UA employers thank workers with Secretary's Day gifts

Provost Paul Sypherd said the holiday was an opportunity for him to recognize the five members of his support staff, even though none of them holds the title of secretary.

"My staff members are absolutely essential in any kind of clear, comprehensive decision making," Sypherd said. "It is impossible to function without them."

Sypherd said he and Michael Gottfredson, vice president for undergraduate education, treated 16 staff members from their offices to lunch at Presidio Grill, 3352 E. Speedway Blvd.

Sypherd said it is important that staff members are recognized for their hard work because they come into daily contact with students.

Lynne Tronsdal, assistant vice provost for undergraduate education, agreed on the importance of recognizing her support staff.

"They make or break the office. They're the ones that see the students," Tronsdal said.

She said her office made lunch for the 30 staff members in the Office of Academic Services and the First-Year Student Center.

Tronsdal said she also celebrated Employee Recognition Week last week by giving flowers to her staff.

Yesterday morning, staff members from the office of the vice president for research and graduate studies thought nothing special was planned for them. But at lunch time, they were surprised with ice cream and brownies from Michael Cusanovich, vice president for research and graduate studies.

"Cusanovich is good about appreciating us every day," said Mary Cox, administrative associate for the vice president.

Meanwhile, in President Manuel Pacheco's office, it was just another day.

"He has left for a speaking engagement and the Arizona Board of Regents meeting," said Linda Stapleton, executive assistant to the president.

Stapleton said Pacheco wrote individual letters of appreciation to his 10 staff members last week as part of both Employee Appreciation Week and Secretary's Day.

"It was really nice because people didn't expect anything at all," she said.

Marie Messina, administrative associate in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, said she did not receive any gifts yesterday.

Messina said she spent the holiday doing "just the regular stuff."

Malcolm Compitello, head of the Spanish and Portuguese Department, said he planned to do something later in the week for his six administrative assistants because he does not like to participate in formal holidays.

"Last year I did something on the holiday, but I didn't like it," he said. "It's iconoclasm. I don't like to do things when everybody else is."

The department's admin-istrative assistants, however, showed appreciation by giving T-shirts to two student workers.