Two CAS faculty members have been honored with the 2011 UO MLK Award.
Michael Hames Garcia (above), professor of ethnic studies, and Janis Weeks, professor of biology and interim director of the African Studies program.
Hames Garcia and Weeks were among a total of four recipients of this year's MLK Award, all of whom were recognized for their commitment to making the UO campus a welcoming place. The other recipients were MaryAnn Glant, an early childhood assistant in the College of Education’s Early Childhood CARES program and Tina Gutierez-Schmich, a professional development specialist in the Center on Diversity and Community.
Left: Janis Weeks on a visit to Africa.
The four were honored during a reception on Jan. 20 featuring UO President Richard Lariviere and Charles Martinez, the university’s vice president for institutional equity and diversity.
The UO’s Martin Luther King, Jr., Award was originally established to honor under-recognized classified staff whose activities and achievements help make campus a welcoming place to live, work and learn. The award has since been expanded to include recognition of university faculty and officers of administration whose contributions to the campus community exceed job expectations and exemplify ideals associated with Martin Luther King, Jr.
Criteria for MLK award nominees include fostering a welcoming environment and embodying King’s humanitarian spirit; setting a caring example by building morale and showing compassion; working toward cultural diversity and awareness; promoting diversity, social justice and equity; and demonstrating moral courage, adherence to the principles of non-violence and dedication to the ideals of social harmony.
The awards are given by the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity, in collaboration with the Department of Human Resources.
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