Staff Excellence Award

Criteria for Award

These awards are based on merit in any of the following areas:

• providing outstanding service excellence (e.g., excellent customer service to faculty members, visiting scholars, adjunct research professors, contract instructors, students, general public, etc.)
• exceptional dedication to students (e.g., extra assistance with admissions, registration, advising, health and wellness, etc.)
• remarkable innovation in processes or practices (e.g., streamlining student support processes, online automation, etc.)
• building strong and collaborative relationships with others (e.g., other academic and non-academic units on campus)
• extraordinary engagement with the priorities of the unit, Faculty or University (e.g., student recruitment, student learning opportunities, community engagement, etc.)

Applications/Nominations

Nomination packages may come from Chairs/Directors, undergraduate or graduate supervisors, other faculty members, administrative supervisors, and students. Before an application is submitted, nominators must confirm with the nominee that they are willing to accept the nomination. Nominators are responsible for preparing the application package on behalf of the nominee. Anonymous nominations will not be considered.

Staff may self-nominate. In this case, the staff person is responsible for preparing their own application package.

Application Package

Applicants and nominators must provide:

• short (limit of two pages) document that outlines the nature of the excellence in one or more of the areas listed above.
• additional letters of support may be provided.
• self-nominees must include at least one letter of support from their chair/director, program director, undergraduate/graduate supervisor, faculty member(s), or administrative supervisor.
• please note that the nominations will be shared with the nominee, unless the nominator requests otherwise.

Award Recognition

The recipient of each award will receive a $1,000 taxable cash award and a framed certificate. They will also be featured in a Faculty profile online and on social media to highlight their achievement.

Procedures and Selection Committee

Applicants and nominators should use the submission form on the ODFPGA website to upload their materials. Completed application packages must be received by Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

The selection committee for the Staff Award of Excellence is chaired by the Manager, Administration and Operations. The award selection committee membership will normally consist of one faculty member, the Executive Assistant to the Dean and two past FPGA Staff Excellence Award recipients. The selection committee will make its recommendation to the Dean.

Please note that since the Office of the Dean sponsors these awards, faculty and professional staff working in the Office of the Dean are not eligible for these awards nor are they able to provide nominations or letters of support for others.

Past winners are eligible to be re-nominated or re-apply five years after receipt of their last award. 

Past FPGA Staff Excellence Award Winners