Board of Regents Staff Awards

A Council of University System Staff (CUSS) initiative, the University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents Staff Awards represent the highest honor bestowed by the Board of Regents for achievements of exempt and nonexempt employees from USM institutions.

To nominate yourself or a colleague for an award, visit this link.

Nominations are due November 8, 2024. 

Please see the bottom of this page for nomination instructions.

Award Categories

The awards are presented to individual employees who have demonstrated excellence in one of the following categories:

Exceptional contribution to the institution and/or unit to which the person belongs ▾

  • A creative approach was implemented to process improvements
  • Original idea that contributed to the success of the unit/institution
  • A staff employee who is in a nonleadership position and provided leadership, team building, and/or facilitated a team or project that enhanced the organization
  • A staff employee in a leadership position who consistently grows their organization by mentoring and growing each of their subordinates

Outstanding service to students in an academic or residential environment ▾

  • Although not part of his/her job description, someone who consistently makes a difference in students' lives
  • Contributed to an innovative, original idea that implemented and transformed an aspect of the “student experience” or environment

Extraordinary public service to the University or greater community ▾

  • A personal dedication to a project or cause that definitively improved the greater community
  • Staff employee of the USM community who throughout his/her career has, in a collaborative and sustained manner, made a difference in the larger community
  • The award is based on a sustained record of service over a period of years carried out through the individual’s role(s) in the University rather than as a private citizen

Effectiveness and Efficiency ▾

To publicly recognize exemplary ideas that, when implemented, will serve to further the University System of Maryland’s goal to continually increase the effective and efficient use of its resources. One award from the listed categories may be made for an exemplary initiative that has the potential to be implemented systemwide.

Awards shall be bestowed in the following two categories:

  • Academic transformation - Improved learning and a minimum cost savings of $10,000
  • Administrative transformation - Improved effectiveness and efficiency resulting in a minimum cost savings of $10,000

In addition to the existing application procedures, the nominee’s packet needs to include:

  1. A brief description of the innovative initiative
  2. Potential benefits
  3. Magnitude (single/multiple institutions or systemwide)
  4. Effectiveness and efficiency to be attained (including estimated cost and/or resource savings)

Award recipients may be invited to address the Board.

For further detail on current initiatives, applicants will be advised to review the effectiveness and efficiency reports.

Inclusion, Multiculturalism, and Social Justice ▾

This award salutes the outstanding work of a USM staff member in their ability to build, nurture, and advance inclusion, multiculturalism, and social justice practices within their community. Their community may comprise their internal institutional community, their external institutional community, or a combination of the two. 

Review criteria includes outcomes, including, but not limited to:

  1. Community engagement in diversity dialogue and education
  2. Examination and modification of current practices of one’s department/institution that support inclusion
  3. Implementation of initiatives that foster inclusion, multiculturalism, and social justice

There are two awards given in each of the five categories — one for an Exempt Staff employee and one for a Nonexempt Staff employee. In the Effectiveness and Efficiency category, an award can be given to two exempt or two nonexempt staff employees or one exempt and one nonexempt. Each awardee will receive a $2,000 stipend and a plaque in recognition of the award. Awards will be announced in mid-July and formally presented to the awardees at the Board of Regents' September meeting.

Nomination Instructions

ELIGIBILITY

Employee must be exempt or nonexempt staff and have been employed at UMB for a minimum of five (5) consecutive years by the time of packet submission this upcoming February. Nominations should be submitted with the nominee's awareness and consent.

For the online nomination form linked on this page, you will also be asked to provide the nominee's six-digit employee ID number, exempt or nonexempt status, and confirm they will have at least five (5) consecutive years of service at UMB as of February 1, 2025. This information helps the Board of Regents Awards committee to screen for eligibility. The online nomination form instructions include a screenshot showing where to locate the six-digit employee ID number. If you need help confirming any of this information, reach out to the Board of Regents Awards committee at dl-boardofregents@umaryland.edu. 

 

AWARD APPLICATION MATERIALS

Nomination letter: A nomination letter must accompany each nominee packet and must be completed and signed by the nominator. State the category for which the staff employee is being nominated and give testimony of exemplary performance in that category. (12-point Arial font, 1-inch margins, single-spaced, 2 pages maximum, saved as DOC or DOCX)  

Two (2) letters of recommendation: One-page letters of recommendation discussing what makes this individual exceptional in the selected award category. Recommendations do not need to be from individuals employed at UMB. (12-point Arial font, 1-inch margins, single-spaced, 1 page each, saved as DOC or DOCX)  

Position description: Must include the purpose of the position and specific job duties listed in detail. Please use the BOR award job description template only (no resumes/CVs). The position description must be signed by the employee’s supervisor. You can find exempt and non-exempt job descriptions here.

Effectiveness and efficiency statement: This is only required for Effectiveness and Efficiency award category nominees. In addition to the existing application procedures, the nominee’s packet needs to include a statement addressing:

  • A brief description of the innovative initiative
  • Potential benefits
  • Magnitude (single/multiple institutions or system-wide)
  • Effectiveness and efficiency to be attained (including estimated cost and/or resource savings)

Optional supporting materials: Any additional materials (e.g., articles, awards, recognitions) that the nominee may feel reflects accomplishments that are relevant to the award category. Material should be current (during past five (5) years) and is limited to five (5) pages in length.