Outstanding Graduate Coordinator Award
Outstanding Graduate Support Staff Award

The OSU Graduate College and Graduate and Professional Student Government Association (GPSGA) announce the Outstanding Graduate Coordinator Award and Outstanding Graduate Support Staff Award to recognize the exemplary service of the faculty and staff who lead and manage graduate programs. Graduate coordinators and their support staff provide an invaluable service to the University and its community of students, faculty, and staff. This award is one of the few opportunities available to recognize the incredible contributions to graduate education made by these individuals.

The quality and continuity of the graduate program, as well as the experience of the graduate students in the program, depend in part on the talents and commitment of the graduate coordinators and their support staff. The Outstanding Graduate Coordinator Award and Outstanding Graduate Support Staff Award recognize those faculty and staff members who exceed expectations by making innovative or unique contributions that positively impact the quality of the graduate program and/or student experience.

All nominees will be recognized during Graduate Education Week at the GPSGA Ice Cream Social to be held at 3:30 pm on April 20, 2012, in the French lounge in the Student Union.
The Outstanding Graduate Coordinator Award and the Outstanding Support Staff Award recipients will also receive a $500 cash award and a plaque commemorating the award.

Eligibility
Nominees must have served as graduate coordinator/support staff for a minimum of two years by the award deadline.

Nomination Materials
Nominations for the awards may be only initiated by currently enrolled graduate students. Nomination materials should include the following:

• Letter of nomination from a currently enrolled student
• Brief letter of support from the department head (for either type of award nomination) or graduate program coordinator/director (for the Outstanding Graduate Support Staff Award)
• Letter of support from at least one additional graduate student who has direct knowledge of nominee's activities and is currently enrolled

Suggested Criteria for Nomination
• The nominee's ability to work as an effective advocate for graduate students and graduate causes in the program
• The nominee's availability/accessibility to graduate students
• The nominee's ability to work as an effective liaison between graduate students and the graduate adviser, and between the graduate program and the Graduate College
• The nominee's effectiveness in helping students understand policies and procedures governing graduate degrees
• The nominee's record of preventing, as well as resolving problems
• The nominee's ability to carry out administrative functions effectively and efficiently
• The nominee's skills in organization and communication
• The nominee's record of working with other graduate coordinators and graduate advisers to promote a more efficient and effective administration of the graduate program

Deadline
Nominations must be submitted electronically as a single file to grad.dean@okstate.edu by 5 pm April 13, 2012.