Kathleen Morgan, Director of Administrative Services, will retire from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law effective October 31, 2012.
Morgan started at the College of Law in January, 1992. Her many duties have included staff recruitment, training and retention, facilities maintenance coordination, building remodeling projects, and the new building programming and design process. Dean Hiram Chodosh summed up her career this way: “If you were managing a team, you’d want Kathleen to be a part of it, as she did everything and anything she could (no matter how daunting or how small) to make the team successful.”
Jan Nystrom, Associate Director of the Stegner Center and a hall mate of Morgan’s for the past 10 years, says she will miss Morgan’s unremittingly cheery manner as well as her resolute grasp on policies, procedures and minutiae at the College of Law. “Kathleen is the ‘go to person’ at the college, whether it’s a big picture question about University policies and procedures or a burned-out light bulb that needs to be replaced. The full extent of her contributions will only be apparent after she has left because she is someone who works behind the scenes to keep the college—and all of us and our aging building—on track. I’ll miss Kathleen’s can-do attitude, her wealth of knowledge, and her willingness to dig in and help out whenever needed. Kathleen’s door was always open.”
Professor Bonnie Mitchell interviewed Morgan when she applied for the position two decades ago. “I could tell after five minutes that Kathleen was the best candidate for the job—and there were many candidates. Essentially, we were looking for someone who could manage whatever needed most attention that minute. Kathleen was poised, professional, and she made me feel calm in her company. What better qualities for a personnel and crisis manager!”
Post-retirement, Morgan’s plans include travel, hiking, gardening and quilting and reading good books. She said she will miss her colleagues and the many friendships she’s made over the years.