The academic and support program of excellence awards are separate $10,000 awards which are presented to an academic department and a support unit or department to recognize established records of excellence. Units and/or departments may apply or be nominated for these awards if sufficient merit or excellence is determined.

CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES

1. For the purposes of these awards a unit or department is defined as:
   
   
   1. An academic department or similar unit that reports directly to an academic dean or director.
      
      
   2. A unit that reports directly to a Vice Chancellor, excluding academic colleges.
      
      
   3. A unit that reports directly to the Chancellor, excluding the offices of the Vice Chancellors.
      
      
2. Multiple nominations or applications are not needed. If more than one is received for the same unit, the Vice Chancellor will select only one to be forwarded to the appropriate committee.
   
   
3. Nominations/applications must document a significant collaborative effort on the part of the members of the unit. If the stature or distinction of the unit is based on the efforts of an individual, the unit itself will not be eligible for an Award of Excellence, but the unit should consider nominating the responsible individual for a Paul A. Reid award.
   
   
4. Nominations and applications will be evaluated primarily on the basis of the quality of the accomplishment, the relationship of the accomplishment to Western's mission and goals, and the collaborative and sustained effort involved in realizing the achievement.
   
   
5. The funds realized through these awards are to be used by the unit or department to enhance the effectiveness of that unit or department. All members of the unit will participate in developing a plan for use of the funds.
   
   
6. Previous winners may not repeat for a period of five years.
   

SELECTION PROCEDURES

The Vice Chancellors will act as receiving points for all applications and nominations for these awards and will determine whether the nomination or application should compete in the academic or support category. Once this determination is made,
the nominations and applications will be forwarded to the appropriate committee. The committees will be constituted as follows:

Academic Program of Excellence Award Selection Committee - Three faculty members (one chosen by the Council of Deans and two by the Chairman of the Faculty), two administrative staff members appointed by the Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs.

Support Program of Excellence Award Selection Committee - Five administrative staff (one appointed by each Vice Chancellor and one by the Chancellor).

The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs will convene the committees and act as recorder. The committees will review the nominations and applications in their respective areas according to the established guidelines and report their
recommendations to the Chancellor for his approval. The recipients of the awards will be announced by the Chancellor.