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The Macaulay-O'Sullivan Administrative Service and Innovation Awards http://www.eluta.ca/top-employer-university-of-new-brunswick

Click here for the Nomination Process

Background
The University of New Brunswick offers a number of annual awards to its employees. These include Merit Awards, the Allan P. Stuart Award for Excellence in Teaching, the University Research Professorships, the University Teaching Professorships, the Distinguished Service Awards and the President’s Medal. These have some limitations: (1) only faculty are eligible for all but the last two and (2) all of them are intended to recognize contributions and accomplishments over an extended period of time.

In the interests of (1) expanding the opportunities to honour staff and (2) creating recognition for positive, immediate and creative initiatives that have an impact on the delivery of UNB’s mission, we are instituting the Macaulay-O’Sullivan Administrative Service and Innovation Awards program. The award is named in honour of Beverley F. Macaulay, UNB’s first Vice-President Administration, who served from 1960 to 1974, and his successor, James. F. O’Sullivan, who held the office from 1974 to 1999. Both of these individuals were steadfastly committed to the principles underlying these awards and each exemplified the highest level of service.

The primary aim of the Macaulay-O’Sullivan Administrative Service and Innovation Awards is to salute those activities that efficiently and effectively support our administrative activities, thereby enhancing the ability of the University to achieve its mission. The Macaulay-O’Sullivan Awards also address several elements of the University’s strategic plan, including:

  •  Its mission to create the premier university environment for our students, faculty and staff in which to learn, work and live (page 9).
  • The goal of leadership in discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship with its metric of measuring individual and collective excellence in entrepreneurship and innovation (page 14).
  • The goal of building a better university with its objectives of providing faculty and staff with a satisfying and fulfilling work experience; celebrating our successes and getting to know each other; supporting and encouraging active living and wellness, and environmental sustainability on each campus; and providing a positive living and working environment in which all members of the community are respectful and respected (pages 18 and 19).

Development of the Program
This program was initiated by the Vice-President Finance and Corporate Services and developed by Susan Montague in consultation with key administrators including the Associate Vice-President for Human Resources and Organizational Development, the Associate Vice-President of Information Technology Services, the Assistant Vice-President for Financial and Administrative Services, and members of Directors Plus. Awards programs conducted by the Canadian Association of University Business Officers and various North American universities were also researched.

The Program
The Macaulay-O’Sullivan Awards program is intentionally broad in its criteria and terms of reference in an effort to attract nominations from all parts of the institution, from non-academic support units to academic and student services, from the faculties to the libraries. The program is intended to encourage exceptional administrative services and innovative problem-solving, what might be termed “applied creativity,” In support of the goals of our strategic plan we collectively need new approaches to providing university services that are relevant, cost effective, efficient, transparent and, especially, innovative.

This program will recognize and publicly celebrate success stories at UNB which are worthy of emulation and foster further innovation by encouraging and recognizing individuals, groups and units for creative and effective ways of doing things which have a positive impact on our strategic directions. The Macaulay-O’Sullivan Awards program aims to recognize and encourage innovation across UNB. The program also provides an opportunity to share these exceptional ideas with others. We encourage submissions that:

• Transform university administration so it becomes exceptionally service focused
• Advance knowledge management systems and structures
• Enhance the use and management of university funds
• Improve transparency, accountability and responsiveness
• Increase engagement and promote a cultural shift to an innovative environment

Criteria
The program seeks to recognize activities and initiatives that achieve or exemplify one or more of the following:

  • Outstanding administrative service to students
  • Outstanding administrative service to internal service recipients
  • Process innovation
  • Increased efficiency
  • Cost and/or time savings
  • Increased productivity
  • Enhanced health and safety
  • Improved management of human, financial and/or physical resources
  • Provision of new services within existing budgets
  • Development of a best practice
  • Innovative applications of technology
  • Transferability to other departments
  • Increased revenue to the institution
  • Demonstrated entrepreneurship

In all cases, nominations for the Macaulay-O’Sullivan Awards will be held to the highest standard of excellence. The awards will stand for exceptional innovation and achievement.

