Department of Human Resources

Outstanding Service Awards

A. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

I. Continuous Service Award - An employee is eligible to receive a Continuous Service Award once every ten award years.

This award is designed to recognize employees who have consistently performed their ongoing responsibilities in a superior to outstanding manner and have significantly enhanced departmental, collegiate, or campus goals and objectives.

1. Work "above and beyond" the expectations of the job classification title;
2. Initiative;
3. Innovation;
4. Excellent performance;
5. Dedication.

Please note that longevity in and of itself is not a sufficient reason for selection.

For a list of those who received an award the last ten years and are therefore not eligible for nomination this year: http://www.d.umn.edu/umdhr/osa/continuousfrom1996.pdf

II. Project Award - An employee will be eligible to receive a Project Award category once every five award years.

This award is designed to recognize individual employees or work teams.

1. Based entirely on the output of the project and how it contributed to UMD;
2. How it supports the mission of the campus/unit.

For a list of those who are not eligible, see http://www.d.umn.edu/umdhr/osa/projectfrom2002.pdf

B. NOMINATION PROCESS

1. Nominations may be made by a co-worker, supervisor, department head, director, or dean.

2. All nominations carry the same weight, i.e., a nomination by a department head is comparable to a nomination by a co-worker, a nomination by a group is comparable to a nomination by an individual. Multiple nominations will not be a factor in the final selection process. Each application will be judged on its own merit.

3. Supervisors, and deans (in academic units) and directors and/or department heads (in non-academic units) must review and sign the nominations.

C. ELIGIBILITY

1. The nominee must hold a job classification of:

• Civil Service (non-bargaining)
• AFSCME
• TEAMSTER
• Academic Professional/ Administrative (P&A) appointment that does not hold faculty rank. Individuals holding faculty rank are eligible for other monetary awards.

2. The nominee must be an employee on a continuing appointment of at least 50 percent time. Awards are prorated according to term of employment (an example is shown below).

3. The nominee must have worked at UMD a minimum of two consecutive years.

4. The nominee must have passed probation in their current position.

5. The nominee must have a current Performance Evaluation Form and Job Description in their official personnel file at UMD HR completed within the prior 12 months. UMD HR and the OSA Selection Committee will not review the content of the appraisals; they will verify their existence.

D. STEPS FOR SELECTION PROCESS

Step 1. UMD HR processes the Nomination Forms received on the deadline date for eligibility purposes.

UMD HR contacts the supervisor if the nominee does not have a Performance Evaluation and Job Description (within the last 12 months) on file with UMD HR.

UMD HR also contacts the main nominator if all requirements are not met.

Step 2. The Outstanding Service Awards Selection Committee reviews and votes on the eligible nominations.

Step 3. The OSA Selection Committee submits the selected winners for recommendation and approval to the Chancellor.

Step 4. UMD HR notifies all nominees by first class mail of the decision.

E. AWARDS

All awards will be of equal value except for the following:

1. Limitations as stated in Eligibility sections;

2. Maximum amount is $2,500.00;

3. Members of a team receiving an award will divide a single award equally and prorated according to each individuals' appointment.

Awards are prorated according to term of employment. Examples:

Employee with 75% 12-month appointment would receive: $2,500 x 75% = $1,875.00

Employee with 75% 9-month appointment would receive: $2,500 x 75% = $1,875.00 divide by 12 months = $156.25 x 9-month appointment = $1,406.25

Note: Nominees receive a copy of the nomination form.