Recognize your P&A peers!

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

For more information, see the Outstanding Community Service Awards nomination letter.

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.