Recognition Programs UPPS No. 04.04.33

Issue No. 8

Effective Date: 03/31/2011
Review: June 1 E5Y

01. POLICY STATEMENTS

01.01 This UPPS establishes a Staff Employee Recognition Program for Employee of the Month and Employee of the Year, a Texas State Quarterly Team Recognition Program, the "What Makes a University Great" Program and the President's Super Star Program.

01.02 Furthermore, this UPPS defines the composition of the selection committee, eligibility criteria, nomination and selection procedures, and awards for the programs.

02. PROCEDURE FOR APPOINTING THE SELECTION COMMITTEE

02.01 The vice president for Finance and Support Services (VPFSS) will appoint a selection committee for the Staff Employee and Team Recognition Program. Committee members will have three-year staggered terms and will include two persons from each division. Each vice president, as well as the special assistant to the president, will recommend persons from his or her division to the VPFSS. The associate VPFSS for Planning will chair the committee and serve as a permanent representative from the FSS division.

03. STAFF EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

03.01 Criteria for determining eligibility:

a. The nominee:

1) must be a regular full-time or regular part-time staff employee (except administrative officers as designated in the University Pay Plan, and

2) must have worked at Texas State for at least one year (cumulative).

b. The committee will not normally consider a nominee previously named as employee of the month for a period of three years. Exceptional conditions will warrant review by the committee.

c. The committee may not consider current Employee Recognition Committee members for the award.

d. Employees will be considered upon review of the following:

1) What job responsibilities does the individual have that prompted the nomination?

2) What has this individual done to represent quality service at Texas State?

3) Other comments, with supporting documents attached to this form.

03.02 Procedures for nomination and selection of employee of the month:

a. Anyone may nominate an eligible employee (see Sections 03.01 a., b., and c.). The committee will not accept self-nominations.

b. Every quarter, the Human Resources Bulletin will contain a nomination form. The committee will address effective and efficient mediums of accessibility on an annual basis to ensure employees receive the opportunity to submit nominations (i. e., e-mail distribution, posters in buildings, etc.).

c. The selection committee’s chair must receive nominations for consideration the next month before the seventh day of the current month. The committee will hold nominations received on or after the seventh day of the month for consideration during the following month.

d. The criteria for evaluating a nomination include the nominee’s overall performance over time or the nominee’s outstanding performance for a specific event.

e. The committee chair (or the chair’s staff) will verify each nominee’s eligibility through records in the Human Resources office.

f. The committee chair or its staff will validate information contained in the nomination as deemed necessary.

g. The chair of the Staff Employee Recognition Committee (or his or her staff) will contact the appropriate vice president on submissions from the division prior to having the formal committee review the candidate's submission form.

h. The selection committee will review and rank nominations and will name the nominee receiving the highest ranking as Employee of the Month.

i. The committee may ask a nominator or the nominee’s supervisor for additional information or for clarification if either is needed.

04. STAFF EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR

04.01 The committee will recommend up to three persons who were selected as Employees of the Month to the president for selection as Employee of the Year. The president will select the Employee of the Year from the committee’s recommendations.

05. TEXAS STATE QUARTERLY TEAM RECOGNITION PROGRAM

05.01 Anyone may nominate a team for recognition. A team may include individuals from one or several divisions (i. e. cross functional). Self-nominations are allowed.

05.02 A team is a group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.

05.03 The committee will review a team based on the following:

a. Was exemplary service provided to on-campus or off-campus clients? Explain.

b. What was accomplished? (1) was the team responsible for a one-time project or (2) did the team develop new or improved standards and procedures?

c. How did the team achieve its accomplishment?

d. How did the team's actions benefit the institution? (Examples: improved service, completed project ahead of schedule, saved money, error rate reduced, time between initiation and completion of an action was minimized (cycle time, etc.))

e. A summary stating the reason the committee should consider this team outstanding.

05.04 The Chair of the selection committee will distribute a memorandum to the campus community quarterly seeking nominations for the Quarterly Team Recognition Award. Persons may submit nominations to the Chair. The committee will follow the following calendar:

a. Request for nominations: January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15

b. Nominations due: February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1

c. Staff Employee Recognition Committee meets for selection after: February 5, May 5, August 5, and November 5

d. Presentation of awards after: February 10, May 10, August 10, and November 10

05.05 The selection committee chair (or the chair’s staff) will contact the appropriate division manager on submissions for teams in his or her division prior to having the formal committee review the nomination.

