September 12, 2006: Steve Talley, COAL Distributed User Support Specialist for Art & Design, is awarded the College's first Staff Professional Achievement Award (SPAA).

The nomination on his behalf reads:

"Steve Talley is the biggest reason that faculty within the Art & Design Department have won so many university teaching awards. Without Steve performing his duties overseeing the four departmental labs and maintaining faculty computers so efficiently, innovating new resources for students to learn, the department would be a barren place and the students not as well served. Steve has responded to 2659 requests from me, alone, since July 2002 when he was first hired. He is essential to the functioning of the Art & Design Technology Committee, which originated the database that COAL is currently using to track all technology resources. Steve allows the department to efficiently utilize the recycling of resources funded from Form5 and SCUF. Steve led the implementation of the render farm across a network of 400 computers that span the campus. His keen oversight of this project means that animation students can achieve 400 times the standard results, enabling their professional development opportunities to soar. Steve's efforts and attitude deserve recognition from the highest levels."  -- Vonda Yarberry, Professor of Art & Design

Congratulations and well done, Steve!