Staff Recognition

North Star Award

The North Georgia STAR employee recognition program recognizes meaningful accomplishments of University of North Georgia staff employees who embody the University’s standards for excellence, efficiency, and outstanding customer service to internal or external constituents. 

The purpose of the award is to:

• recognize outstanding full-time and part-time employees who embody UNG’s standards for excellence efficiency and excellent customer service;
• reward those employees who show exemplary individual achievement, contribution, and performance in their jobs and other related duties beyond their own areas;
• acknowledge those whose efforts have inspired and supported the performance and achievement of others.
• The program is maintained in the Human Resources Department.

For more information, see the Be a North Georgia star page.

Annual North Star Award

One Annual North Star Award winner is selected each year to recognize the meaningful accomplishment of a staff employee who embodies the University’s standards for excellence, efficiency, and outstanding customer service. All those employees receiving the North Star award in the previous fiscal year are considered for the Annual award. The award consists of a plaque and cash award presented at Fall Convocation.

The Annual North Star Award winner is determined by a selection committee made up of a representative of each of our 5 campuses, as appointed by Campus Administrators.

Eleanor Crawford Award

The Eleanor Crawford Award was established in 1990 by the then Gainesville College Alumni Association. The award presented annually is named for Eleanor Crawford, the first staff member employed by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents after Gainesville Junior College was founded in 1964. The Eleanor Crawford Award recognizes an outstanding staff member on the Dahlonega Campus, Gainesville Campus, and the Oconee/Cumming/Blue Ridge Campuses (combined), for extraordinary loyalty, dedication, and service to the University, their fellow employees, and students. The award consists of a desk trophy and cash award presented at Fall Convocation.

UNG staff members who have been employed by UNG for 5 or more years, are eligible for nomination. Previous Eleanor Crawford Award recipients and UNG faculty members are not eligible for consideration.

The selection committee is made up of three previous EC Award recipients. Nominations are solicited each Spring/Summer in advance of Fall Convocation and are submitted to the selection committee chair. Those on the committee are not eligible to submit nominations for the award. Nominations must be submitted on the Eleanor Crawford Award Nomination Form.

Presidential Excellence Award

This award is designed to recognize and award six staff members for their service to the University who have a demonstrated commitment to “go above and beyond” to provide excellent customer service to our students, faculty and other staff members as well as others outside of the UNG family. Only benefited staff employed for a minimum of one (1) continuous year are eligible. Staff members may not receive this award more than once in a five (5) year period. The award consists of a Certificate of Recognition and a cash award presented at Fall Convocation.

Six Presidential Excellence Awards are selected each year, with one nominee selected from each of the following job classifications:

1. Service/Maintenance
2. Office Clerical Support
3. Technical/Paraprofessional
4. Skill Crafts
5. Other Professionals
6. Administrative Managers/Lower Level Directors

The criteria for nomination includes but is not limited to:

• Customer Service
• Character (Personal and Professional Ethics)
• Dedication
• Job Performance
• Leadership
• Other examples of excellence not covered in above criteria

Nominations are solicited each Spring/Summer in advance of Fall Convocation, and can be made by any full-time employee with each nominee needing at least three (3) endorsement forms. Nominations are submitted to the HR Training and Development office, and winners are determined by a selection committee appointed by each of our 7 divisional area Vice Presidents.

Staff Council

Additional staff awards administered by other offices include the Staff Member of the Month and Staff Member of the Year administered by Staff Council.

Faculty Awards

Additional faculty awards administered by other offices can be found at the Center of Teaching, Learning, & Leadership Awards & Fellowship page.