aerial photo of the campus in the fall season

Award Eligibility and Criteria

You Matter Here.

The  President’s Awards for Service Excellence have a general set of criteria for award eligibility and each award then has a specific set of criteria to demonstrate excellence. 

General Award Eligibility

The nominee:

  • demonstrates excellence in their area of work and pursues excellence through actions of integrity and dedication.
  • demonstrates an ongoing commitment towards the success of VIU and its communities.
  • is a full-time or part-time non-instructional employees across all University groups.
  • has a regular or a temporary appointment, and has been employed for a minimum of twelve months.
  • has not received the same award within the past five years.

Nominations are valid only for the year in which they are submitted and must be based on achievements within the previous 12 months or the time frame stipulated by the award category. 

Each award has a unique set of criteria that, when met, demonstrate excellence. Select each award heading to review the drop-down list of criteria for that award.

Award Criteria

Award for an individual.

  • Consistently generating and driving new ideas, resources and processes
  • Contributing to or facilitating problem-solving; bringing forth innovative ideas and creative solutions
  • Engaging in or fostering an environment of curiosity and creativity
  • Developing skills and performance beyond established expectations to benefit the University and its communities
  • Seeks opportunities for learning, professional development and growth

Award for an individual.

  • Demonstrating exceptional initiative, perseverance, accountability and/or commitment in meeting or exceeding client needs (including other staff or students), project deliverables, and/or goals
  • Improving the value, efficiency and sustainability of the services they provide
  • Developing skills and performance beyond established expectations to benefit the University and its communities

Award for an individual within their first five years of temporary or regular employment.

  • Consistently generating and driving new ideas, resources and processes
  • Contributing to or facilitating problem-solving; bringing forth innovative ideas and creative solutions
  • Engaging in or fostering an environment of curiosity and creativity
  • Developing skills and performance beyond established expectations to benefit the university and its communities
  • Demonstrating exceptional initiative, perseverance, accountability and/or commitment in meeting or exceeding client (including other staff or students) needs, project deliverables, and/or goals
  • Improving the value, efficiency and sustainability of the services they provide; seeking to continuously improve to benefit the university and/or larger community

Open to employee work groups of two or more. Please indicate the names of individuals included on the team you are nominating.

  • Demonstrating a supportive and engaged collective, working cooperatively for the advancement of VIU’s mission; where the common aim takes priority over individual reward
  • Developing and maintaining positive collaborative relationships within the VIU community
  • Making outstanding contributions to the VIU community
  • Recognizes work that took place in the twelve (12) months preceding the nomination period.

* team members cannot nominate themselves

Award for an individual VIU employee with 20 or more years of consistent service. 

  • Contributing to or facilitating problem-solving; bringing forth innovative ideas and creative solutions
  • Engaging in or fostering an environment of curiosity and creativity
  • Developing skills and performance beyond established expectations to benefit the University and its communities
  • Demonstrating exceptional initiative, perseverance, accountability and/or commitment in meeting or exceeding client (including other staff or students) needs, project deliverables, and/or goals
  • Improves the value, efficiency and sustainability of the services they provide; seeking to continuously improve to benefit the university and/or larger community
  • Actively in a VIU role until the award nomination deadline

Award Selection 

An Awards Selection Committee, with representatives of all groups across the University, will review nominations annually and select recipients for each award category. 

Award recipients will be announced to the campus community in the fall and invited to attend the annual internal awards event. This event also includes honouring the winners of the President's Awards for Community Engagement, the Provost's Awards for Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity, the Teaching Design and Practice Awards, and the Award for Advancing Diversity and Inclusion.