SUNY & UAlbany Awards

For a full list of winners, please visit the Chancellor's Awards for Excellence webpage on the SUNY website.
 

Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities

• Liming Zhou, Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences (2023-2024)
• Youqin Huang, Geography & Planning (2023-2024)  
• Rabi Ann Musah, Chemistry (2022-2023)
• Mathias Vuille, Atmospheric Sciences (2022-2023)
• Yiming Ying, Mathematics & Statistics (2022-2023)
• Dolores Cimini, Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research (2020-2021)
• Christine Wagner, Office of the Provost & Department of Psychology (2020-2021)
• J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, Public Administration and Policy (2019-2020)  
   

Award for Excellence in Teaching

• Christine Bozlak, Health Policy, Management & Behavior (2023-2024)
• Amanda Spriggs, Anthropology (2023-2024)
• Mark Hughes, School of Business (2022-2023)
• Maeve Kane, History (2022-2023)
• Carmen Serrano, Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (2021-2022)
• Samantha Friedman, Sociology (2021-2022)
• Andrea Kordzek, School of Criminal Justice (2020-2021)
• Christopher Pastore, History (2020-2021)
• Danny Goodwin, Art and Art History (2019-2020) 
   

Award for Excellence in Faculty Service

• Mila Gasco-Hernandez, Center for Technology in Government & Department of Public Administration & Policy (2023-2024)  
• Sheila Curran-Bernard, Department of History (2022-2023)
• Karen Reinhold, Department of Mathematics and Statistics (2022-2023)
• Joette Sefl-Mabry, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (2020-2021) 
   

Award for Excellence in Librarianship

• Kelsey O'Brien, University Libraries (2023-2024)  
• Gregory Wiedeman, University Libraries (2022-2023)
• Irina Holden, University Libraries (2021-2022)
• Rebecca Nous, University Libraries (2020-2021)
• Sue Kaczor, University Libraries (2019-2020) 
   

Award for Excellence in Professional Service

• Colleen Davis, The Graduate School (2023-2024)
• Crystal Rogers, School of Social Welfare (2023-2024)
• Dafney Amilcar-Rodriguez, Student Financial Services (2023-2024)
• Linda Krzykowski, Student Engagement (2023-2024)
• Jermaine Harris, Career & Professional Development (2023-2024)
• Michael Dzikowski, Information Technology Services (2023-2024)  
• Aaron P. McCloskey, Human Resources Management (2022-2023)
• Brian T. Stephenson, College of Arts and Sciences (2022-2023)
• Leandra Harris, Residential Life (2021-2022)
• Merissa Mabee, Human Resources Management (2021-2022)
• Tara Evans, Center for International Education and Global Strategies (2021-2022)
• Noelle Angelozzi, Office of Budget and Financial Management (2020-2021)
• Brad Bunzey, Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Management (2020-2021)
• Jason Jones, Parking and Mass Transit Services (2020-2021)
• Mary Kay Skrabalak, Educational Opportunity Program (2020-2021)
• Barbara Zampella, Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences (2020-2021) 
   

Award for Excellence in Classified Service

• Eric Dubb, Facilities Management & Physical Plant (2022-2023)
• James Hardy, Facilities Management & Physical Plant (2022-2023)
• Richard Sargent, Student Financial Services (2022-2023)

All nominees must meet SUNY's eligibility requirements and nomination guidelines for distinguished ranks. UAlbany has additional campus eligibility requirements and nomination guidelines.

Campus Eligibility Guidelines

UAlbany nominees for the Distinguished Service Professorship must meet the following campus selection criteria:

• The nominee must be a full professor for at least five years, per SUNY guidelines.
• The nominee must have completed at least 10 years of full-time service within the SUNY system, of which at least three must have been at the University at Albany.
• A faculty member is expected to serve the University community in the three areas of teaching, research and service. Therefore, when evaluating a nominee for the Distinguished Service Professorship, the Review Committee will be seeking evidence of distinction in service and continuing strong contribution in each of the other two areas.
• The nominee must have already received the President's Award for Excellence in Academic Service or have been chosen as a Collins Fellow.

