Auburn University Retiree Association

Awards

The "Bailey Award" was established in recognition of the pioneering work of Dr. Wilford S. Bailey who recognized the need for an organization to advocate on behalf of retirees in an effort to protect their benefits. The selection criteria and procedures for the Wilford S. Bailey Award will provide some background and the Board of Directors process for the award.

• A. Background
  To execute the desire of the AURA Board of directors to recognize, in perpetuity, the work done by Dr. Wilford S. Bailey in founding AURA, and to further honor him for the many contributions he made to Auburn University, higher education in general, and to the Auburn community, The Wilford S. Bailey Award was established by proclamation in the Aura Annual Meeting of May 13, 2004.

• B. PURPOSE OF THE AWARD
  The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor a person or organization for his/her/its contributions to the society and welfare of retirees from the educational community, whose character reflects the ideals and standards exemplified by Dr. Bailey. The Award will be given not more frequently than yearly and then only if a suitable candidate is identified.

• C. Candidacy Qualifications
  A candidate must, at a minimum, possess all of the following characteristics:

  1. Must be a citizen of the United States or an organization established in the United States.

  2. Must demonstrate high moral character.

  3. Must have demonstrated a unique and significant association with activities concerning the benefits and welfare of educational community retirees.

  4. Must display social and professional qualities that are commensurate with the community of education and educational institutions.

• D. Nomination and Election
  The AURA Board of Directors will serve as the Bailey Award Selection Committee. The Chairperson of the Awards and Recognition Committee will preside at all meeting of this committee. Nominations for the Award may come from the entire AURA membership but will be channeled through members of the board.

  The Selection Committee will convene in conjunction with the regular February board meeting and will receive nominations, consider and select a candidate for the Award or decide that no award will be made in that year. A quorum will be 51% (or greater of the board membership. In any voting action a simple majority of the convened committee (provided a quorum is present) is required. Subsequent to the naming of the recipient, the President of AURA, the Chairperson of the Awards and Recognition Committee, and a person "at large" (appointed by the President) will become an ad hoc committee to inform the recipient of hit/ her/ or its selection to receive the Award.

• E. Physicial Elements of the Award
  The Award will be a statuette consisting of a spread eagle mounted on a wooden pedestal. An engraved plate mounted on the pedestal will describe the Award and name the recipient. A permanent replica will have been presented to, and will reside with, the Wilford S. Bailey family. As successive awards are made, recipients' names will be added to the plate on that replica.

  In addition to the statuette, a leatherette bound citation will be developed and presented to the Award recipient. A copy of this citation will be conveyed to the Bailey family.

• F. Procurement, Publicity, Correspondence
  It will be the responsibility of the Awards and Recognition Committee to carry out the administrative details, developmental aspects, procurement actions, and correspondence relative to this Award. Assistance from the Publications, Social and Special Activities, and Finance Committees will be utilized. Progress reports to the board will be a part of the normal committee reporting in board meetings.

• G. Presentation Ceremony
  An appropriate awards ceremony to announce and bestow the Award onto the recipient will be a distinct part of the AURA annual meeting held in May of each year. The actual presentation will be made by the president of AURA with members of the Bailey Family assisting.

  Adopted by unanimous vote of the AURA board of directors, February 10, 2005

Past honorees:

2023: Jill E. Jackson

2022: No Award Given

2021: David Harer and Geoff Statum

2020: No Award Given

2019: Dr. Mary Q. Burkhart

2018: Senator Gerald Dial

2017: Mr. Joseph Borg

2016: Representative Pete Turnham

2015: Ms. Janice Charlesworth

2014: Dr. Gerald Johnson

2013: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn (OLLI at Auburn)

2012: Dr. Stanley Wilson

2011: The Auburn University Athletic Department

2010: Dr. Wayne Teague

2009: Governor Albert P. Brewer

2008: Speaker Seth Hammett

2007: Dr. Harry M. Philpot

2006: Senator Henry "Hank" Sanders

2005: Dr. Paul Hubbert

2004: Dr. David Bronner