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CNS Remembers Penni Golowka

July 5, 2024 Community

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Nancy Faxon Golowka (known as "Penni" to friends and family) passed away on July 5, 2024. Penni spent the majority of her working career—32 years—at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she retired as the personnel and MBU administrative officer at the College of Natural Sciences. Below, members of the CNS community who worked closely with Penni share their memories and impressions of Penni's invaluable contributions to our college:

Linda Slakey, who served as Dean of what was then called the College of Natural Science and Mathematics (NSM), from 1993 - 2000, commented on Penni's expertise and her capacity to handle pressure in a way that put others at ease:

"Good personnel work is a key foundation for a happy and productive organization, and tends to be taken for granted when it is done well. With Penni in charge, complete professionalism prevailed. 

All departmental appointments, both state and grant-funded, went through the Dean’s office. Our paperwork always met requirements. At a time when we were all just learning to use computer-based tools, and often had to build our own if we wanted to use information to make timely decisions, she created a college personnel database that logged every employee’s appointment dates and funding source, with flags for end dates for the funding of our many grant-funded people, so she could provide timely warnings to their bosses. Her database included commitments of funding, both state and grant sources, so that I could track our total commitments week by week.

She did all this detailed work with a remarkable lightness of touch. Of course, her personnel files included peoples’ date of birth, and she prompted little celebrations of college staff birthdays. She took every small opportunity to help others relax and see the humor in their days while maintaining very high work standards. She really was the epitome of grace under pressure."

— Linda Slakey

Bob Hallock, who served as Interim Dean of the College of Natural Science and Mathematics from 2000 - 2001, recalls Penni's institutional knowledge and eagerness to support the team:

While I served as Dean, Penni was the primary personnel officer for NSM. To me, she was the picture of stability, always on top of personnel actions and always with a smile. She deftly handled all sorts of issues related to appointments, periods of leave, etc. I quickly grew to trust her and knew if a question came to me, she would know just where in the hierarchy to get the answer (if she did not already know it). She was a joy to work with. Folks like Penni give administrative leaders strength, and Penni did just that for me.

— Bob Hallock

Leon Osterweil, the Dean of the College of Natural Science and Mathematics from 2001 - 2005, commented on Penni's work ethic and positivity:

I am so sorry to hear of the passing of Penni Golowka. Penni provided much-appreciated support for me during my years as Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Penni was the point person for personnel issues in the College, and there were many of them, some of which were very challenging. Penni was so strong and adept at dealing with all of them. But what I remember most about Penni was her upbeat, cheerful demeanor. Nothing seemed to upset her or shake her unwavering positive attitude! Penni was always a ray of sunshine, even in trying times. With Penni’s passing a bright light has been extinguished and the world is a gloomier place. My heartfelt sympathies to her family and her many friends and admirers.

— Leon Osterweil

Alice Y. Cheung, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, talked of her friendship with Penni:

“I got to know Penni when I was on the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics’s Personnel Committee years ago. Penni’s ‘can-do’ spirit provided the backbone for our committee’s work. Her always-professional replies in the brightest and most cheerful manner made our task so much easier.

Her generosity and all-around kindness became the foundation of twenty years of friendship. I will miss our chats, and her always-punctual (funny and thoughtful) greetings for every occasion. She will remain an inspiration to making the best of one’s life, even in the face of life-threatening hardship.”

— Alice Y. Cheung

Additional remarks about Penni will be added to this page as they are received. Please contact the cnscomm [at] cns [dot] umass [dot] edu (CNS Communications team) if you would like to contribute.

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