Clemson ends semester with faculty, staff meeting, awards

Published: December 15, 2010

CLEMSON — Clemson University faculty and staff members were recognized Wednesday at the school’s end-of-semester meeting.

Clemson President James F. Barker thanked faculty members for their work on the Clemson 2020 plan. He said Provost Doris Helms and others met with each academic department this fall to talk about planning the university's priorities and strategies for the next 10 years.

“I think this has been an incredibly positive experience,” Barker said. “We are much better prepared to meet our uncertain future. We are not treading water. We are moving ahead because that’s what Clemson does.”

Clemson’s plan will be presented to the board of trustees in the spring, although full implementation will be phased in over several years in some cases, Barker said.

Barker said financing was approved to re-start construction on a new Life Sciences Building for programs in the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences. Work also has resumed on the construction of the Academic Success Center building behind the R.M. Cooper Library. These two projects were started in fall 2008 but delayed because of state budget cuts. 

“As we plan for Clemson 2020, we know we are actually planning for Clemson 2050," Barker said. "That’s when the 1,000 students who graduate tomorrow in Littlejohn Coliseum will be ready to retire.”

Several awards also were presented at the meeting:

• Sociology and anthropology professor Michael Coggeshall and student services program coordinator and adviser in engineering and science Elizabeth Crockett each received the Thomas Green Clemson Award for Excellence.
• Phil Landreth, interim director of administrative and external affairs in the College of Engineering and Science, accepted a Thomas Green Clemson Award on behalf of the family of John Finn, who passed away in January 2010. Finn was director of administrative and external affairs before retiring in 2009.
• Antonis Katsiyannis, professor of teacher education, received the Alumni Distinguished Professor Award.
• Bruce Martin, professor of turfgrass pathology, received the Alumni Award for Cooperative Extension Distinguished Public Service.
• Barbara Speziale, associate dean of undergraduate studies, received the Ralph D. Elliott Endowed Award for Outstanding Service to Off-Campus, Distance and Continuing Education.
• Eric Benson, professor of urban entomology, received the Rowland P. Alston Sr. Award for Excellence in Public Relations.

END