Retirement reception planned for Fernald

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

The Office of Academic Services will hold a retirement reception in honor of Jo Ann Fernald from 3 to 5 p.m., Wednesday, April 30, in the lobby of the Robinson Hall for the Performing Arts.

Fernald, director of the Office of Disability Services, is retiring after more than a decade at UNC Charlotte. A 2012 recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence, Fernald is a UNC Charlotte alumna with undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology. She also received UNC Charlotte’s Employee of the Year Award in 2011.

In winning the Governor’s Award, Fernald was cited for displaying unselfish devotion to duty that balanced the competing demands of “providing for student’s needs for services while conserving University resources; supporting faculty expectations for academic excellence while accommodating the genuine needs of disabled but otherwise qualified students; and protecting the University against disability lawsuits while serving the other needs of the entire University community.” In addition, Fernald was credited with office innovation that has changed the focus from the needs of individual students to that of the entire campus; through partnership efforts, greater numbers of faculty and staff members have become advocates for inclusion and accommodation.  

RSVPs for the April 30 reception are requested by Friday, April 18; email academicservices@uncc.edu.