Criteria for ACAA Awards

Criteria for ACAA Awards

The award criteria were developed by the 2023-24 ACAA Awards and Advisor Recognition Committee. This year, we are introducing new awards to give more advisors the recognition they deserve! Read more below to better understand the selection criteria.

Ready to nominate? Click here to access the nomination form! Nominations are due Friday, February 23rd.

Outstanding Professional Advisor:

  • This award is open to individual academic advisors who have served at UO for at least two (2) years.
  • Excellent advisors ensure that all students feel welcome and respected. They are sensitive to the diversity of values and beliefs on our campus. They connect well interpersonally and cross-culturally. They care about each student’s well-being.
  • Excellent advisors inform students how best to proceed toward earning their degrees. They clearly explain policies and procedures. They provide timely answers to questions. They identify obstacles, solve problems, and advocate for students.
  • Excellent advisors encourage students to succeed in the classroom and beyond. They push students to think critically about their educational experiences. They connect students with opportunities for continued personal growth.

Outstanding Faculty Advisor:  

  • This award is open to individual faculty advisors whose advising duties represent approximately 50% of FTE and who have served at UO for at least two (2) years.
  • Excellent advisors ensure that all students feel welcome and respected. They are sensitive to the diversity of values and beliefs on our campus. They connect well interpersonally and cross-culturally. They care about each student’s well-being.
  • Excellent advisors inform students how best to proceed toward earning their degrees. They clearly explain policies and procedures. They provide timely answers to questions. They identify obstacles, solve problems, and advocate for students.
  • Excellent advisors encourage students to succeed in the classroom and beyond. They push students to think critically about their educational experiences. They connect students with opportunities for continued personal growth.

Outstanding New Advisor:

  • This award is open to any individual serving as an academic advisor at UO for two (2) or fewer years.
  • Excellent advisors ensure that all students feel welcome and respected. They are sensitive to the diversity of values and beliefs on our campus. They connect well interpersonally and cross-culturally. They care about each student’s well-being.
  • Excellent advisors inform students how best to proceed toward earning their degrees. They clearly explain policies and procedures. They provide timely answers to questions. They identify obstacles, solve problems, and advocate for students.
  • Excellent advisors encourage students to succeed in the classroom and beyond. They push students to think critically about their educational experiences. They connect students with opportunities for continued personal growth.

Excellence in Advising Special Populations:

  • Recipients of this award show a profound commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in advising at UO. They go above and beyond the expectations of their position to improve educational outcomes for special populations, including students of color, transfer students, first-generation college students, low-income students, international students, student-athletes, students with disabilities, non-binary and LGBTQI+ students, and other historically marginalized or underserved groups.
  • Excellent advisors to special populations develop expertise in serving these students, foster their sense of belonging to the UO community, and connect them to relevant programs and resources available on campus. They demystify the university’s “hidden curriculum” and advocate on behalf of these students to reduce barriers to their success.

Excellence in Career Support Services:

  • This award is open to any individual who provides significant and outstanding career advising, readiness, or programmatic support within a direct student support role.
  • Recipients of this award demonstrate excellence in career support services and make significant contributions to career resources and programming. Significant contributions to career advising can include career programming, going above and beyond in their work with students, and/or contributions to the larger field of career services.
  • Excellent career advisors/coaches inform students how to work toward their long-term professional goals through programming and one-on-one student meetings. They are committed to improving access to career resources for all students and promote innovative approaches to career services.

Excellence in Undergraduate Peer Advising:

  • This award is open to undergraduate students in a peer advising, peer mentoring, or advising reception role.
  • Excellent peer advisors, peer mentors, and advising reception staff ensure that all students feel welcome and respected. They are sensitive to the diversity of values and beliefs on our campus. They connect well interpersonally and cross-culturally. They care about each student’s well-being.
  • Excellent peer advisors, peer mentors, and advising reception staff inform students how best to proceed toward earning their degrees. They clearly explain policies and procedures. They provide timely answers to questions. They identify obstacles, solve problems, and advocate for students, referring them to full-time staff or other campus resources when appropriate.
  • Excellent peer advisors, peer mentors, and advising reception staff encourage students to succeed in the classroom and beyond. They push students to think critically about their educational experiences. They connect students with opportunities for continued personal growth.
  • Note: Nominations must come from supervisors or heads of program/department.

Distinguished Service to Advising at UO

  • This award is open to any individual serving as an academic advisor or advising administrator at UO for at least three (3) years.
  • The recipient of this award should meet one or more of the following criteria:
    • Distinguished advisors and advising administrators are committed to advising students year after year, consistently dedicating their time to support student success. They demonstrate an outstanding record of excellence in their work and an enduring passion for higher education.
    • Distinguished advisors and advising administrators champion new initiatives that promote student success.
    • Distinguished advisors and advising administrators strengthen the UO advising community by fostering improved communication, collaboration, collegiality, and data-sharing across campus departments.
    • Note: Nominations for this award will come from leadership of the different colleges, divisions, and programs at UO.