Andy Vail
On Oct. 30, Dean Kathryn J. Boor presented the Core Value Staff Award for Inclusiveness to Andy Vail in a ceremony celebrating research, extension and staff excellence. A senior administrator in the School of Integrative Plant Science, Vail recently celebrated twenty-one years of service at Cornell.
Vail has worked for CALS for the past seven years as a business and administrative manager for the sections of Plant Biology, Horticulture and Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology. He also supports Cornell Botanic Gardens and the CALS Office of Sponsored Research.
Vail's skills were instrumental in the integration and launch of SIPS as a school, which required many levels of cohesive support. During this transition, Vail created teams of various staff cohorts and conducted sessions that allowed staff to provide input on the changes. As a result, he issued a report to the college proposing a gradual staff realignment, which were all accepted by the college.
In addition to being noted for his interpersonal abilities, Vail's experience working with administrative leaders across Cornell allowed CALS to develop a SIPS SharePoint resource. In working with Peter Paradise, assistant dean of capital projects and facilities services, Vail spearheaded the design of a new student lounge and collaboration space in the northwest corner of the first floor of the Plant Science Building. This space has been an asset for the undergraduate plant science program and facilitates collaboration and inclusiveness.
The Core Value Staff Awards recognize staff whose performance has gone far beyond the standards defined by Cornell’s Skills for Success, recognizing performance that surpasses expectations and makes a significant and/or unique contribution to the college. The award for inclusiveness is presented to a team or an individual who demonstrates the ability to communicate across differences to create a collaborative, collegial and caring community. Candidates strive to increase cooperation, honesty and openness for all; support participation of diverse employees in professional development activities; and actively support work-life integration in the workplace.
"I’m happy to recognize Andy for his great ideas, his intuitive grasp of organizational structure and the impact these strengths have on how we get work done at CALS," said Kathryn J. Boor '80, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of CALS.
► Meet all of our 2017 Research, Extension and Staff Award winners
