Administrative/Professional Committee Awards


Administrative/Professional Achievement Award

A. Introduction
Grand Valley State University has always recognized and embraced the concept that employees are the primary contributors to institutional goal achievement. The Administrative/Professional staff employee group of Grand Valley State provides this additional reward for their members. Each year an Administrative Achievement Award is presented to an AP staff member who has contributed significantly to the institution.
B. The Award
The Award is a plaque appropriately inscribed "For Outstanding Performance for 20___," and the name of the recipient. This plaque is the property of the awardee, and will be accompanied by a letter of commendation signed by the President of Grand Valley. In addition, the awardee's name is added to an institutional plaque displayed prominently in the staff dining room in the Kirkhof Center. The awardee will also receive a $200 GVSU gift certificate.
The Award is presented to the recipient at the annual luncheon for the Administrative/Professional employee group hosted by the President each year. The University will bear the expense of the plaque and the luncheon.
C. Qualifications
Any member of the Administrative/Professional staff may be nominated for this award, and will be judged in part on these qualifications:
1. duties fulfilled in an outstanding fashion 2. personal/professional growth which improves performance of self and unit/department 3. cooperation with other units on campus 4. contributions to University as a whole, including community related activities that reflect well on the University 5. interpersonal skills/relationships with fellow employees 6. innovative approach to changes, problems, responsibilities This is not intended to be inclusive, but rather to give some measures of excellence. The awardee need not excel in all areas.
D. The Process
The AP Awards subcommittee will announce that nominations are being accepted for the award. Nomination forms will be sent to all Administrative/Professional members and notice will appear in the Forum. Nominations will be accepted from the University community at large. If a member of the subcommittee is nominated, that person will be replaced by an alternate from the Administrative/Professional Committee. Based on written nominations and interviews the subcommittee will choose the recipient and will notify the Chairperson of their selection no later than one month prior to the AP Luncheon.
It is the responsibility of the Administrative/Professional Committee Chairperson to notify the President of the selection and to provide the President with an introduction of the recipient for the awards luncheon. The name of the award recipient remains confidential and is released for the first time by the President during the actual award presentation. The awardee may, however, be notified in advance. The subcommittee will be responsible for the awardee's plaque and adding the recipient's name to the GVSU display plaque. No person shall be the recipient of this award more than once.

Administrative/Professional Service Awards
A. Outstanding Team Project Award - to recognize the work of an ad-hoc team of A/P staff members from two or more departments that accomplish a project benefiting the university. This award would emphasize work of staff members across unit lines. Nominations would outline the (1) success of the project, (2) how the project benefits the university, (3) what goals and objectives were met, (4) time frame of the project.
B. Service to Community Award - to recognize an individual A/P staff member that has gone above and beyond professional responsibilities in contributing his/her expertise and service to at least one of the following: (1) the GVSU community, (2) the professional organization of his/her discipline, or (3) the local/national/international community.
C. Commitment to Students Award - to recognize an individual A/P staff member who shows a commitment to serve as a strong mentor to GVSU students beyond the person's normal professional responsibilities and regardless of his/her professional role. Nominations should outline the person's trustworthiness and skills with students in the areas of advising, advocacy, referrals, listening, accessibility, and motivation. Recipients must be nominated by a student or at least have a letter of support from a student, and student comments would be weighed heavily in the selection process.
D. Commitment to Diversity Award - to recognize an individual A/P staff member who serves as an example to others in their commitment to diversity beyond the scope of his/her professional responsibilities. A person who demonstrates through action the ideals of cultural diversity and interculturalism, and who helps others gain greater understanding of diversity and interculturalism.
E. Innovation Award - to recognize an individual A/P staff member whose innovative ideas and practices benefit the university in a specific way, as outlined in the nomination. This could include methods to improve cost-efficiency, changes in procedures, creating new programs or services, or leading new initiatives.
The Process
A. Establish an A/P Awards Selection Subcommittee (elected from the A/P Membership) to include one representative from each A/P group, and two at-large A/P staff members. An individual elected from the committee will serve as chair for a term of one year. A designee from the A/P Committee will serve as representative to the group. (voting only in case of a tie). Members of this subcommittee would not be eligible to receive any awards. B. The A/P Awards Selection Subcommittee would meet during the last week of March and the first two weeks of April to review nominations and select award recipients (in time for Human Resources to process the awards to be presented at the A/P Luncheon in May). C. New awards would recognize accomplishments within the awards period (March 1 through last day in February) of each year. D. Up to ten awards would be presented per year, one for overall Achievement, one for an Outstanding Team Project, and up to two each for the individual awards. The selection subcommittee could recommend that no awards are presented in a given category if they do not feel any nominees meet the awards criteria. E. Monetary rewards and professional acknowledgement should be attached to each award to increase the value and significance to recipients. 1. The Outstanding Team Project Award would include a congratulatory reception/lunch/dinner for the winning team members, hosted by the University President. A plaque listing all the team members' names would be presented to the primary department sponsoring the project. 2. For the individual awards, each recipient would receive a $100 in Campus Cash (For use on-campus at such venues as the bookstore, dining facilities, the meadows, etc,). Each recipient would also receive a plaque. 3. Every award recipient (for both team and individual awards) would receive a congratulatory letter from the University President that would be placed in the employee's personnel file. F. Collect award nominations from any GVSU faculty/staff/student through an online process during the first three weeks in February. Other supporting information for the initial nomination (letters of support, interviews) may also be requested for the awards depending on criteria. G. All nominators should receive a thank you letter from the chair of the A/P Awards Subcommittee in March, which personally invites the nominator to attend the A/P Luncheon. At the luncheon, nominators would be acknowledged as a group and publicly thanked. H. The members of the Awards Selection Subcommittee should be announced when the nomination process is publicized in January/February. The Subcommittee should also be publicly acknowledged at the A/P Luncheon. I. The Chair of the Awards Selection Subcommittee (with the Assistance of the A/P Committee and Human Resources) would be responsible for the development of the online nomination forms, widely publicizing the nomination process, convening the selection process, and handling correspondence as listed in other recommendations.

Administrative/Professional Awards Annual Luncheon
Grand Valley State University A/P Awards are presented to Administrative / Professional employees at the annual A/P Luncheon each Spring. The Luncheon is hosted by The Office of the President, Human Resources, and the A/P Committee. The A/P Awards recognize both team and individual accomplishments as selected by a group of peers. A/P employees can be nominated by GVSU students, faculty, or staff, and nominations are then reviewed by the A/P Awards Selection Committee.

A/P Awards Selection Committee Awards
Achievement Award
Commitment to Diversity Award
Commitment to Students Award
Innovation Award
Outstanding Team Project Award
Service to Community Award

Award Nominations
The Achievement Award is open to any Administrative/Professional staff member, with the exception of members of the A/P Awards Selection Committee, A/P Committee members and previous Achievement Award recipients. Because the scope of the other awards is new in 2006, any A/P staff member is eligible, with the exception of the A/P Awards Selection Committee and the A/P Committee. Any GVSU student, faculty, or staff member may nominate an eligible A/P staff member for any or all of the awards. Letters of support are also appreciated to supplement nominations. The nomination and support letter process is entirely online through this web-site. If you would like assistance in completing the nomination form or preparing a letter of support, please contact a member of the A/P Committee.

Awards will be presented at the annual A/P Luncheon.
Nomination Forms Achievement Award Commitment to Diversity Award Commitment to Students Award Innovation Award Outstanding Team Project Award Service to Community Award



Page last modified September 11, 2014