University of Delaware
Office of Public Relations
UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 17, Jan. 23, 1997
Salaried staff guidelines

     Purpose: The purpose of the Salaried Staff Merit Award
Program is to recognize selected salaried staff for their
outstanding performances during the preceding calendar year. One
hundred awards will be available annually; each award will be a
cash bonus in the amount of $500.
     
     Eligibility: Participation in the Merit Award Program is
available to all permanent, full-time and permanent, part-time
salaried staff, who have been in their current unit for at least
one year and who have not received the award in the previous
year. The vice president for administration shall be responsible
for generating and distributing to each unit a list of eligible
award recipients. The units, in turn, shall be responsible for
distributing the list to each of its employees.
     
     Nomination procedures: The provost or appropriate vice
president shall ensure that specific nomination procedures to
identify candidates for merit awards are developed within the
administrative units under their supervision. These nomination
procedures should be broadly announced well in advance of the
selection process and, while they may include some procedures
specific to certain units, they must include all of the
procedures outlined in this document. Nominations can take the
form of self-nomination as well as nomination by University co-
workers, immediate supervisors and unit administrators. All
nominations must be submitted in writing and cite evidence of how
nominees' performances would qualify them for receipt of awards.
     Selection Criteria and supporting documentation: The final
selection of merit award recipients rests with the provost or
appropriate vice president. In selecting award recipients, the
provost or appropriate vice president must consider only the
meritorious performance or unique contributions made by the
nominee. Selection decisions must be supported by appropriate
written documentation in the form of nominations which
substantiate claims of meritorious performance or unique
contributions to the unit. Additionally, the employee's most
recent performance appraisal must be included as part of the
documentation. Documentation must be retained by the unit for at
least one year.
     
     Notification: It is the responsibility of the unit head or
administrator to notify employees of their nomination for the
merit award. The provost or appropriate vice president shall
notify unit administrators of selection decisions. Unit
administrators are responsible for notifying salaried staff
selected for merit awards prior to any University-wide
announcement. The names of all award recipients will be published
by the Office of the Vice President for Administration through
UpDate.
     
     Inquiries: Salaried staff who have questions, comments or
concerns relating to their unit's nomination and selection
procedures should be encouraged to discuss these issues with
their immediate supervisor. If necessary, however, such concerns
can be submitted through the provost or appropriate vice
president to the vice president for administration for review and
decisions.