Employee Recognition Program

The Office of The University Registrar Employee Recognition Program has been developed to recognize staff members of the department for outstanding service. This program is not meant to take the place of informal recognition of department employees by their supervisors and co-workers, but to give everyone an extra incentive to excel at what they do.

AWARDS

The Office of the University Registrar will host a Staff Appreciation Day once a year which will include an awards luncheon. The office will be closed and all staff members, including temporary and student employees, will be invited to attend this luncheon. The highlight of the luncheon will be the announcement of the Staff Excellence Award winner and presentation of the award. The winner will receive $250.00, two days of paid leave, a certificate of recognition, and will have their name engraved on the Office of The University Registrar departmental plaque. (If there is a tie the award will be split between the winners). The nominee's name with the next highest number of votes will be submitted to Human Resources for the Star Heels Award which is sponsored by TIAA-CREF and administered by the Employee Services Department. The Star Heels Award is a $20 gift certificate, and will be matched with an additional $100 monetary award from the department. All monetary awards will be contingent on the availability of funds. The ceremony will be held the Thursday during Spring break.

The award winners will serve on the Employee Recognition Committee for the next year.

The award winner and runner-up names will be forwarded to the Employee Forum as office delegates who march in the processional on University Day. In the event the current award winners elect to decline or are no longer employed due to transfer, retirement, termination, etc., previous award winners will be asked to participate.

AWARD CRITERIA

The Staff Excellence Award will be given to departmental employees to recognize performance excellence for contributions made to the overall mission of the Office of The University Registrar. This award is meant to honor an employee that not only performs his/her job duties but gives extra effort and goes above and beyond the call of duty. Nominations should be based on the following criteria:

1. Team Player: Works well not only in their own section but displays cooperation between different sections and maintains a positive attitude.
   
   
2. Customer Service: Provides excellent service to customers whether they be a student, department, faculty member, or other staff members. Person remains helpful, compassionate, and pleasant even when working under difficult circumstances.
   
   
3. Extra Effort: For going above and beyond the call of duty.
   
   
4. Creativity: Ability to find a solution to a difficult or complex situation.
   
   
5. Commitment: Works to the success of the overall mission of the Office of the University Registrar.

Excellence in other categories related to the operation of the Office of the University Registrar will be accepted with sufficient explanation (with approval of the Recognition Committee).

ELIGIBILITY

All permanent Office of The University Registrar staff members are eligible for recognition. Non-winning nominees will not be carried over to the next period. A nomination that is not a winner can be resubmitted in the future. Previous winners are eligible to be nominated two years after receiving their award.

NOMINATION PROCESS

Nominations will be solicited from employees in January. Employees may nominate only one person. Self-nomination is allowed. When you nominate a person you will be asked to write a short explanation as to why this person deserves the Staff Excellence Award. This written explanation will be used to determine the award winner and is to be kept within 200-300 words. For voting purposes multiple nomination narratives will be combined into one by the committee. The nomination forms should be turned into the committee chair by the deadline indicated on the nomination form. The chairperson of the committee will compile a list of all nominees. Nominee names will appear on the ballot and ballots will be distributed to all staff members for voting.

Voting will occur in February. Each staff member has one vote, thus selecting one choice per ballot. The winners will be chosen strictly by confidential voting. If there is a tie vote for the award winner, the winners will share award and the title of Staff Excellence Award winner.

RECOGNITION COMMITTEE

The Employee Recognition Committee will be a standing committee that will oversee the Employee Recognition Program and will be authorized to make revisions to the program. If a suggestion for a change is made, all staff members will be asked to vote as to whether they think the change should be implemented. Editing changes to the charter are the charge of the standing committee and needs no approval. Procedural, new changes or activities do need approval. Final approval for any changes that involve monetary adjustments must be approved by the University Registrar. If at any time the Recognition Committee feels that it needs guidance, or help in breaking a deadlock, it may seek assistance from the University Registrar.

Employee Recognition Committee members will serve for a term of one year. The term will be in effect from July 1 through June 30. The outgoing committee will be responsible for developing the committee for the next year. The recognition committee should consist of 5 members and will be selected from volunteers.

Employees may also be nominated to serve on the committee (with the employee's permission). If there are not an adequate number of volunteers for a particular year, members of the previous committee will have the right to recruit staff members to volunteer. The success of the Employee Recognition Program will depend on the work of the recognition committee and the willingness of staff to serve. If a member of the committee is nominated for the Staff Excellence Award, that employee's supervisor will be asked to serve in the employee's place during the selection process.

If a member of the Recognition Committee leaves employment with the Office of the University Registrar during their term, the following procedure will apply. If it is after December 31, the committee will finish out its term with the remaining members. If it is before December 31, the committee will (in this order):

1. ask for volunteers throughout the office
2. ask the supervisor of the employee to serve or appoint another of their employees
3. ask the University Registrar to serve or appoint an employee

Any discussion about the selection process is confidential. The committee should elect a chairperson to lead the committee. The committee members will be responsible for the following duties in conjunction with the Employee Recognition Program and must operate under the approved budgeted amount:

1. Make arrangements for the award ceremony/luncheon.
   
   
2. Publicize information about the award winners.
   
   
3. Prepare the certificates.
   
   
4. Update the department plaque with award winners and date.
   
   
5. Work closely with the Office Business Manager and Human Resources Facilitator for budget and transportation. (See attached checklist.)

Review guidelines yearly (after the Spring award ceremony); distribute to department for review and/or approval. Meet with the new committee in July to transfer recognition materials.

AMENDING THE PROGRAM CHARTER

At any time, an employee of the office may recommend a change or update to the existing program charter. Recommendations for changes to the charter should be submitted to the current Chair of the Recognition Committee. The current term's standing recognition committee members are the individuals responsible for maintaining the current charter during the term.

After the spring awards ceremony, it is the responsibility of the current standing committee to review the program charter and recommend any changes or modifications the Chair has received from the staff or other committee members. Those changes which are strictly cosmetic in nature, editing, formatting or slight clarifications can be made by the standing committee and require no approval by the office staff. Those changes which are procedural and affect or change the eligibility, nomination, voting, awards or committee charge process require at least two-thirds staff vote to carry the proposal. The outgoing committee is responsible for engaging the office in the voting process.

Amending the current charter should be completed by June 30th of each year. The outgoing committee should then meet with the incoming committee during July to review the updated charter and inform the new members with the scope of the committee's charges and expectations.

New Committee

Elect Chairperson, Co-Chair
Elect Recording Secretary

Pre-Staff Appreciation Day (held on Thursday of Spring break or later)

Circulate memo or email/nomination sheet/collect (two months in advance)

Circulate ballot/collect/tabulate (winner(s) kept confidential) Note: If nominee is member of committee, person should not have any duties related to vote, counting or activities associated with "putting the name down" on various items. (If there are split winners, see Employee Appreciation Charter.)

Prepare certificate and "check" (Certificate on diskette)

Frame for certificate: see HR Facilitator and Business Manager Check processing: see HR Facilitator

Have plaque engraved (Occasions, near Mariakakis) See HR Facilitator or Business Manager for details.

Prepare Banquet Program (Information on Network Drive)

Make arrangements for award ceremony luncheon

• Select location
• Luncheon budget must be pre-approved by the Registrar
• Committee selects menu
• Optional entire staff votes on choices unless buffet (usually only two choices)
• Select photographer (internal or external choice)
• Transportation (if necessary) - see Business Manager
• " Prepare overall estimated budget - see University Registrar (approximately $1000 total per event).

University Gazette - Send announcement and photo of award winner.

See Network Services for technical support for electronic Recognition documents or special color printing services.