Katharine Briar-Lawson, dean of the School of Social Welfare (SSW), received the annual Community Builder Award from the United Way of Northeastern New York. She was recognized for her expertise and leadership in support of United Way's Family Support Network, a collaboration of more than 50 non-profit agencies working together to build stable families in the Capital Region.

SSW faculty member Mary L. McCarthy was elected president-elect of the New York State Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) in June. McCarthy will become president on July 1, 2006, and serve for two years. She has been a faculty member since 1989 and an active member of NASW since completing her M.S.W. at UAlbany in 1982.

In late October, Victoria Rizzo received news of the receipt of a grant from the Arthritis Foundation, which received $250,000 from New York State for a third year of a state legislative allocation to develop capacity to conduct disease management programs throughout New York State. Rizzo will conduct the evaluation again in the 2006-2007 year with a grant amount of approximately $20,000 - $30,000.

SSW received notice of a $144,000 grant from the New York State Office of the Aging for the Albany Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) proposal submitted by the Center for Mental Health and Aging in collaboration with community partners. This is the first NORC award for Albany County. There were 43 other competing applications across the state. Zvi Gellis, an associate professor at the school, will take a lead role in this project.

Assistant professors Sandra Austin and Starr Wood received awards through The Dr. Nuala McGann Drescher Affirmative Action/ Diversity Leave Program, which enhances employment opportunities for minorities, women, employees with disabilities and Vietnam-era veterans who are preparing for permanent or continuing appointments. The award is administered through the State of New York United University Professions.

Sharon Dawes, director of the Center for Technology in Government (CTG), has won the fifth annual Rudolph W. Giuliani Leadership Award. The award was presented by New York State Chief Information Officer Jim Dillon at the Executive Leadership Institute at the 17th annual Government Technology Conference East held in Albany in September. In October, Dawes was named to the National Archives and Records Administration's Advisory Committee on the Electronic Records Archives. This committee advises and makes recommendations to the Archivist of the United States, Allen Winstein, on the development, implementation and use of the Electronic Records Archives system.