Faculty and Staff contribute time and money

More than 200 faculty and staff at the University of Missouri-Kansas City fanned out across campus on a beautiful sunlit day to plant, paint, pick up and perform other beautification projects for Faculty-Staff Service Day.

The original April 23 date for the exercise was a rainout, but participants could not have asked for a more perfect climate April 30 for the event, part of the faculty-staff component of the Campaign for UMKC. Projects were spread across both the Hospital Hill and Volker campuses.

At rallies on both campuses, officials revealed the results of a “friendly competition” for campaign giving among academic units and administrative departments. “Bragging rights” trophies were awarded to departments that led in donations both throughout the campaign, and during a short-term competition period that ended in April.

Mel Tyler, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, co-chairs the faculty-staff campaign along with Lora Lacey-Haun, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Studies. At the Volker rally, Tyler complimented participants for their dedication. At the last faculty-staff service day, he said, there were many prospective students and families on campus who were impressed by the pride in the university exhibited by the faculty and staff taking part.

“Your work really does make a difference for this university,” Tyler said. “The purpose of the Faculty and Staff Campaign is to create awareness and support of the university’s philanthropic mission. We want people to know that we – the employees of UMKC – are proud of our university and willing to invest in its future.”

He added that the percentage of employees contributing to the campaign has reached 33 percent, closing in on the campaign goal of 45 percent. The Faculty-Staff Campaign has raised $3.5 million toward a goal of $5 million.

Murray Blackwelder, president of the UMKC Foundation, said 14 of the university’s 24 academic units and administrative departments have already exceeded the 45 percent goal, and seven have exceeded 70 percent participation: The divisions of Strategic Marketing and Communications, the Chancellor’s office, Human Resources and Advancement; the UMKC Foundation; and the schools of Graduate Studies and Nursing and Health Studies.

Departmental awards presented at the rallies included:

Highest overall participation, university-wide: Chancellor’s office, 100%

Highest overall participation, Volker Campus: Division of Human Resources and School of Graduate Studies (tie), 85.7%

Highest overall participation, Hospital Hill Campus: School of Nursing and Health Studies, 80.9%

Highest percentage of new donors during competition period, university-wide: Division of Administration and Finance

Highest percentage of new donors during competition period, Volker Campus: University Libraries

Highest percentage of new donors during competition period, Hospital Hill Campus: School of Nursing and Health Studies