UAlbany nominees for the Distinguished Teaching Professorship must meet the following campus selection criteria:

• The nominee must be a full professor.
• The nominee must have completed at least 10 years of full-time service within the SUNY system, of which at least three must have been at the University at Albany.
• A faculty member is expected to serve the University community in the three areas of teaching, research and service. Therefore, when evaluating a nominee, the Review Committee will be seeking evidence of distinction in teaching and continuing strong contribution in each of the other two areas.
• The nominee must already have received the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching or President's Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Campus Nomination Guidelines

The nomination is to be confidential, therefore the nominee is not to know about the nomination and, by definition, cannot participate in the process. Therefore, the nominator must be prepared to serve as the "Case Manager" for the nominee and be willing to supply information about the nominee.

If the nominator is an adjunct professor or a student, the Review Committee expects that they will work in concert with a full-time faculty member who is willing to serve as the case manager and prepare the documents on behalf of the nominee.

Certainly, a nomination from an adjunct professor or a student is as valid as any. However, full-time faculty also have access to more evaluative data about their colleagues than adjunct professors or students do, and typically share a larger network of the nominee's peers who can speak to their distinction of performance.

From these nominations, the Review Committee will recommend candidates whose supporting documents will be forwarded to SUNY for further review. 

Please submit nominations via email to Associate Vice Provost of Faculty Success Youqin Huang ([email protected]) by April 15 for a November decision or by October 15 for a May decision. You may also contact Dr. Huang with any questions.

For more information, please visit SUNY's Distinguished Academy website.

• Andrew Berglund, Biological Sciences — 2024
• Marina Petrukhina, Chemistry — 2024 
• Thomas Begley, Biological Sciences — 2023
• Zai Liang, Sociology and East Asian Studies — 2023
• Aiguo Dai, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences — 2022
• Igor Lednev, Chemistry — 2022
• Laurie Feldman, Psychology — 2021
• JoAnne Carson, Art & Art History — 2021
• David Holtgrave, College of Integrated Health Sciences — 2020
• Lawrence Schell, Anthropology — 2019
• JoEllen Welsh, Environmental Health Sciences — 2018
• William Alex Pridemore, Criminal Justice — 2017
• Alan Lizotte, Criminal Justice — 2016
• Scott South, Sociology — 2016
• Istvan Kecskes, Educational Theory and Practice — 2015
• Colin Loftin, Criminal Justice — 2014
• Philip McCallion, School of Social Welfare — 2014
• Frank Vellutino, Education Psychology and Methodology — 2012
• John Monfasani — 2011
• Ronald W Toseland, School of Social Welfare — 2010
• Arthur Applebee, Educational Theory and Practice — 2007
• Joachim Frank, Biomedical Science — 2007
• Kajal Lahiri, Economics — 2005
• Lance F. Bosart, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences — 2004
• Ronald A. Bosco, English — 2004
• Edna Acosta-Belen, Latin American and Caribbean Studies/Women's Studies — 2004
• Marlene Belfort, Biomedical Science — 2003
• Edward L. Hannan, Health Policy — 2003
• Eric Block, Chemistry — 2002
• Judith Langer, Educational Theory and Practice — 2001
• Charles Micchelli, Mathematics and Statistics — 2001
• Terence Thornberry, School of Criminal Justice — 2001
• Richard Alba, Sociology — 2000
• John Logan, Sociology — 2000
• Daniel C. Levy, Educational Administration and Policy Studies — 1999
• James J. Jaccard, Psychology — 1998
• William J. Reid, Social Welfare — 1998
• David H. Bayley, Criminal Justice — 1998
• John G. Gunnell, Political Science — 1997
• Richard E. Stearns, Computer Science — 1995
• Manuel Alvar, Hispanic and Italian Studies — 1991
• Donn E. Byrne, Psychology — 1991
• Richard Nathan, Rockefeller College — 1990
• Edward Blanchard, Psychology — 1989
• David Barlow, Psychology — 1989
• Hans Toch, Criminal Justice — 1985
• Bernard Vonnegut — 1983
• Harry L. Frisch, Chemistry — 1978
• William N. Fenton, Anthropology — 1974

For more information, please visit SUNY's Distinguished Academy website.

