Nearly 400 faculty and staff members bid a remote farewell as they head into retirement

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For many of the nearly 400 faculty and staff members who have retired this year – including 23 with four decades or more of service – the milestone has been marked without the traditional celebration.

While those who worked their last day before COVID-19 might have been honored at office parties, none of the 379 people who retired this year were able to attend the annual Retirees Dinner, coordinated by the Division of Human Resources, which had to be canceled.

"We should all take a moment and acknowledge this year's retirees," said Helena A. Rodrigues, vice president and chief human resources officer. "With an average of more than two decades of service with the University, these individuals have had an enormous influence on our institution and community. It's hard not to be able to celebrate each of them in the way we normally would because of this pandemic, but that should not stop us from remembering and honoring their contributions. I want to extend a huge congratulations to all retirees, and I wish them health and happiness."

In lieu of the dinner, Human Resources launched a website to thank retirees for their years of service and the contributions they have made to the University.

"Each of you has been an integral part of the success of our community," President Robert C. Robbins says in a video message posted on the website. "You have helped prepare our students for a changing world, launched discoveries that make Arizona and the world a better place, and built memories that will last a lifetime."

The website also includes statistics about the 2020 retirees and provides a list of their names (PDF). Listed below is a selection of those names, calling out the faculty and staff members who served the University for 40 or more years.

50 or More Years

• William Conway, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, 54 years
• Charles Scruggs, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Department of English, 53 years

40 or More Years

• Richard Allen, Associate Staff Scientist, Steward Observatory, 42 years
• Carol Beltran, Department Administrator, Department of Physiology, 45 years
• Marian Binder, Director, Counseling and Psych Services, Campus Health and Wellness, 44 years
• Jackson Boelts, Professor, School of Art, 42 years
• Cynthia Callahan, Creative Services Manager, Arizona Student Media, 41 years
• Carmen Elias, Human Resources Representative, University of Arizona Police Department, 43 years
• Karl Flessa, Professor Emeritus, Department of Geosciences, 43 years
• Patricia MacCorquodale, Professor Emerita, Department of Gender and Women's Studies, 42 years
• Daniel Madden, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, and BIO5 Institute member, 44 years
• William Marshall, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, 41 years
• Lynne Mascarella, Continuing Education Director, Center for Health Outcomes and PharmacoEconomic Research, 40 years
• Thomas Mauet, Professor, James E. Rogers College of Law, 40 years
• Robert McMillan, Research Professor, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, 41 years
• Homer Pettey, Professor Emeritus, College of English, 40 years
• David Poirier, Professor Emeritus, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 42 years
• Toni Lee Richardson, Financial Administrator, College of Medicine – Tucson, 41 years
• William Schaffer, Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 45 years
• Carol Thompson, Manager, High School Programs and Community Development, Office of Admissions, 40 years
• John Umbreit, Professor Emeritus, Department of Disability and Psychoeducational Studies, 42 years
• Elizabeth Van Valkenburg, Senior Program Coordinator, Financial Services Office, 40 years
• Thomas Willard, Professor, Department of English and Honors College, 42 years

Retirees will receive an email at a later date about where and when to pick up their retirement gift from the University.