Linda Burnett, operations manager for the Department of Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning (OPWL), is retiring after more than 27 years of service to the university. A reception will be held in her honor on Thursday, Jan. 14 from 3:30-4:30 p.m., in the second floor atrium of the Engineering Building.
Burnett originally was hired in a temporary secretarial position in the Business Office program in the College of Technology in July 1988. In 1990, she was assigned to work in the Department of Instructional and Performance Technology (IPT), and this position became permanent in 1992. For the next 25 years, Burnett provided administrative, management and academic advising support for the OPWL (formerly IPT) department. As a classified employee, her title changed over the years. In 2013, she became operations manager, a professional staff position.
Her contribution to the OPWL department has been instrumental in numerous ways. She helped the department launch its first online course in 1990. While working for the department she earned the degree and assisted with five faculty hires, three name changes and a transition to an entirely online program.
In addition to her contribution to the department, Burnett was actively involved in service at Boise State. Each December and May, the university could count on her to volunteer to assist with Commencement. She also was actively involved in the Association of Classified Employees (ACE), serving as a senator as well as president. She was the 2009 recipient of the College of Engineering’s Staff Award for Excellence and the 2010 recipient of the ACE Outstanding Classified Employee award.
The entire OPWL department, students and graduates will miss her insight into department strategies and goals, her consistent focus on student needs, and her ability to wrangle faculty.