2006 President’s Award for Outstanding Service

Carol Chomsky joined the Law School faculty in 1986. Throughout her tenure, she has demonstrated exceptional service to the Law School and the University community through her outstanding teaching, advocacy for access and inclusion of women and minorities within the institution, and a commitment to institutional improvement through service on governance and University-wide committees. In her role as coordinator of the Law School’s Judicial Externship Program, she has matched hundreds of law students with state and federal judges. Carol was the co-developer of the Structured Study Group Program, which is described as one of the most effective educational tools for first-year law students. Through her work on the Bush Faculty Development Program Advisory Committee and the Council on Enhancing Student Learning, she has contributed to the development of resources for and mentoring of newer faculty. Her commitment to the interests of women and minorities, both in scholarship and service, are unparalleled. She has served as a faculty mentor to undergraduate students of color through the President’s Distinguished Faculty Mentor Program and as coordinator of the University’s Early Career Teaching Program. She has contributed significantly to the planning and development of the Commission on Women (now the Office for University Women), and has served on the Senate Committee on Equity, Access, and Diversity, and most recently was elected chair of the Faculty Consultative Committee. She has also served on numerous professional organizations locally and nationally, including the Society of American Law Teachers, Association of American Law Schools, and the American Society for Legal History.

Debbie Nelson is the Special Assistant to the Associate Dean and Director of Curriculum Development in the Law School. She is described as someone who embodies institutional wisdom, and on a daily basis provides exceptional service to all members of the community. Her attitude and commitment to the University serves as a model to others. For more than three decades she has demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment to the faculty and the students. She has helped hundreds of faculty teach better, and thousands of attorneys succeed in school. She is instrumental in fostering a sense of community at the Law School and beyond. Even though it is not in her job description, she plans the retirement parties, pot-lucks, and organizes care packages to members of extended Law School family serving in Iraq. In addition, she is active in her community. The dean wrote, “Debbie has provided the very best service and support to the entire Law School community. Her attitude of helpfulness, inclusion, and respect for every single member is the foundation for the positive law school experience we provide for our students. Her service is nothing short of exceptional.”