Vivre Bell received the College of Behavioral Sciences’ Outstanding Staff Member Award for 2007. Vivre as Director of Administration oversees seven other administrative staff and the department’s three-person technical team. They are responsible for ensuring the efficient running of the department. Although a relatively small department in terms of TT faculty (16.5 lines), the geography department is large and complex, because of its large research grant income: over $8 million was received during the last fiscal year. The latter contribute to the large number of people employed through the department – at the last count more than 140 people were on the payroll.

Vivre Bell after the presentation of her award in the Grand Ballroom of the Stamp Union with from left to right Emeritus Professor Derek Thompson, Professor Chris Justice, Professor John Townshend and Dr Cathy Carter.

In his letter of nomination, the chair, John Townshend wrote:

“The only way that the department has been able to deal with its many transformations has been to create a host of efficient administrative mechanisms to carry out all of its tasks. Vivre Bell has been central to the creation of many of these functions from handling the enormous numbers of grant proposals, which are submitted each year to dealing with all the personnel issues that arise, not to mention our numerous computers (currently over 300), raid arrays, switches etc.

“Of course Vivre does not carry out all these tasks herself but has managed to assemble and retain superb administrative and technical teams. Moreover like any brilliant conductor she knows how to perform all of the tasks herself, and this includes a considerable knowledge of computing and all related facility issues.

“In many departments there is often a tension between administrative staff and faculty. This is almost completely absent in our department, because faculty accept and treat Vivre as an equal. This is helped by the fact that her masters degree is in Geography, but it is also because of her warm personality, considerable intellect and her superb abilities as the chief administrator of the department. She serves on all departmental committees except for APT and Merit, so that she can learn of evolving needs and problems from faculty immediately that they arise and she often deals with them almost as quickly.

“Our budget is very complex partly because of our grant activities and partly because of the Byzantine way the campus often operates. Vivre is always completely on top of the budget and is always able to provide me with budget projections for the current year and up to four further years as and when I frequently request them.

“She has organized a departmental calendar so that staff members are automatically reminded of the due dates for any regularly recurring activities. Those that affect the role of the chair are brought to my attention, usually with a draft of any required memorandum already attached. She frequently helps faculty with their administrative responsibilities. We are having a retreat later this month and as usual she has taken care not only of all the logistics but has helped me craft the agenda and its organization down to the composition of the various break-out groups.

“It is an enormous help to me that Vivre has the respect of members of the Dean’s office and I am delighted that they understand that by far the best way to interact with the department is not through me or other faculty, but through her.

“For Geography and I suspect many other departments in BSOS, Vivre has redefined the role of a departmental administrator and I know that some other departments have successfully copied the Geography model.

“I had two qualms about nominating Vivre for this position: first that the Dean would understand just how little I do as chair in administering the department and second that it increases the possibility of her being poached by another unit. These are risks I have to take in nominating Vivre Bell, with great pride, for the 2007 Outstanding Staff Award.”

Vivre received letters of support from many other members of the Department and College as well.