• Alan Wagner, Educational Policy & Leadership — 2021
• Edelgard Wulfert, Psychology — 2021
• Lynn Videka, Social Welfare — 2006
• John S. Pipkin, Geography and Planning — 2003
• Timothy Lance, Mathematics — 2002
• Glenna D. Spitze, Sociology — 2002
• David F. Andersen, Public Administration — 2001
• Sung Bok Kim, History — 2001
• Vincent J. Aceto, Information Science and Policy — 2000
• Susan R. Sherman, Social Welfare
• Ernest Scatton, Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures — 1999
• Paul Wallace, Classics — 1996
• Walter Gibson, James W. Corbett Distinguished Service Professor, Physics — 1995
• Edna Acosta-Belen, Latin American and Caribbean Studies/Women's Studies — 1993
• Shirley Jones, Social Welfare — 1993
• Ronald A. Bosco, English — 1992
• William K. Holstein, Business — 1991
• Douglas M. Windham, Education — 1991
• Richard Hall, Sociology — 1989
• M.E. Grenander — 1986
• Seth W. Spellman — 1984
• Mauritz Johnson — 1982
• James W. Corbett — 1981
• Robert Rienow — 1979

For more information, please visit SUNY's Distinguished Academy website.

• Richard Hamm, History — 2020
• David McDowall, Criminal Justice — 2013
• Sekharipuram S. Ravi, Computer Science — 2009
• Jeffrey Berman, English — 2007
• Sue Faerman, Public Administration and Policy — 2007
• James Acker, Criminal Justice — 2004
• Steven Messner, Sociology — 2003
• Stephen North, English — 2003
• Jan L. Hagen, Social Welfare — 2002
• David P. McCaffrey, Public Administration and Policy — 2002
• Judith Fetterley, English — 2001
• Robert A. Rosellini, Psychology — 2001
• John W. Delano, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences — 2000
• Helmut V.B. Hirsch, Biological Sciences — 2000
• Graeme R. Newman, Criminal Justice — 1999
• Gary Gossen, Anthropology — 1996
• Josiah B. Gould, Philosophy — 1990
• Eugene K. Garber, English — 1989
• Bruce B. Marsh, Physics — 1989
• Stephen C. Brown, Biological Sciences — 1986
• Edward Thomas, Mathematics — 1985
• Warren E. Roberts, History — 1984
• Margaret M. Stewart, Biology — 1977
• Charles Luther Andrews — 1976
• Hugh N. MacLean — 1974
• John Mackiewicz, Biology — 1973

For more information, please visit SUNY's Distinguished Academy website.

• Rebecca Mugridge, University Libraries — 2020
• Trudi Jacobson, University Libraries — 2010
• Meredith Butler, University Libraries — 2000

Collins Fellows are teaching faculty who have served the University over a sustained period of time and shown extraordinary devotion to the University.

A “sustained period of time” means that the nominee has spent a significant portion of his or her professional life in the active service of the University, preparing it for the future at all levels. 

• Eligible nominees must have worked actively within the institution, not necessarily exclusively in a faculty position, for at least 10 years. Time away such as for sabbaticals or leaves are not counted toward the 10 years of service. 
• Nominees may have taken on administrative positions, such as chair, associate dean, vice provost, etc.; such time in administrative service can count toward "sustained service," but it cannot be the exclusive or major service an individual has rendered in order to be a candidate for Collins Fellowship.

