JENNIFER ROWAN is the Assistant to the Executive Director of Research Services at the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research. Having worked at the UIC campus for 16 years, she indicates, “I have been fortunate that every position that I have had at the University has allowed me to learn about new areas from faculty affairs, to health care, and now research.” She enjoys the variety of her work as well as the people with whom she works.
A FEW years ago, Rowan wanted to become more involved with issues affecting Academic Professionals (APs) at the University and began attending APAC meetings. This desire to be involved in AP-related issues led to her election to serve on the Academic Professional Advisory Committee in 2008. Since then, she has served as the Chair of the Building Community and Education Subcommittee (2009-2010) and currently serves as the Vice Chair, with her term ending in 2011.
ROWAN REFLECTED that over the past few years the “number of events that APAC has sponsored” or co-sponsored with the Chancellor's Status Committees “has significantly increased,” as has the sheer number of people who attend the APAC events – several events have sold out or been standing-room-only this past year. She clearly sees this as a major accomplishment for APAC and all APs. However, there is still more work to do. Rowan added, “we need to increase our outreach efforts so that more APs are getting involved in our various activities and subcommittees.” While this will require much effort, she is optimistic and sends this message to all APs: “I encourage everyone to come to an APAC event or meeting.”
--Ivone De Jesus
