According to her nominator, Marcia's work as secretary in the Dean's Office is exemplary in every respect. She has served as the FAH Dean's Secretary since 1992, and previously worked in the Department of Music and Dance. When Dr. Umland became Interim Dean of the College in 1997, the Associate Dean position was left vacant. Many of the Associate Dean's duties, such as the Weekly Update, thank you letters and acknowledgements to faculty, students and the public, and Honors Program invitations and programs, were taken over by Marcia. According to Dr. Umland, Marcia's knowledge, talent and expertise in the position have been not only essential, but also indispensable in assisting him to carry out the duties of the Dean's office.
Marcia takes pride in her work, has strong work ethic, and is highly dependable. She is very punctual. Often without specific requests to do so, she takes on tasks and duties that are indispensable to the smooth functioning of the Dean's office. In addition to her regular duties, Marcia takes the initiative to help other departments housed in the Fine Arts Building -- Music and Dance, Speech and Theatre, and Art. When these offices are backlogged, it is common for them to ask Marcia to help. More likely, however, Marcia will volunteer to help them. Faculty from every department have relied on Marcia's efficiency and knowledge in performing day-to-day tasks.
Marcia's work record has always been commendable or outstanding. This is due in part to her willingness to work until a job is done correctly. She never hesitates to encourage and praise the work-study students we employ. She helps them prepare their resumes and proofreads their letters and other writings. Marcia always greets students with a sincere hello and wishes them a sincere goodbye when they leave for classes or for home. She is dedicated to helping the institution perform well, and especially the individual students.
Given her position in the Dean's office, Marcia contributes to positive staff morale by working extremely well with the public. She seldom makes an error in dealing with faculty requests. The college is perceived as efficient and quick to respond because of her attention to detail. Since all tasks are done well and in a timely manner, the overall common good is greatly enhanced. This encourages cooperation among the secretaries and various departments.
Because of her incontestable work ethic and positive influence on her co-workers, the University of Nebraska at Kearney is pleased to recognize Marcia Burman as the Employee of the Month for June 1998.