Paul Lawson Administrative Development Fund

Paul Lawson (1933-1988)

Paul Lawson was a former Director of Personnel for Saint John’s University. The establishment of this fund in 1989 reflects Paul’s belief in people. It also highlights that in this community of good workers, each person carries a responsibility to manage his/her job and possesses a willingness to work together to accomplish common goals. People are the Order of Saint Benedict's best resource and if one invests in the development of its employees, it can only strengthen the service they give to the community. With this conviction in mind, Paul generously donated to the establishment of this Administrative Development Fund.

The Fund

The Paul Lawson Fund was created to provide funding for the professional growth and development of individual administrators at the Order of Saint Benedict. The fund will award grants for projects that are extraordinary and are not normally funded by departmental budgets. Awards will range from $100 to $1,200. Applications will be evaluated by a selection committee of peer administrators.

Eligibility

• All full-time benefits eligible members of the administrative staff who are paid by the Order of Saint Benedict and have been employed by the Order of Saint Benedict for at least six months are encouraged to submit applications requesting support for administrative development activities that are not covered by department funding. Such activities could include, but would not be limited to, participation in conferences, graduate school course work, workshops, or consultations that are likely to improve ones professional skills. 
• Support from this fund cannot be used to relieve departments of their responsibility to provide for the professional development of its members. It is intended to supplement available resources so as to provide increased opportunities for more staff members.
• This fund is not intended to pay for training that is required in order to do one’s work, such as training for software that is being used within the department.
• This fund cannot be used to support regular attendance at professional meetings. These events should be funded as part of a department’s regular budgetary activities.

Guidelines for Prioritizing Funds

1. Successful applications will demonstrate the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge that are directly applicable to one’s area of responsibility, and which hold promise of enhancing one’s job performance.
2. Priority will be given to those applicants who have not been funded in the past two years. Individuals will not receive awards in consecutive years.
3. Applications generally accepted one to six months prior to the professional development.
4. Employees may submit for consideration requests for funding of graduate school course work that develops an employee’s expertise.

Application Process 

• Applications will be submitted to the Paul Lawson Committee according to the dates established by the committee. Application should include copies of descriptive marketing materials describing the activity.
• The Paul Lawson Committee will review the requests (according to the guidelines listed above) and respond in writing within 2 weeks of the committee’s review of application.
• Additional information can be requested from applicants to fully understand the nature of their activity and/or funding needs.
• Grant recipients should share the information gained with their applicable constituents.
• Grant recipients may be asked to serve on the committee the following year.
• If necessary, the CEO of the appropriate division will make the final decision regarding any awards.
• Notification of grants may be made public to the campus community.
• All applicants will receive written notice from the committee regarding the final status of the application. If the request is approved, reimbursement and other financial transactions will be processed through the Saint John’s Staff Accountant.
• Reimbursement for graduate course work will only be made after submission of a receipt for fees paid to the Saint John's Business office.

Application Deadlines:

July 15, 2008
October 15, 2008
January 15, 2009
April 15, 2009

Complete the Paul Lawson Administrative Development Application

If you have questions please contact Paul Lawson Administrative Development Fund co-chairs, Kerry Werlinger at (320) 363-2611 or Eileen Haeg.

Revised June 2008