Recognize your P
Many award deadlines are coming up
By Lori Anne Williams
From Brief, January 26, 2005
Spring is a time for celebration, and at the University of Minnesota, it is also a time to recognize the inspiring work of our peers. Academic professional and administrative (P&A) staff are eligible for many of the University's honors. Here are just a few of them, with many deadlines coming up. Whether the time is right to enhance a career or provide a fitting capstone, you may find just the honor for that colleague you deeply admire.
University-wide awards
John Tate Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising
Deadline: January 27 The Tate awards serve to recognize and reward academic advising. They call attention to the contribution that academic advising makes in helping students formulate and achieve intellectual, career, and personal goals. By highlighting examples of outstanding advising, the Tate Awards identify positive models and recognize the role that academic advising plays in the University's educational mission. For more information, see the Office of Human Resources Teaching and Advising Awards.
Josie R. Johnson Human Rights and Social Justice
Award
Deadline: February 14 The Josie R. Johnson Award honors
those faculty, staff, and students who have made outstanding
contributions to the University and external community in the areas
of human rights and social justice. Criteria may include:
- increasing educational or employment opportunities for individuals from underrepresented communities
- producing or presenting scholarly work which significantly improves others' understanding of the complex dynamics of difference in its various manifestations and multiple dimensions
- advocating for policy or procedural change designed to improve the learning and working environments for individuals from underrepresented communities
- developing and implementing initiatives that support individuals from underrepresented communities to develop skills, obtain knowledge, and establish support networks that are essential to promoting an inclusive community
- promoting the advancement of human rights and social justice through involvement on campus and/or in the external community
- demonstrating an ability and ongoing commitment to preparing and empowering others as effective advocates for social equality
- possessing an admirable strength of character that inspires others to continue personal development in the area of human rights and social justice
Outstanding Community Service Award
Deadline: March 1 These awards honor members of the
University community who have devoted their time and talent to make
substantial, enduring contributions to the community and to improve
public life and the well-being of society. All faculty and staff at
the University are eligible to receive this award, as are community
members affiliated with the University of Minnesota. Award criteria
include:
- evidence of solid accomplishments in the area of public policy and/or public service that contribute to the quality of life at the local, regional, state, national, or international level
- contributions that result in long-term and lasting changes for the public good
- demonstrated commitment to the University and the greater Minnesota community
President's Outstanding Service Award
Deadline: March 1 This award was established in 1997 to
recognize faculty and staff who have provided exceptional service
to the University. It is presented each year in the spring and
honors active or retired faculty or staff members who have gone
well beyond their regular duties and have demonstrated an unusual
commitment to the University community. For more information, see
the University
Senate handbook on awards.
President's Emerging Leaders
Deadline: March 11 Each year, this program offers a
structured but flexible development opportunity for selected
high-potential P&A, civil service, and bargaining unit staff to
further prepare themselves for significant leadership at the
University. A small cohort of individuals, nominated by
administrators and others and then selected by a special review
committee, participate in a 12-month program that features both
educational and experiential components. Both components are aimed
at fostering a broad perspective of the University as an enterprise
as well as promoting skill development that enhances the
individual's leadership. For more information, see the President's Emerging Leaders Web
site.
CAPA Unit Award
Deadline: TBA--watch for guidelines later this winter
Units will be judged on outstanding achievements and contributions
of their P&A staff and the practices used for enhancing the
careers and morale of their P&A employees. Units should provide
specific evidence of excellence worthy of this recognition and
demonstrate that they have provided their staff some, if not all,
of the following:
- P&A staff members who have made distinguished contributions to the mission of the University
- professional leave opportunities, especially those that come with unit funding
- opportunities for professional development
- multi-year contracts
- appropriate and fair non-renewal practices
- raises above the amount provided by central administration
- staff awards and recognition within the unit
- a meaningful P&A role in unit decision-making, such as opportunities to serve on assembly committees or other unit-governing bodies
- travel funds for attendance at professional conferences
Women's Leadership Institute
Deadline: Spring 2005 The Women's Leadership institute
offers University women an opportunity to grow as leaders.
Participants come from supervisory, management, and/or
administrative leadership positions throughout the University.
Using a "cohort" method, the Institute builds on the skills and
experiences of the women in the group to create a learning
community that continues beyond the duration of the program. The
Women's Leadership Institute combines monthly meetings with outside
readings to cultivate leadership skills within a community of
mutual learning and support. Meetings include a combination of
guest speakers, reflection, and group discussion. Guest speakers
have been senior women leaders and administrators at the
University, offering participants a valuable opportunity to hear
their stories and learn from their experiences. For more
information, see the Women's Leadership Institute
Web site.
