Division Guidelines

WOW Card Recognition Criteria by Cabinet Area

The University WOW card program allows supervisors to reward UMW employees with green WOW cards worth $35 and/or yellow WOW cards awarding time off.  Each cabinet has specific recognition criteria in order to promote the same values through the distribution of WOW cards to employees.  The recognized employee may have excelled in one or all of the following criteria:

Division Guidelines

President’s Office and University Events and Conferencing:

  • Rewarding excellence in customer service
  • Positive attitude
  • Initiative
  • Teamwork

Manner of Presentation:  One-on-one or at staff meetings as appropriate and timely.

Communication of Guidelines:  At weekly staff meeting.

Student Affairs:

  • Successful completion of a difficult and unanticipated special project.
  • Exceptional contribution to an established program/project.
  • Outstanding service to parents/families of students during the semester.
  • Outstanding service to students, over and above job guidelines, during the semester.
  • Division-wide contribution to the programs/services.
  • Initiating/authorizing new project/program.
  • Suggestion which has a major impact within the unit.

Manner of Presentation:  Awards will be recognized at the discretion of the Director of the particular Student Affairs unit.

Communication of Guidelines: Divisional guidelines will be circulated by email and announcements to all staff in a divisional meeting.

Provost and Chief Academic Officer:

  1. A personal significant initiative that made (or will make) an important positive contribution to the unit’s operations or result in cost savings;
  2. Notable customer service above and beyond the call of duty;
  3. A special act of kindness towards a coworker;
  4. Taking on extra responsibility;
  5. Exemplary teamwork, evident in volunteering to support colleagues at critical times;
  6. Catching a major mistake or error omission and thus preventing a substantial embarrassment for the unit; and/or
  7. Dealing with a crisis in a way that prevents or minimizes escalation

Manner of Presentation:  

  1. WOW cards will be presented publicly before others in the office in which the winner works by the supervisor who requested the award.
  2. In some cases, the award might not be made before the whole office if others might be annoyed or feel excluded.

Communication of Guidelines:  Employees will be given a copy of the WOW card policy and criteria.

Advancement and University Relations:

  • Work performance that goes above and beyond the call of duty
  • Exceptional customer service
  • Teamwork
  • Initiative
  • Positive Attitude
  • Team spirit

Manner of Presentation:  Monthly Division Meetings

Communication of Guidelines:  Guidelines will be reviewed by key supervisors, and shared with all staff at September division meeting.

Administration and Finance:

Administration and Finance, Budget, Business Services, Emergency Management and Safety, Finance and Human Resources:
  • Excellent customer service
  • Rapid response to requests for assistance
  • Cooperation and teamwork
  • Reports and information
  • Showing initiative and innovation
  • Performing a difficult task unusually well
Facilities:
  • Notable effort
  • Initiative
  • Commendable customer service
  • Effective teamwork
  • Demonstration of enthusiasm, spirit, & positive attitude
Information Technologies:
  • Outstanding customer service – includes meeting the needs of students, faculty, staff, and external constituencies.
  • Taking on an unexpected, additional project or responsibility, perhaps meeting an emergency, and completing in a timely and successful way while also doing all other responsibilities.
  • Providing additional support and reaching out to assist co-workers both in IT and outside of IT
  • Demonstrating a consistent, positive, engaged attitude and perspective even while in stressful and demanding situations.
  • Demonstrating innovation and/or implementation of new ideas.

Manner of Presentation:  

  1. As soon after accomplishment as possible.
  2. Actual manner will be determined by the supervisor.

Communication of Guidelines:  Employees will be given a copy of the criteria on this page.

Enrollment Management:

  • Exceptional performance: Demonstrated and sustained exceptional performance that consistently exceeds goals and work expectations in quantity and/or quality.
  • Creativity: One-time innovation or creation that results in time/dollar savings, revenue enhancement, and productivity improvement; and/or ongoing innovative/creative activities that benefit organizational systems, protocols, and/or procedures.
  • Organizational abilities: Exhibiting extraordinary skills in leadership resulting in the accomplishment of significant departmental or divisional goals and objectives; effective project management, which could include developing a project and/or implementing a project with substantial success; and/or demonstrating organizational capability leading to a greater level of effectiveness.
  • Work success: Significantly exceeding productivity, customer service, quality of care or similar goals, including demonstrating superior interactions with managers, peers, supervisors, subordinates, the University community, and/or clients and customers served.
  • Teamwork: Acting as an exceptionally effective and cooperative team member or team leader for a team that has significantly exceeded the goals/objectives of the department/unit.

Manner of Presentation:  One-on-one or at staff meetings as appropriate and timely.

Communication of Guidelines:  Guidelines will be reviewed by supervisors, and shared with all staff.