The staff Incentive Awards Program has been renamed the "Recognition Awards Program" and is now launched for the 1996-97 year, reports Dennis Shimek, associate vice chancellor for human resources and risk management. "This is a very important program and provides an opportunity to recognize the good work, creativity, innovation and initiative of our employees," Shimek said. The University of California created the systemwide award program three years ago by setting aside money from the state budget. The one-time-only set-aside was used to create a permanent fund for the non-base-building awards. Since the program began in 1995, unit personnel managers have redesigned their guidelines to increase rank-and-file staff participation in the process. Several units use staff committees to screen and recommend award winners. The fact that staff members can nominate their peers for these awards is another essential feature of the program. Awards may be granted in any amount up to $3,500 per individual. An employee may receive more than one award (e.g., an individual award and a team award) but the total of all awards to any one individual may not exceed $3,500. Eligible for awards are career and casual employees in the Professional and Support Staff Program, members of collective bargaining units that have agreed to this program, and those in the Managers and Senior Professionals Program. Shimek said the program name was changed this year after he received many comments from those who believed that "recognition" more accurately reflects the intent and spirit of the award program. UC Davis employees are urged by Shimek to take a minute to reflect on an employee or team whose work made an impact on them individually, their unit or the university as a whole, and then fill out a nomination form. "I ask everyone to join with me in making special efforts to fairly and effectively administer this program," he added. "We have the best staff and they deserve our focused attention." Staff and administrators are asked to review the guidelines that govern the recognition program and submit nominations for employees or teams deserving of the award. Nomination deadlines and award criteria vary by schools, colleges and administrative units. Check with the appropriate contact person listed below to obtain a copy of unit guidelines and nomination forms as well as the deadline for submission of nominations. For cross-unit awards, coordination/communication must occur among units so that the maximum award amount is not exceeded and that deadlines are not missed, Shimek said. UNIT CONTACT PHONE E-MAIL (@ucdavis.edu) Ag Field Stations, David Towle, 752-0128, hdtowle Chancellor's Office, Leslye Hays, 752-9466, ljhays Ag and Env. Sciences, Connie Melendy, 752-1607, clmelendy Engineering, Carlene Blaylock, 752-3158, clblaylock Letters and Science, Jeanne Bernauer 752-0884 jebernauer Biological Sciences, Dave Shelby, 752-3478, drshelby Graduate School of Management, Claudine Thompson, 752-7365, cfthompson Graduate Studies, Karen Castelli, 752-8476, krcastelli Library, George Bynon, 752-2259, gebynon Administration, Marion Randall, 752-0164, mkrandall Research, Jeanne MacKenzie, 752-7073, jrmackenzie Law, Mary Grivna, 752-3320, magrivna Medicine, Elizabeth Meyer, 752-0422, eameyer Veterinary Medicine, Jean Kevern, 752-1384, jakevern Student Affairs, Lynn Gore, 752-2026, lhgore University Relations, Deborah Urban, 752-2620, dcurban