“Extraordinary devotion” includes service at the departmental, the college/school and the University level.

• Collins Fellows have performed extraordinary service and shown exceptional commitment and dedication to the University by supporting it at all these levels and by concerning themselves with the well-being of the people who work in the institution. 
• While Fellows may have also made contributions outside the University, (such as to their discipline or to the broader academic or local community) they are specifically selected for their dedication to the University at Albany and their sustained acts of citizenship within it. 
• Their contributions demonstrate breadth in the kind of service they have performed, as well as a prolonged loyalty and steadfast focus on the excellence of UAlbany, all without any thought to personal recognition or reward. 

The award is unique to UAlbany and intended to acknowledge the efforts of faculty who are exemplars of the highest levels of institutional commitment and service. The Collins Fellowship is a designation separate from the UAlbany President’s Excellence Awards and SUNY Faculty Distinguished Ranks. 

Each Collins Fellow receives a salary increment and a distinctive medallion. They meet with the University President on an annual or semi-annual basis to discuss important directions taken by the University and to share their thoughts on those directions with the president. 

Recipients are included in University-wide convocations and academic ceremonies. Portraits of the Collins Fellows hang in the University Library and recipients are named on the University’s website.

Any member of the University teaching faculty except Collins Fellows may nominate a fellow faculty member by submitting, in the following order:

• A letter of nomination describing the reasons for consideration of the nominee for inclusion in the Collins Fellowship. Such letters should describe the nominee’s overall commitment to the University by:
  • Explaining the extraordinary service and devotion to the University that has inspired the nominator to submit the nomination,
  • Describing the nominee’s continued research productivity, and 
  • Describing the nominee’s commitment to teaching.
• At least three but no more than five supporting letters (in addition to the nominator’s letter), describing the activities that show “extraordinary devotion to UAlbany.”
  • Of the minimum of three letters, only one letter should come from a departmental colleague and two others should come from the campus community.
  • Letters may come from faculty, administrators, staff or, on occasion, students.
  • Since the award is for University citizenship, letters from nominators or supporters outside the University will only be considered if they give evidence of University-related service.
  • Current Collins Fellows should neither nominate nor write supporting letters for a nominee.
• The nominee’s CV 

Nominees are not to know of their nomination; nominations are to be kept confidential. For additional guidance about nominations, please contact Dr. Youqin Huang ([email protected]). 

Please send full nominations electronically to Dr. Youqin Huang ([email protected]) by February 15. If electronic submission poses a challenge or hardship, please send paper copies to:

Provost’s Office
Attention: Dr. Youqin Huang
308 University Hall
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY, 12222

David Rousseau, Political Science & Emergency Management and Homeland Security — 2024

David Smith, Finance — 2024

Richard Fogarty, History — 2022

Janell Hobson, Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies — 2022

Ray Bromley, Geography and Planning — 2019

Jeanette Altarriba, Psychology — 2017

Julie Novkov, Political Science & Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies — 2017

Richard Hamm, History — 2016

Randall Craig, English - 2015

Stephen North, English — 2014

Kevin Williams, Psychology — 2014

John Delano, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences — 2013

Teresa Harrison, Communication — 2013

James Acker, School of Criminal Justice — 2010

Iris Berger, History — 2010

Lindsay Childs, Mathematics — 2009

Hassaram Bakhru, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering — 2008

