I. Description of Award
This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate a commitment to diversity, belonging, inclusion, and/or equity on campus. These individuals have made a significant impact related to the university’s core value of diversity:
- recruitment and retention of a diversified body of students, faculty, and staff;
- support of the diverse needs of the students we serve; and/or
- enhancement of interactions in a global community.
II. Number of Awards
The University offers one award annually in this category.
III. Eligibility
Recipients of this award are not eligible to receive the same award again for a minimum of ten (10) years. Nominees who are not recipients of this award may be nominated for it in consecutive years.
IV. Nomination Criteria
Faculty, staff, and administrators are eligible for nomination as follows:
- Current UCA employees with at least three (3) years of UCA employment
V. Selection Committee
A sub-committee of the Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) will evaluate nominations for this award. This sub-committee consists of at least five (5) members, selected or elected, as follows, who will serve no more than two (2) years, with the exception of the DAC administrative representative:
DAC student representative
DAC faculty representative
DAC staff representative
Previous year’s award recipient
DAC administrative representative
VI. Procedures
To expedite and coordinate the award procedure, the Chief Diversity Officer designee will provide administrative support to verify the nominees’ UCA affiliations and coordinate publicity for award recipients.
A. Soliciting Nominations
The University community will be notified about the award process and nominating procedure (Appendix A). When possible, the due date for nominations will be no later than one month before the Employee Service Award Ceremony. Nominators justify their nominations, but the nomination process should not be so demanding as to discourage nominations. Nominators will send their documentation to the award committee via an online process.
B. Soliciting Portfolios from Nominees
The committee chair will contact nominees and request that they submit portfolios to the committee chair by the designated date, as outlined in Appendix B.
C. Evaluation of Portfolios
The award committee will evaluate portfolios according to the criteria listed in Appendix C. The award committee, subject to approval by the designated subcommittee of the Diversity Advisory Committee, may modify the criteria in Appendix C. The proceedings of the committee and the choice of recipients will be confidential. The committee will select the award recipient from the nominations. The award committee will submit the name of the recipient and summary of accomplishments/ qualifications to the Chief Diversity Officer designee.
D. Announcement of Award Recipient
The award will be presented at the annual Employee Service Award Ceremony. The Chief Diversity Officer designee will be responsible for ensuring that the award recipient is suitably recognized.
Appendix A. Nomination Packets
Individuals nominating faculty, staff, and administrators for this award should supply the following information:
- Name of nominee
- Email address of nominee
- Identification of nominee as faculty, staff, or administrator
- Brief statement describing merits of the nominee
- Name of nominator
- Email address of nominator
- Identification of nominator as student, faculty, staff, or administrator
Appendix B. Nominee’s Portfolios
The committee chair will notify nominees to request that they submit portfolios in support of their nominations. The award committee may modify this list, subject to the approval of the Diversity Advisory Committee.
- Current vitae or résumé
- List of activities related to the core values of diversity, belonging, inclusion, and/or equity (See award description).
- Statement summarizing philosophy and commitment to diversity, belonging, inclusion, and/or equity activities. This statement should discuss the nominee’s commitment to the significance of diversity and inclusive excellence on campus. The statement is limited to 2,000 words.
- Three (3) letters of reference solicited by the nominee that provide evidence that the nominee’s commitment to diversity, belonging, inclusion, and/or equity has made a significant impact on individuals/communities/ organizations on campus. Contact information for each of the three references should be included.
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Appendix C. Selection Criteria
The committee will evaluate the nominees’ portfolios based on the evidence of their commitment to diversity, belonging, inclusion, and/or equity.