Department of Aerospace Studies: Flying Irish team
The Flying Irish team of the Department of Aerospace Studies was challenged to make significant strides in the areas of standardization, recruiting, training and retention of the 45-student cadet wing this past year.The team met these challenges head on, generating process improvements that were adopted across 37schools throughout the northeastern United States and saving up to 3,000 work hours in the first year alone.Through innovative and rigorous marketing initiatives,The Flying Irish more than doubled the incoming freshman class, growing it to the largest in sevenyears.They also boosted cadet retention by 38 percent with the implementation of a dynamic new training program.These accomplishments came at significant personal sacrifice from the faculty and staff — a true embodiment of service before self, a clear commitment to excellence and the Notre Dame mission.
The University of Notre Dame Care Program
The Care Program at the University of Notre Dame is a cross-campus collaboration designed to help students who seek support for issues related to overall well-being, mental health-related support and academic assistance.Comprised of 17 members of faculty and staff from 10 departments across the University, this team works with both administrative and academic units to facilitate this valuable program.At the core of the program are the Care Consultants.The Care Consultants worked with 675 students during 2016-17 academic year and,through their marketing efforts,increased student self-referrals from 13 students in 2013 to 87 students in 2016-17. TheCare Consultants work collaboratively with the Academy and other members of the Care Program team and recently developed a readmission orientation for all returning students and their families in order to be more welcoming and inclusive.
Hesburgh Library Renovation Team and Document Delivery/Stacks Management Unit
Two groups from the Hesburgh Library were recognized with the Team Irish Award: The Hesburgh Library Renovation Team and the Document Delivery/Stacks Management Unit.
Through extensive planning, coordination and execution and in partnership with numerous architects, contractors and other vendors, the Hesburgh Library Renovation Team has transformed an iconic campus building into a 21st-century nexus for teaching, learning and research.
The building has remained open and services have continued to be offered to campus, thanks largely to the Document Delivery/Stacks Management Unit. To accommodate the building of new spaces, this unit moved nearly 3 million books between floors, reshelved more than 750,000 books and helped to deliver nearly 130,000 books and documents across campus.
Land O’Lakes Team
Land O’Lakes, the 7,500-plus-acre property located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and northern Wisconsin, provides a pristine environment for learning and research. Thanks to the consistently high quality of care provided by this team of dedicated Notre Dame staff members in a remote location where they must depend upon one another, the property’s natural beauty and historical meaning are richly preserved.
This is the site where Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., relocated the Civil Rights Commission after a judge ruled the commission unconstitutional. The Land O’Lakes property gave the commission a chance to unwind, find common ground over fishing and continue their efforts. Thanks to their time up at Land O’Lakes, the commission was able to re-open/open the passage of civil rights legislation by voting unanimously on 11 recommendations and 5 to 1 on the 12th.
Laboratory Safety Advisory Committee
The University of Notre Dame strives to create a research and teaching environment in which hazards are understood and the associated risks are minimized by proper procedures, protocols and equipment.
The goal of the committee is to provide strategic direction for the laboratory safety program, and it is composed of a team of faculty and staff. The committee made several significant contributions this past year, including the development of a comprehensive Laboratory Integrated Safety Plan, collaborating on key lab safety programs and providing guidance on lab inspection programs, all of which led to improved lab safety performance across campus.
Office of Pre-College Programs
The Office of Pre-College Programs works hard all year to provide hundreds of advanced rising high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to experience life as a University of Notre Dame student on campus and/or abroad.
Their accomplishments are impressive. The Office of Pre-College Programs has doubled the number of applicants who apply to their domestic programs (Summer Scholars and Leadership Seminars), increased their course offerings by 30 percent, built successful international programs in Italy and Ireland, and developed a comprehensive Children’s Protection Policy for minors that is being adopted by other units on campus. Currently, 450 enrolled Notre Dame students are Pre-College alumni.
The Office of Pre-College Programs advances our University’s mission and exemplifies its values by offering quality, service oriented, college accredited academic programs, and by ensuring that students experience a positive and memorable summer at Notre Dame.
Notre Dame Design and Construction Project Team
In a 12-month span, the Notre Dame Design and Construction Project Team has successfully completed an unprecedented number of campus facilities projects by constructing both new buildings and renovating scores of others. They opened eight new campus buildings between August 2016 and August 2017! These include Corbett Family Hall, Duncan Student Center, Dunne Hall, Flaherty Hall, Jenkins Hall, McCourtney Hall, Nanovic Hall and O’Neill Hall. These projects exceed 1.3 million square feet, a one-time 12 percent growth in campus. In addition to this amazing feat, they have planned and accomplished hundreds of other campus building improvement, renewal and infrastructure projects in this same period.