Daniel Levy, Educational Administration and Policy — 2007

Steven Messner, Sociology — 2007

Richard H. Hall, Sociology — 2006

Leonard A. Slade, Jr., Africana Studies — 2005

Bruce Miroff, Political Science — 2005

David McCaffrey, Public Administration — 2004

Glenna D. Spitze, Sociology — 2004

Paul A. Leonard, Business — 2003

Edelgard Wulfert, Psychology — 2003

Peter A. Bloniarz, College of Computing and Information — 2002

Martha T. Rozett, English — 2002

Lynn Videka, Social Welfare — 2002

John S. Pipkin, Geography and Planning — 2001

Allen Ballard, History — 2000

Roberta Bernstein, Art — 2000

Ronald A. Bosco, English — 1999

Shirley J. Jones, School of Social Welfare — 1999

Sue R. Faerman, Public Administration and Policy — 1998

Vincent J. Aceto, School of Information Science and Policy — 1997

Judith E. Barlow, Women's Studies/English — 1997

Warren E. Roberts, History — 1997

Carlos Santiago, Latin American and Caribbean Studies — 1996

Susan Sherman, College of Integrated Health Sciences — 1996

Judith Baskin, Judaic Studies — 1995

Daniel Wulff, Biological Sciences — 1995

Martin Edelman, Political Science — 1994

James Fleming, Reading — 1994 (retired)

Francine Frank, Linguistics and Cognitive Science — 1993

Sung Bok Kim, Undergraduate Studies — 1993

Christine E. Bose, Sociology & Women's Studies — 1992

Helen Desfosses, Public Administration and Policy & Africana Studies — 1992

Donald J. Reeb, Economics — 1992

Stephen E. DeLong, Geological Sciences — 1991

Joan E. Schulz, English — 1991

M.I. Berger, Educational Administration and Policy — 1990

Judith Fetterley, English — 1990

Richard Clark, Educational Psychology and Statistics — 1989

Harold Story, Physics — 1989

Edna Acosta-Belen, Latin American and Caribbean Studies & Women's Studies — 1988

Eugene McLaren, Chemistry — 1988

Shirley Brown, Psychology — 1987

R. Findlay Cockrell, Music — 1987

Harold Cannon, Accounting — 1986

Margaret A. Farrell, Teacher Education — 1986

Kendall A. Birr, History — 1985

Arthur N. Collins, English — 1985

Frank G. Carrino, Hispanic and Italian Studies — 1984

Helen G. Horowitz, Economics — 1984

Significant and meritorious achievement in advising undergraduate students can be demonstrated by evidence in the following areas:

• Aiding students in achieving their highest academic potential
• Improving communication and access between students, faculty and staff
• Developing student decision-making and problem-solving skills
• Creating or developing advising techniques or policies to better serve our diverse student body (including first-generation students, minority students, students from underserved areas, LGBT students, students with disabilities, etc.)
• Supporting students through difficult personal or academic situations
• Assisting students with preparation for graduate study or careers after degree completion
• Helping students evaluate and enhance academic and personal strengths and weaknesses
• Developing or improving processes and systems to enhance or streamline student advising on UAlbany campus

All nominees from the Professional Advising Staff must meet all the following requirements to be eligible:

• Must not have received either Provost’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Award within the last five full academic years
• Must have completed a minimum of three years of employment at UAlbany immediately prior to the semester in which the award is to be given
• Must have served in an advising role for a minimum four full academic semesters
• Must not have more than a 50% obligation in a teaching faculty line
• Must be an active employee of the University at the time of the conferral of the award (fall of the following academic year)

Professional staff and administrators are also eligible for this award if they are involved in undergraduate academic advising, including the administration and policy development of academic advising.

All nominees from the Teaching Faculty must meet all the following requirements to be eligible:

• Must not have received either Provost’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising Award within the last five full academic years
• Must be the instructor of record of undergraduate courses for four full academic semesters
• Must have completed a minimum of three years of employment at UAlbany immediately prior to the semester in which the award is to be given
• Must have served in an advising role for a minimum four full academic semesters
• Must not have more than a 50% obligation in an administrative/professional faculty line
• Must be an active employee of the University at the time of the conferral of the award (fall of the following academic year)

Nominations must contain a descriptive narrative to support the evidence included in the file and to explain how the nominee meets the award criteria. A complete nomination file includes the following:

