New President's Achievement Award replaces Brown Says Thank You! award

A new honor - The President's Achievement Award - will be presented at the University's annual Brown Says Thank You! program, which this year will be held May 12.

The award, which represents the highest level of achievement for secretarial, clerical, technical, and other support functions within the University, replaces the Brown Says Thank You! awards. President's Achievement Awards will be presented in the categories of innovation, initiative and service.

The Training and Development Office and the Staff Advisory Committee's subcommittee on reward and recognition announced the following changes to the nomination process:

Previous Brown Says Thank You! award recipients are eligible to receive a President's Achievement Award;
Because the new award is based on specific achievements, all employees are eligible every year to receive a President's Achievement Award;
A more detailed nomination form has been created to reflect the new categories and the need for more concrete examples of the exceptional achievements of the nominees;
People may nominate themselves.

Nominations, which are due Feb. 16, and can be made in any of the following categories:

Innovation

An individual or team could have designed, developed or implemented a new program, process, or task that has had a positive impact; saved time or money as a result of an innovation; streamlined procedures which benefited an office, a department or the University; automated an existing system or process; or created or implemented technological improvements using such tools as software, telecommunications or Web-based programs.

Examples include learning a new technology that increased a department's effectiveness in interactions within the University; designing an on-line registration system or database which improved the department's way of doing business; or collaborating with another department to eliminate duplicated effort

Initiative

An individual or team could have anticipated and taken steps to overcome organizational barriers, such as eliminating red tape; voluntarily assisted co-workers and participated in generating ideas in cross-functional teams; originated creative ideas or methods and followed through with implementation; improved skills and contributions to the University by accessing Training and Development programs, CIS courses, degree programs, seminars, or other college or university courses; facilitated a team process to solve a departmental issue of concern.

Examples include mentoring a new employee; discovering and remedying an inefficient office procedure; enrolling in a management certificate program and shared knowledge regularly resulting in improved management procedures

Service

An individual or team could have consistently demonstrated extraordinary concern for satisfaction of internal/external constituents; continually displayed exceptional diplomacy, courtesy and respect; exceeded customer expectations resulting in positive outcomes that support the University's mission; improved productivity which positively affected members of the University community; developed or enhanced communications, cooperation or collaboration with specific University customers.

Examples include meeting an impossible deadline; helping a student, parent, faculty, staff, or other constituent in a manner that left a lasting impression; contributing to the well-being of a department.

Nominations may be returned to the Training and Development Office, Box 1926, faxed to the office at 863-3513, or dropped off at 131 Waterman St., second floor. To receive an electronic copy, send e-mail or contact the Training and Development Office at 863-9376.