Purpose: The Staff Innovation Spot Award is presented as often as monthly to staff in the College of Arts and Sciences who innovate in their work and provides an additional means of recognizing the innovative achievements of Arts & Sciences staff. These awards are funded by the Dean’s Innovation Fund and are available through December 2023.
Eligibility: All A&S classified and university staff may be nominated for this award. Nominations are accepted from fellow staff, faculty, or students who have firsthand knowledge of the nominee's innovation, which can be large or small in scope. Staff may self-nominate and are asked to list their supervisor as a reference.
Awards: Multiple awards of $250 may be given each fiscal year. Employees may receive this award once in any year.
Award criteria: Criteria will include timeliness (innovation to have been implemented in the past six months), novelty of the innovation, broader applicability, and demonstration of impact in the areas of student access and success; staff impact in research/creative activity, teaching, and student support; and/or community engagement, wellness, and work/life balance. Innovations that promote or reveal issues related to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion will receive special consideration.
How awardees will be selected and notified: The Staff Advisory Committee will review the nominations monthly. Awardee will be notified by the end of the month.