• A completed Provost's Award Nomination Form
• At least four letters of support:
  • One letter must be from the nominator (can be student, staff or faculty)
  • One letter must be from the nominee’s direct supervisor
    • If the nominator is also the nominee’s direct supervisor, the second letter can either come from a colleague or a more senior administrator within the unit or division (for example: dean, director, vice president, etc.)
  • Two to four letters must be from current or former advisees
• The nominee’s résumé or vita (must include advising activities and contributions)
• The nominee’s statement or philosophy on student advising (one page maximum)
• The nominee’s statement that describes the activities in advising during the academic year for which the candidate is being nominated, including supporting materials related to the nominee’s advising activities (for example: caseload, training and workshops, office hours, advising syllabi, etc.)

The Provost’s Office will send a call for nominations each fall semester for that academic year’s Provost’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising. The call for nominations will include additional details but the process will generally follow this timeline:

• February 15: Nominations are due to the Provost's Office.
• March to April: The review committee evaluates the nominations and makes a recommendation to the provost. The provost reviews and selects the recipient(s).
• Mid-April: Successful awardees are notified of the outcome.
• May or Early June: Awards are given to the recipient(s) at a recognition event.

The full nomination file must be submitted electronically, in PDF format, to the Office of the Provost ([email protected]).

Questions about the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising can be directed to Kristen Swaney, Director of the Academic Support Center ([email protected]).

Hope-Hildreth Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Academic Advising

• Monica Hope (2018)
• Anne Hildreth (2018)
   

Provost’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising
 

2023-2024

• John Donoghue
• Christopher Gebhardt
• Joseph Murphy
   

2022-2023

• Zakhar Berkovich
• Kathryn Fore
• Brandon Lewis
• Marcelle Martens 
   

2018-2019

• Stacey Zyskowski
• Vanessa Borum
   

2017-2018

• Michael Geroux
• Karen Williams
   

2016-2017

• Jason Cotugno
• Rachel Moody
• Claudio Gomez

Nora Lum (Awkwafina) — 2024

Caryl Phillips — 2024

Philip Morris — 2014

John Mesick — 1986

Barbara Smith — 2015

Hamdi Ulukaya — 2013

Rachael Ray — 2012

Morris Massry — 2007

Seung Park — 2007

Louis Tomson — 2007

Deborah Willen Meier — 1998

Roger Wilkens — 1998

Matilda White Riley — 1997

Miles Lerman — 1994

Jaroslav Pelican — 1993

Catharine R. Stimpson — 1992

Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie — 1991

Robert M. Solow — 1991

Thomas Krens — 1989

Lloyd Edgard Ohlin — 1989

Gerhard L. Weinberg — 1989

Benoit B. Mandelbrot — 1988

Andrew Aikin Rooney — 1988

Alvin F. Poussaint — 1988

Rose Marie Karpinsky — 1987

Danna E. Shalala — 1987

Charles E. Lindblom — 1986

Robert K. Merton — 1986

Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. — 1984

Alice M. Rivlin — 1983

Isaac Bashevis Singer — 1981

Judith Smith Kaye — 2007

Vincent O’Leary — 2006

Richard C. Wesley — 2006

John Lewis — 2001

Richard G. Lugar — 1997

Gregory Maguire — 2011

David McCullough — 1999

Joseph E. Persico — 1996

Nicholasa Mohr — 1989

Alfred Kazin — 1987

Jürgen Popp — 2023

Larry Gold — 2015

Thomas D’Ambra — 2014

Jack Henion — 2013

Neal F. Lane — 2002

Edward O. Wilson — 1999

Donald N. Landenberg — 1998

Carl Sagan — 1994

Joanne Simpson — 1991

Halfdan Mahler — 1990

James W. Mayer — 1988

Xie Xide — 1987

Marshall W. Nirenberg — 1986

Verner E. Suomi — 1983

Chien-Shiung Wu — 1982