Academic Affairs

Distinguished Partner Award

The Distinguished Partner Award (DPA) is presented each year to a UW Bothell staff member or team from a unit outside of the Division of Academic Affairs in recognition of exemplary performance that enhances and supports the division and advances the academic mission of the University of Washington Bothell. DPA recipient(s) will receive an honorarium ($2,000 to be given individually or $2,000 split equally between team awardees).

Criteria

Individuals

Nomination should showcase how the nominee provided extraordinary service to the Division of Academic Affairs while demonstrating the University of Washington Bothell values of integrity, diversity, excellence, collaboration, innovation and respect. Nomination should explain how the nominee:

  • Provides superior sustained service or a special one-time contribution to the mission of the Division of Academic Affairs
  • Continually contributes to a respectful, diverse, and collaborative work environment
  • Exhibits exceptional resourcefulness, innovation, or creativity
  • Exemplifies excellence and integrity in workplace relationships, interactions, and decision-making

Teams

Nomination should showcase how the team members provided extraordinary service to the Division of Academic Affairs while demonstrating University of Washington Bothell values of integrity, diversity, excellence, collaboration, innovation and respect. Individual team members must be identified and each individual’s contribution must be described by the nominator. Nomination should explain how the nominated team:

  • Provides superior sustained service or a special one-time contribution to the mission of the Division of Academic Affairs
  • Continually contributes to a respectful, diverse, and collaborative work environment
  • Exhibits exceptional resourcefulness, innovation, or creativity
  • Exemplifies excellence and integrity in workplace relationships, interactions, and decision-making

Eligibility

Individual nominations are open to University of Washington Bothell staff from a unit outside of the Division of Academic Affairs who are in contract-covered, classified non-union, and professional staff positions with a 50% or greater regular appointment and employed at UW for a minimum of six months as of the nomination deadline.

Teams should be primarily made up of staff (contract-covered, classified non-union, professional staff) but faculty, grad students and student workers may also be nominated as part of a team. Since teams often cross employment types and UW Bothell affiliations, the DSA Team Award welcomes nominations that include the affiliations listed above as long the majority of the team are UW Bothell staff.

Non-eligibility

For individual nominations: Staff that fall outside the definition in the answer above, academic student employees, student workers and non-UW staff who work for affiliated organizations. Past individual and/or team award recipients are not eligible. Past individual recipients are eligible to be nominated for future team awards. Past team award recipients are eligible to be nominated for future individual awards.

Nomination process

One nomination letter (300 words minimum, but no more than 600 words each) and two supporting letters (300 words minimum, but no more than 600 words each). For team nominations, the individual nominating the team is responsible for submitting the necessary documentation. Nominations need to be complete and submitted by the deadline.

Nominations

Nominations for the 2024 campus-wide Distinguished Partner Award are now closed.

Selection process

The DPA selection committee, appointed by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, consists of a diverse group of full-time staff employees who have been employed at the University a minimum of two years. The Deans and the Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Success will select one representative each from their area to serve on this committee.

The committee will evaluate and rank the nominees. Based on the criteria listed, a formal recommendation is made to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

Past recipients

2022 – Digital Learning Team (Todd Conaway, Salem Levesque, Marc Studer, Ana Thompson)
2021 – Emergency Funding Sub Group of the CARE Team (Rosemary Simmons, Danette Iyall)

Frequently Asked Questions

Visit the Nominations section of this page to find this year's nomination form.
The definition of a UW Bothell staff member or team from outside of the Division of Academic Affairs is a person/persons whose primary job function is outside the scope of the Division of Academic Affairs. The Division of Academic Affairs for purposes of this award includes curricular programs (the Schools of Business, Educational Studies, Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, Nursing & Health Studies, and STEM), the Office of Student Success and FYPP, Research Centers (Center for Reinventing Public Education and Goodlad Institute for Educational Renewal), and Academic Services (Office of Sponsored Research/Connected Learning and UWB/Cascadia Community College Campus Library.
One nomination letter (600 words minimum, but no more than 1200 words) and two supporting letters (300 words minimum, but no more than 600 words each). Nominations need to be complete and submitted by the deadline. For team nominations, the individual nominating the team is responsible for submitting the necessary documentation.
Anyone currently affiliated with the University of Washington—faculty, staff or student—may nominate a staff member. You do not have to work in the same unit as the nominee or have any particular work relationship/association with them.
Yes, only one nomination can be submitted per person or team per year. If more than one nomination is received, the nominators will be contacted and asked to consolidate their materials into a single nomination.
Yes, a team is considered a separate entity.
A team is a permanent team or a project team made up of primarily staff positions.
No, as a practical matter, because most nominations are received in the last week of the nominating period. You should simply proceed with your nomination. We will give you and the other nominator(s) the opportunity to consolidate your materials after the deadline.
At least two letters must come from persons currently affiliated with the University. One additional letter may come from someone outside the University.
Email your supporting letter (Word document or PDF) to the lead nominator. The lead nominator will need to cut and paste your supporting letter into the online nomination system.