05.06 The committee chair (or the chair’s staff) will validate information contained in each nomination.

05.07 The selection committee will review and rank nominations received and will select the team receiving the highest ranking for the Quarterly Team Recognition Award.

06. WHAT MAKES A UNIVERSITY GREAT" PROGRAM AND PRESIDENT'S SUPER STAR PROGRAM

06.01 When a vice president receives either a letter or memorandum regarding a “good deed,” he or she may forward it to the president.

06.02 The president may:

a. decide to distribute memo or letter to all faculty and staff under the "What Makes a University Great" program, with the vice president who forwarded the memo or letter responsible for the distribution, or

b. decide to recognize the Texas State faculty or staff mentioned in the letter by authorizing the vice president to present the "President's Super Star Award" to the employee (see Section 07.04 for procedures for presenting awards and benefits). Any of the following criteria may apply to assist the president in reaching his or her decision:

1) Employee brought significant recognition to Texas State through his or her professional endeavors;

2) Employee made innovative contributions to the university; or

3) Employee demonstrated the "something extra" beyond his or her own job.

07. PROCEDURES FOR PRESENTING AWARDS AND BENEFITS

07.01 Staff Employee of the Month:

a. The Staff Employee of the Month will receive $500 cash (less taxes) and a framed certificate signed by the Texas State president and the appropriate vice president and presented by the vice president with supervisory staff present. A photographer from University Marketing will photograph the presentation. The university will display a collage of the photographs on the 5th floor of the J. C. Kellam building.

b. The university will give the employee selected administrative leave to take a day off from work. The employee should coordinate the choice of day with his or her immediate supervisor.

c. Each month the Human Resources Bulletin and the Texas State Web page will recognize the person selected as the Staff Employee of the Month.

07.02 Staff Employee of the Year:

a. The president will host an annual luncheon in August to honor the previous twelve Staff Employees of the Month (EOM) as well as past recipients of the Employee of the Year award (still at Texas State). Each of the twelve EOM employees may bring a guest.

b. The president will announce the Staff Employee of the Year at the annual luncheon in August and at the fall convocation.

c. The Staff Employee of the Year will receive an engraved plaque, $3,000 cash (less taxes), and a designated parking space close to the employee's office for the fiscal year.

d. An article in the university Human Resources Bulletin will recognize the person selected as the Staff Employee of the Year. The university will display a collage of the photographs on the 5th floor of the J. C. Kellam building.

07.03 Texas State Quarterly Team Recognition:

a. The appropriate vice president will recognize the team selected at a reception held quarterly (March, June, September, and December). The university will make available a maximum of $150.00 per team per reception. The vice president will determine the type of reception, and a photographer from University Marketing will photograph the presentation.

b. State law permits use of state funds for awards for professional achievement or other outstanding service if purchased through the General Services Commission, the cost of which shall not exceed $50.00 per employee (i. e., lapel pins, coffee cups, key rings, tee shirts etc.). The Staff Employee Recognition Committee will select which award to present to each of the team members.

c. Each member of the selected team will receive a certificate signed by the selection committee’s chair and the appropriate vice president.

d. The selected employees will receive administrative leave to take a day off from work, which the employees should coordinate with their immediate supervisor.

e. The Human Resources Bulletin and the Texas State Web page will recognize all teams nominated.

f. The university will display a collage of the photographs on the 5th floor of the J. C. Kellam building.

07.04 President's Super Star:

The vice president (who forwarded the memo or letter to the president) will present a Texas State Super Star coffee cup, with no prior notice, to the honoree. The vice president will present the award briefly and informally before the recipient’s closest colleagues, at department meetings or during an unscheduled visit to the recipient in his or her office. The vice presidents will copy the memo or letter sent to the president to the Human Resources office for inclusion in the Human Resources Bulletin.

08. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS

08.01 Reviewers of this UPPS include the following:

Position Date

Associate Vice President for June 1 E5Y

Finance & Support Services Planning

Chair, Staff Council June 1 E5Y

09. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

This UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

Associate Vice President for Finance and Support Services Planning; senior reviewer of this UPPS

Vice President for Finance and Support Services

President