each academic year and that contact information for that person be provided to the CASEA webmaster so that questions regarding the award process can be directed to the committee chair in a timely manner.
Ken Brien
Committee Chair
