Academic Affairs Quarterly Staff Recognition Program

The Academic Affairs Quarterly Staff Recognition Program, launched in Fall 2026, is a new way for you to recognize individuals and teams for the meaningful contributions they make to our academic community at UW Bothell.

Recognition doesn’t have to wait for a major milestone. A creative solution, an exceptional partnership, thoughtful support for a colleague, excellent service, or strong leadership can make all the difference.

Help us make appreciation visible and build a culture where recognition is routine, not rare.

Nominations

Who is eligible?

All Academic Affairs staff, excluding temporary and student positions, are eligible to be nominated. Both individual staff members and teams may be nominated.

Nominations should recognize contributions made within the preceding six months.

Who can nominate?

Nominations can be submitted by colleagues and managers, including faculty.

Use the online nomination form to tell us about an individual or team whose work deserves recognition. You’ll be asked to provide the nominee’s name and manager, select one of the five recognition categories, and share 1–2 paragraphs describing why you are nominating them.

What happens after I nominate someone?

Nominations are shared with the nominee’s manager for awareness and reviewed by the Executive Vice Chancellor’s Leadership Council.

This program is designed to celebrate staff contributions rather than create a competitive selection process. If multiple people or teams are nominated in a category, multiple recipients may be recognized. If a category receives no nominations during a quarter, no recipient will be named in that category.

Recipients and their managers will be notified following the review process.

Recognition & celebration

Nominations are accepted on an ongoing basis. Quarterly recipients will be named at the Academic Affairs All-Staff Meeting, tentatively scheduled during finals week of each quarter, and featured in the Academic Affairs Quarterly Newsletter.

Individuals receive $100 taxable payment through payroll, and recognized teams receive a sponsored team lunch of up to $300. Recipients will also receive a UW Bothell-branded recognition item at the All-Staff Meeting.

Recognition categories

• Innovation: Recognizes an individual or team who brings curiosity, creativity, and a growth mindset to their work. They explore new ideas, take informed risks, and help the team learn from both successes and failures.
• Collaboration: Recognizes an individual or team who strengthens teamwork across roles, units, and disciplines. They build trust, communicate clearly, and help create an environment where people feel connected and supported.
• Customer Focused: Recognizes an individual or team who centers the needs of students, faculty, and campus partners. They anticipate needs, respond with empathy, and create solutions that improve the academic experience.
• Contributing to the Success of Others: Recognizes an individual or team who actively supports the growth, clarity, and confidence of colleagues. They share knowledge, remove barriers, elevate others’ work, and help the team thrive.
• Manager Excellence: Recognizes a manager or supervisor who models exceptional leadership through coaching, clarity, and care. They remove roadblocks, foster collaboration, and create conditions where their team can grow and succeed.

*Note: The Quarterly Staff Recognition Program complements but does not replace the Distinguished Staff Accomplishments Award.