Another Grading Day, But Last Night a State Award. Grateful.

Last night I attended a ceremony at Yale University - the Annual Spring Meeting of the Connecticut State Conference for the American Association of University Professors. Colleagues at Fairfield University, including Drs. Jocelyn Boryczka and William Abbott, attended the ceremony with me for the George E. Lang, Jr. Award, which I received, that recognizes a faculty member at Fairfield University who has shown awareness of and dedication to important issues such as education freedom, faculty governance, and faculty rights and responsibilities.

Dr. Boryczka read notes from numerous colleagues written about me and I was totally unprepared for the remarks (Thank you, Sonya, Paul, Jocelyn, and Irene). I simply do what I do with my head down and charge ahead like a ram to fight for fairness. I broke out in a nervous sweat as I heard the kind words. I felt guilty.

It was a total honor, however, to represent Fairfield University at the event and to hear the words of distinguished guest, Dr. Risa L. Lieberwitz, Professor of Labor and Employment Law at Cornell University. On a Friday night after a week of finals and grading, overwhelmed by all left to do during the semester, it was a wonderful to be given the George E. Lang, Jr. Award and to join giants like Jocelyn Boryczka, Politics, Bob Epstein, English, Matt Kubasic, Chemistry, Debra M. Straus, Management, Dave Crawford, Anthropology, Sonya Huber, English, John Miecznikowski, Chemistry, Anna Lawrence, History, and Paul Baginski, Mathematics. It is a pleasure, too, to receive this award on behalf of my colleagues in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions and to represent the Connecticut Writing Project and National Writing Project friends.

George E. Lang, Jr. sounds like a remarkable man who touched the lives of many (if not all) at Fairfield University. He was a listener and a mover, contemplative in his nature and shrewd in his action. With much awareness of political realities, he realized that community trumped policy and made it a priority to know every faculty member across the campus. He felt there was more to be done, and although a happy man, worked tirelessly to do right by others and to fight for staff and faculty at Fairfield University. In summary, he offered voice for the workers and laborers who make research, teaching, and service possible - the heart and soul of any campus.

I am grateful for the recognition, even if I am still wrestling with the award. There are so many others at Fairfield University that I admire and who deserve this accolade. I accept and realize it will give me more pep in my step as I grade this weekend, and a mission to ahead with the good fight. Together, it's important to think critically of the hierarchies we belong to. We must ask ourselves questions about equity and fairness every day, very much like the graduate students at Yale University are doing right now - the exploitation of student labor and adjuncts needs to be called out.

To my FSC and FWC colleagues - especially Irene Mulvey who could not attend the dinner at Yale, Thank you. To all I work with at Fairfield University, "I can be me because of who we are together." Ubuntu.