Process and Procedures for Nominations for the University Outstanding Department or Unit Award for Creating Opportunity and Access

Purpose:

This award has been established by the provost to recognize those departments or units that have made extraordinary achievements to create opportunity and access within the department, college and/or the university. Units as defined here may include colleges and administrative units and groups.

Award:

One department or unit will be recognized each year during the spring semester. A plaque and $2,500 will be awarded to the department or unit for that year.

Criteria:

Any department or unit within the university may demonstrate its achievements in the area of creating opportunity and access for all by providing evidence that may include, but not be limited to, one or more of the following:

• Developing innovative programs to create opportunity and access for all within the unit or university
• Implementing strategies that demonstrably improve the retention and success rates of all students.
• Providing effective mentoring and advising for each and every student.
• Offering mentorship opportunities for all junior faculty and staff to foster their professional growth.
• Intentionally integrating various academic perspectives, experiences, and scholarly approaches into the curriculum, fostering intellectual pluralism.
• Supporting research and scholarship that address issues of opportunity and access.
• Providing opportunities for professional development that support the advancement of all faculty and staff.

Nomination Process:

Any faculty or staff member, department or unit head, dean or administrator may nominate a department or unit. The nomination must include information on how the department has enhanced opportunity and access through one or more of the above areas. The nomination will be forwarded to a review committee appointed by the Office of Academic Affairs and Innovation. Units that have previously received this award will not be eligible for a subsequent award within a three-year period.

Contents of Nomination Packet:

• Letter of nomination from a faculty, staff, department or unit head, dean or vice president describing in detail why the nominee is deserving of the award (maximum of three pages).
• Letters of support (not more than three total) from faculty, graduate or undergraduate students, classified or unclassified staff, administrators or alumni who work extensively with the department or unit.
• Description of the activities within the last calendar year that illustrates the outstanding efforts by the department or unit to create opportunity and access (three-page limit).

Deadline:

• All nomination materials should be submitted to the Provost Office via the Microsoft Nomination Form before the deadline of May 1.

Recipients of the University Outstanding Department or Unit Award for Creating Opportunity and Access

Unit/Department	College	Year
No applicants.		2025
Education Abroad Office	Provost and Executive Vice President	2024
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging	Carl R. Ice College of Engineering	2023
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging	College of Business Administration	2022
K-State First	Provost and Executive Vice President	2019
KAWSE (K-State Office for the Advancement of Women in Science and Engineering)	Provost and Executive Vice President	2018
Developing Scholars Program	Provost and Executive Vice President	2017
Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology	Veterinary Medicine	2016
PILOTS	Vice President for Student Life	2015
None awarded		2014
All	Education	2013
Women's Studies	Arts & Sciences	2012
Leadership Studies	Provost and Executive Vice President	2011
None Awarded		2010
A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications	Arts & Sciences	2009
English	Arts & Sciences	2008
Human Nutrition	Human Ecology	2006
All	Business Administration	2005
All	K-State Libraries	2004
CLASSIC-ESL/Dual Language Program	Education	2003