October 17, 2022

Starting today, you have an opportunity to recognize UW staff members with a Distinguished Staff Award — our University’s highest staff honor.

New this year, we are introducing several improvements to address issues that impact inclusiveness and equity in this award program. Highlights include a streamlined nomination process, new award categories and a published rubric that the selection committee will use to select awardees in each category.

Faculty, staff and students may nominate individual staff or teams primarily composed of staff members who exemplify excellence in the following categories:

  • Collaboration: Has made an outstanding achievement or provides ongoing excellence through effective collaboration.
  • Innovation: Has created lasting change through implementing an innovative solution to a complex problem or driving a significant effort that enhanced service and/or efficiency.
  • Impact: Has made a significant impact at the UW. The results of the impact can be at the team, departmental or institutional level, or have helped a specific audience or community.
  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Has contributed to building welcoming and respectful learning and working environments and/or whose work promotes access, opportunity and justice.
  • Career achievement: Has dedicated many years of service to the UW and demonstrated excellence throughout their career. (Only available for individual nominations.)

Any staff member who holds a 50% or greater regular appointment and has been employed at the UW for at least six months by Dec. 16, 2022 can be nominated. Teams with faculty, graduate students and student workers may be nominated if the team is primarily composed of UW staff. Additional award criteria information, including nomination categories, can be found on the Distinguished Staff Award website.

The Distinguished Staff Award is a part of the UW’s Awards of Excellence, with five nominations being selected for the annual honor and the $5,000 award in June 2023. Every nominee is also celebrated at the Distinguished Staff Award reception in early 2023.

Please help to celebrate and recognize staff who make a lasting impact on our organization, our coworkers, and the communities we serve. Make your nomination on the Distinguished Staff Award website by 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16.

Thank you for helping to acknowledge our outstanding UW staff.