Award of Merit
Award of Merit Heading link
The Award of Merit (AOM) is designed to recognize outstanding Civil Service and Academic Professional employees. It is a university-wide award honoring staff who exhibit excellence in service, commitment, and dedication.
A call for nominations for AOM is announced each Spring with recipients being honored at the Annual UIC Employee Recognition Award Ceremony held in November.
Call for Nominations Heading link
2023 Timeline
April 1 Nominations open
June 1 (midnight) Deadline for all nominations to be submitted
September Awardees notified
November 2 Awardees honored at the Employee Recognition Award Ceremony
Click here for the 2023 AOM Nomination Form.
Award Information Heading link
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Criteria
1. Overall excellence in all aspects of work performance
2. Consistent delivery of user responsive service
3. Creativity in problem solving and initiative
4. Commitment to individual development and fostering growth
5. Promotion of morale through demonstrated leadership, teamwork, and enhancing the work environment
6. Sensitivity to diversity, inclusion, and affirmative action accomplishments
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Eligibility
- Civil Service and Academic Professional employees at UIC, including those based at regional campuses and Chicago-based units of the University of Illinois System are eligible.
- Nominees must be employed for at least three consecutive years at full time or six consecutive years at 50% time (or higher). Qualifying years of service must be completed by April1of the nomination year.
- Service eligibility must meet service recognition guidelines outlined under UIC Human Resources Policy 704: UIC Award of Merit Program.
- Previous winners may be nominated for subsequent Awards of Merit, provided that a minimum of five years has elapsed between the last award and the next nomination.
- Previous winners of the CAPE Award or Rising Star Award may be nominated for the Award of Merit, provided that a minimum of five years has elapsed since the last time receiving the CAPE Award or Rising Star Award.
- Academic Professional employees with an academic rank (faculty title) are not eligible for the Award of Merit. Final review and decision will be determined by UIC Human Resources.
- Any employee with disciplinary action on their University employment record within the last three years or who has been issued a terminal contract, with the exception of those Academic Professionals undergoing conversion to a Civil Service position, are not eligible for the Award of Merit. Information will be verified with the nominee’s unit.
- An employee may not receive more than one of the following awards in the same Employee Recognition season: Award of Merit, CAPE Award, Rising Star, and Janice Watkins Award.
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The Award
Award recipients receive $3,000 and a memento gift. They are honored at the Employee Recognition Award Ceremony held annually each November.
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Unit Award Allocation
32 total awards will be given in 2023
- Combined Chancellor Units: 2 Awards
- -Office of the Chancellor including the Office for Access and Equity & Intercollegiate Athletics
- -Office of the Vice Chancellor for Advancement
- -Office of the Vice Chancellor for Innovation
- -Office of the Vice Chancellor for Strategic Marketing and Communications
- -Office of the Vice Chancellor for Budget, HR and Finance
- -Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Engagement
- Combined Academic and Administrative Units: 12 Awards
- -Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
- -Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
- UI Health: 10 Awards
- Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services: 4 Awards
- Vice Chancellor for Research: 2 Awards
- Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs: 1 Award
- University of Illinois System (Chicago-based units): 1 Award
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How to Submit a Nomination
- Complete the 2-page Nomination Form (electronic and paper forms accepted).
- Obtain 2-5 Letters of Support. One of the letters may be from the Nominator.
- Include a Statement of Support from the Nominator’s Supervisor. A copy of an email expressing approval is acceptable.
- Submit all of the above to the to the college or vice chancellor unit the nominee reports to by June 1, 2023.
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Where to submit a nomination
Combined Units reporting to the Office of the Chancellor: Submit to Tiffany Gonzales – 2833 UH, MC 102, tiffanyg@uic.edu.
- Office of the Chancellor (including the Office for Access and Equity & Athletics)
- Office of the Vice Chancellor for Advancement
- Office of the Vice Chancellor for Innovation
- Office of the Vice Chancellor for Strategic Marketing and Communications
- Office of the Vice Chancellor for Budget, HR and Finance
- Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Engagement
Combined Academic Units reporting to the Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs: Submit to the Nominee’s respective Dean, Director, or Department Head.
Contact Lillie Adams, lillie@uic.edu with questions.- Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
- Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
Units will receive additional communication from their colleges/schools/administrative office regarding additional internal submission deadlines.
UI Health: Submit to – recognition@uic.edu Contact Cathy Temple, lovelycm@uic.edu or Stacy Gilmer vojta2@uic.edu with questions.
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services: Submit to La Donna Hudson – 100 PPB, MC 270, ldhudson@uic.edu.
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research: Submit to Ron Puskarits – 310 AOB, MC 672, puskarit@uic.edu.
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs: Submit to Tenisha Burnett – 3010 SSB, MC 600, tenisha@uic.edu.
University of Illinois System (Chicago-based units): Submit to Bernadette Rossmoore, Office of Business Services – 809 MAB, 2nd Floor, MC 557, rossmoor@uillinois.edu
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AOM Hall of Fame
32 Outstanding employees were selected as Award of Merit Recipients in 2022.
Click here to view AOM recipients dating back to 2003.
More information Heading link
More information on Employee Recognition at UIC.
Contact: UIC Human Resources – Special Programs
specialprograms@uillinois.edu