Commission for Housing and Residential Life Awards

Awards Nominations: Recognize Great Work!

It is never too early to start thinking about recognition! Since 1977, the Commission for Housing and Residential Life has recognized outstanding achievements and contributions in the field of student housing. The Commission Directorate Body is proud to carry on the coordination of this important tradition. Award nominations are typically solicited in November. Winners will be announced at the ACPA Awards Reception/Social at the annual conference.

Nominations are now OPEN! Read the descriptions below, then click HERE to nominate a deserving professional.

Commission for Housing and Residential Life Awards

Outstanding Graduate Student Staff Member
This award is presented to an outstanding full-time graduate student employed in a paraprofessional staff position. Criteria include: performance and contributions in current graduate assistantship or paraprofessional position, contributions within nominee’s academic program, contributions to the Student Affairs profession, and other recognitions of achievement.

Outstanding Undergraduate Student Staff Member
This award is presented to an outstanding undergraduate student employed in a paraprofessional staff position. Criteria include: performance and contributions in current undergraduate paraprofessional position, contributions in nominee’s academic program, contributions to community and university, and other recognitions of achievement.

Outstanding New Professional In Residence Life
This award is presented to an individual in the first three years of professional employment who has demonstrated outstanding contributions to their campus and/or the housing profession. Criteria include: current performance, contributions to student affairs scholarship and or the profession, and contributions to the community.

Outstanding Experienced Professional Award
Two categories – 4-9 years or 10 or more years

This award is presented to an individual with 4 or more years of professional employment who has demonstrated outstanding contributions to their campus and/or the housing profession. Criteria include: performance and contributions within current position, performance and contributions to student affairs scholarship, contributions to the profession and/or contributions to the community.

Excellence In Service Award
In the tradition of National Residence Hall Honorary’s (NRHH) Spotlight Award, this award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding contributions to her/his campus and/or the housing profession and is not eligible for any of the other awards; therefore, the nominee cannot be a student or professional housing staff member. Possible nominees could be food service personnel, night security staff, administrative assistants, or custodial staff. Criteria include: performance and contributions in current position, contributions to student success, contributions to community in which university or college is located.

Excellence In Sustainability
There are three categories of excellence in sustainability awards. This award is presented to a program, an individual, or a department that has demonstrated outstanding contributions toward sustainability on their campus and/or to the housing profession.

The individual award criteria for excellence in sustainability are: individual responsibility, integration, collaboration and assessment. Excellence in departmental sustainability criteria include: integration of sustainable practices, responsible growth and management, education and conservation. Criteria related to an outstanding initiative or program include: holistic nature of program or activity (advancing students’ understanding of the relationship between environmental stewardship, social justice and economic growth), relationship of initiative to the ACPA learning outcomes for sustainability, degree of collaboration, assessment and sustainability of initiative, embedded nature of practice and conservation. Note: Not all initiatives will address each criterion equally.

Outstanding Innovation in Housing and Residential Life
This award recognizes and honors excellence for an innovative program, project, collaboration with student affairs or academic departments, or service sponsored by a housing or residential life department. The nominated program or initiative should demonstrate improvement in the quality of life for students, the efficiency in the department and/or the effectiveness in service delivery.