President's Classified Employee of the Year, 3rd Place
Dottie Shank Barnett
Administrative Assistant III/Office Manager
Rebel Since: 2005
Classified Rookie of the Year award winner in 2007
What you do: I'm the office manager for the School of Environmental and Public Affairs. I have a couple of students who answer phones, but I do everything else. I order supplies, handle contracts, and help students with their problems. And that's just some of what I do.
Why 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ: I believe in higher education. I worked as an assistant to a CEO in the corporate world in California, but left to come here. I was a person who did not graduate from high school. Eventually I decided to go back to school. I earned a bachelor's degree from California State University, Hayward (now Cal State East Bay) and a certificate in arbitration and mediation from the University of California, Berkeley while working full time. I was the first in my family to earn a college degree. My sister and brother went to college because I did. I encouraged my kids to do the same. Now my family includes an attorney, a professor, a police officer, and a nurse.
Proudest accomplishment on the job: Seeing the students graduate and go forward. Having people succeed is important to me and having students succeed is particularly important. It's always rewarding when students come in to tell me they are graduating or have found their first job after graduating. Sometimes they use me as a job reference. When students look good, so do the people who taught and nurtured them.
Other 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ accomplishments: For three and half years I served as president of the Classified Staff Council. I also chaired one of the accreditation committees last time the university was accredited.
First job: I had a chauffer's license and drove a school bus. I was the first girl ever hired in my hometown in California to do this. I kept that license for a long time before giving it up.
Advice for a new employee: Ask questions! Don't be afraid to ask. Make a list of people willing to help you. I know who to call in the mailroom, who to call in OIT. I don't hesitate to ask questions. We're all supposed to be in this together.
Reaction to winning the award: I was very surprised. There are so many good people on campus. I would like to see everyone nominated.
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What People Nominating Her for the Award Had to Say
Edward Weber, director of the School of Environmental and Public Affairs, said, "Her most valuable contribution this year has been the effective and efficient manner in which she has dealt with the assimilation of an additional program area into our unit due to the university budget cuts and downsizing. She has assisted the former unit's department chair and staff with transition issues in a most pleasant and diplomatic way. This has resulted in a potentially emotionally difficult situation being dealt with in a way that new faculty and staff feel welcomed and accommodated."
Kayla White, student worker, said, "As my supervisor (Dottie) has been a great influence on me, instilling in me a strong work ethic served with compassion and understanding. Dottie remains caring and considerate to all her coworkers even under the stress of a variety of challenging circumstances she might experience each day. Dottie seems to be the glue that holds the office together. She gets through all these challenges and stressful moments with courage and enthusiasm."