Eligibility
The Macaulay-O’Sullivan Awards program is open to all UNB employees, faculty and staff: full- and part-time; permanent, casual or on contract; members of all bargaining units and non-unionized staff. Student employees are eligible provided they were employed by the University at the time the innovative activity or program was developed and/or substantially implemented. Members of the University Management Committee are not eligible for nomination.

Awards will be made to individual employees or to teams, including interdepartmental or interdisciplinary teams, whose innovative activity or program meet the criteria.

Number of Awards
Up to six Macaulay-O’Sullivan Awards will be awarded in any given year across both campuses. The Selection Committee reserves the right to make fewer or no awards in any given year if nominations do not meet standards of excellence.

Nomination Process

Nominations will be accepted annually by June 1 for an activity/program developed and implemented in the immediately concluded fiscal year (May 1 to April 30). For example, nominations will be accepted on or before 1 June 2013 for activities or programs developed and significantly implemented between 1 May 2012 and 30 April 2013.

Nominations of either individuals or teams of employees responsible for an activity or program will be accepted. Teams may be composed of employees from more than one department or discipline.

Nominations must be made using the official nomination form provided on this website.

Nominations require the signature of an appropriate vice-president, dean or director.

Individuals or teams that are nominated must be informed of the nomination, and agree to have their name(s) go forward.

Nominations must be forwarded by the June 1 deadline either by email (included on the form: vpfin@unb.ca) or by hard copy to the Office of the Vice-President Finance and Corporate Services, Room 112, Sir Howard Douglas Hall, 3 Bailey Drive.



Selection Committee
The Vice-President Finance and Administration will chair the Macaulay-O’Sullivan Awards Selection Committee.
The Selection Committee will be appointed by the chair and composed of at least the following:

  • One member of faculty
  • One member of the unionized staff
  • One member of the Administrative, Technical and Professional group
  • One student
  • One member of the external community drawn from the among UNB alumni

The Selection Committee should include representation from both campuses. Committee members will be appointed for one year at a time, but may be reappointed at the discretion of the Vice-President.

Selection Process
The Selection Committee will review nominations received by June 1 in any given year.
Nominations deemed worthy of consideration will be short-listed for the Macaulay-O’Sullivan Awards.

Short-listed nominations will be contacted by July 1 and invited to provide an additional written submission that answers the following questions:

  • What makes this activity or program truly new and innovative? How is it different from what has been done in the past?
  • What was the impetus for the innovative change?
  • Did the activity or program have a transformative effect? How did it change things? What significant difference did it make to the unit? The University? The “clients” served? What is the outlook for the future of this activity or program?
  • What effect did the innovative activity or program have on the quality of the service provided? In what way are things improved by this activity or program?
  • Were there productivity gains or cost reductions realized by the activity or program? How can we best measure its impact?
  • Can this innovative activity or program, or any aspects of it, be applied easily in other parts of the University? How could the activity or program be transferred to other departments?

These submissions will be due on August 15. In addition, supporters named on the Nomination Form will be asked to write a statement endorsing the nomination, also due by August 15.
Short-listed nominations will be judged on

  • Impact on service 30%
  • Innovation 30%
  • Transformative Value 20%
  • Impact on productivity 20%

Winners will be selected and informed by September 15 each year.

Recognition
All nominees, regardless of outcome, will receive a congratulatory letter from the President.

Recognition of the winners will take place during the fall term prior to the end of classes. There will be an event, hosted by the President, on each campus for the winners. Each winner will receive a gift from the University and will have a note confirming receipt of the Macaulay-O’Sullivan Administrative Service and Innovation Award entered into their personnel file.

Winners will be publicized by the University through the media and on the institution’s website.

UNB will build a database of all entries to enable easy access to the wealth of ideas created by this award.

Winners can choose to make a “lunch and learn” presentation to their colleagues on each campus. These presentations will be organized by the Office of Human Resources and Organizational Development.

Other Regulations
There is no limit to the number of times an employee can be nominated for a Macaulay-O’Sullivan Administrative Service and Innovation Award.
Unsuccessful nominations may be resubmitted in the following year provided there are additional results to report.

NOMINATION FORM