Hubert H. Humphrey Public Leadership Awards
Deadline: December 2005 This awards program honors
individuals that have made demonstrated contributions to the common
good through public leadership and service. Four awards are given
annually: two to leaders (either emerging or established), one to
celebrate the work of the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs (to
a faculty member, student, center, research project, etc.), and a
Dean's Award to a candidate selected by the Humphrey Institute
dean. Nominations for all three publicly nominated categories must
meet the following criteria.
- Show how the nominee has contributed significantly to the common good through public leadership or service in elected office, the nonprofit/nongovernmental sector, community service, and/or the private sector.
- Such contributions could include altering the political landscape through a lifetime of public leadership, sustaining a major positive influence through a career of public service, fostering a sense of community, demonstrating social entrepreneurship, furthering active citizenship, and/or demonstrating a significant act of courage in the face of opposition, pressure, or challenging circumstances.
- Special consideration will be given to nominees who have blurred political boundaries--whether working across party lines, crossing geo-political borders, or bridging other traditional divides.
Distinguished Women Scholars
Deadline for the next round: December 2005 This program
acknowledges and honors accomplishments of distinguished women
scholars at the University. This year's two awards will be
presented at a ceremony during the annual Celebration for Women
sponsored by the Office for University Women, April 28, 2005,
2:30-4:30 p.m., Memorial Hall, McNamara Alumni Center. Each scholar
will be awarded $2,000 for research, scholarly, or artistic
activities. Nominations are submitted by college deans--this year,
they were due to deans' offices by November 22 and the final
deadline was December 6, 2004. For more information, see the
Distinguished
Women Scholars Awards Web site.
Twin Cities campus awards
Mullen/Spector/Truax Award
Deadline: February 15 The Mullen/Spector/Truax Women's Leadership Award was established in 1997 to honor former University employees Patricia Mullen, Janet Spector, and Anne Truax. All three worked throughout their careers to improve the campus climate for women faculty, staff, and students. The award is given annually to a faculty or staff woman at the University who has made outstanding contributions to women's leadership development. For more information, see the Office for University Women Web site.
Rusty Barcelo Collaborative Multicultural Grants
Deadline: February 28 Nancy "Rusty" Barcelo, Ph.D., was
associate vice president for multicultural and academic affairs at
the University from 1996 to 2001. Her vision of the multicultural
university focused on the importance of building coalitions to
foster an inclusive and diverse campus environment. Initially, the
Rusty Barcelo Award was established in 2002 to acknowledge
individual efforts. But in fall 2004, after consulting with her,
the sponsors--the Office for University Women (OUW) and Office for
Multicultural and Academic Affairs--refined and retitled this honor
to become the Barcelo Collaborative Multicultural Projects Grant.
This honor will focus on support for quality collaborative projects
that help create a thriving campus community where diversity in the
widest sense is welcomed and supported. The grant welcomes efforts
that affect the campus climate for women students, faculty, and
staff of color. Up to two $500-$1,000 grants may be awarded for
Short-Term Projects that seek to enhance campus diversity and
inclusiveness, and one $2,500 grant may be given to fund an
Institutional Change Project. Funded projects will be celebrated in
the OUW Celebration of University Women program, April 28. For more
information, see the Office for University Women
Web site. Special Grants Program, Office of University
Women
Deadline: February 28 The Office for University Women
seeks proposals for projects that will help create an inclusive and
diverse campus community through an enhanced campus climate for
women faculty, staff, and students. Grants range from $100 to
$1,000. For more information, see the Office for University Women
Web site.
Star Performer Awards, University Services
Deadline: September 2005 Star Performers are University
Services employees who demonstrate high customer-service values in
the way they do their jobs. Nominees describe University Services
employee who have made their experiences at the University better.
Examples include exceptional service, a high level of integrity,
innovative ways to save money or other resources, or work that was
completed efficiently and effectively according to predetermined
outcomes. For more information, see Star Performer
information page.
Beautiful U Day Awards
Deadline for the next round: Fall 2005 Two awards: the
Beautiful Classroom Award, co-sponsored by the Office of Classroom
Management and University Services, and the Beautiful Building
Award, are given to custodial teams that provide exceptional
service delivery and create learning, working, living, or research
spaces that are of the highest quality. Information will be posted
on the Web at the Beautiful U Day Web
site.
Watch for a Web site focusing on all University award and honors opportunities, debuting this spring!
Lori Anne Williams is a member of CAPA and the communications director for University Services, Twin Cities campus.