A new employee recognition program, the UConn Spirit Awards, will celebrate individuals and teams who exceed expectations and contribute positively to the workplace and the University. The initial award program will take place this spring, with a nomination deadline of Feb. 1 and an awards ceremony in March.

The recognition program was developed based on a recommendation contained in the 2013 report of the Workplace Civility Climate Survey that was conducted by the Something’s Happening Committee, a University-wide group of administrators, faculty, and staff, including representatives from the three employee bargaining units.

The report’s specific recommendation was to “establish a tradition of an annual, campus-wide event hosted and promoted by the President that focuses on employee appreciation and promoting civility.”

“One of the primary goals of the program is to provide an opportunity to recognize the efforts of our staff for contributions to the University outside of academic areas, that are related to teamwork and civility,” says Pamela Heath-Johnston, organization and staff development program coordinator in Human Resources and a member of the Something’s Happening Committee. “All staff, whether full-time or part-time, will be eligible for recognition.”

The program is open to staff in all classifications and faculty at the Storrs and regional campuses. UConn Health already has its own awards program for Farmington-based staff as a result of an earlier campus climate survey there.

Staff can be nominated for awards established in four different categories. Nominations will be reviewed by the Employee Appreciation and Civility Awards Committee, which includes representatives from the administration, the University Senate, and the three staff bargaining units. The committee will forward its recommendation of the unranked top three nominees for each category to President Susan Herbst for final selection. In the event a committee member is nominated for an award, he/she will not participate in the review of nominations and selection of the recipient for that particular award. The committee is chaired by Tysen Kendig, vice president for university communications, in a non-voting capacity.

The award categories include:

The Rising Star Award will be for a staff member who has contributed significantly to his or her department and the University community, with enthusiasm, a strong work ethic, superior leadership (if applicable), commitment, and reliability in a short time working at UConn. In order to be considered for the award, nominees must have held their current position within the same department for a minimum of six months and less than two years at the time of nomination.

The Unsung Hero Award will be presented to a staff member who consistently goes above and beyond, without fanfare or public recognition. This individual fills in when and wherever needed and always performs at a high level; takes initiative to solve problems and improve work situations without being prompted; demonstrates reliability, perseverance, and focus on results; and helps others by sharing knowledge of the institution’s practices and job-related skills. This person is continually both a real benefit to coworkers and a stable, dependable resource for the entire University.

The Team Award is an honor for a department, group, or team (two or more individuals) whose collaboration has demonstrated success and made an overall contribution to the University. If an entire department is nominated, the nomination cannot be submitted by a member of the department. If a group within a department is nominated, the nomination can be submitted by a non-group team member.

The Peer Recognition Award provides an opportunity for employees to recognize each other for outstanding service. This is a very special award – an award given by a peer to a peer. The award winner should be a faculty or staff member who has had an impact on the nominator professionally. Items to consider include motivation, inspiration, and extraordinary effort in helping with job duties.

To nominate someone for a UConn Spirit Award, use the online nomination form.