Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible to receive an Award?
The awards are open to benefits eligible Tufts University staff and faculty that have successfully completed their probationary period. Please remember that the awards recognize the qualities or achievements of individuals or teams and are not meant to reward accomplishments in teaching or research.

Who is not eligible to receive an Award?
Only benefits eligible staff and faculty directly employed by Tufts University are eligible. This means that temporary workers and those employed by outside contractors are not eligible. Members of the staff and faculty who are serving on the Selection Committee for this year’s awards, as well as members of the university’s Academic Council*, are also ineligible. Additionally, individuals and teams are not eligible to win in consecutive years. These awards are meant to recognize accomplishments outside of teaching and research; nominations focusing on teaching and/or research will be considered ineligible.

*The Academic Council is comprised of the President, the Provost, the Executive Vice President, the Vice Provost and Associate Provosts, the Deans of the Schools and Tisch College, the Director of the HNRCA, the Vice Presidents, and the Chief of Staff in the President’s Office.

What kinds of teams qualify for an Award?
A team is defined as a work unit, or project team that worked together on a defined project. An entire department may not be nominated for a team award.

Who can submit a nomination?
All benefits eligible staff and faculty members of the Tufts community are welcome to submit a nomination. The Awards do not observe any hierarchy, so you can nominate a supervisor as well as someone who reports to you.

Can I nominate myself or my team?
You cannot nominate yourself or a team to which you belong.

Can more than one person nominate the same individual or group?
Yes, more than one person can submit a nomination for the same individual or team. We welcome the different perspectives that additional nominations can provide.

May I nominate the same individual more than once?
No, it is not possible to submit a nomination for the same person more than once.  We welcome resubmissions of non-winners from previous years. However, it is critical to the selection process that you reevaluate your past submission, being sure to bring any new and relevant accomplishments to light and ensuring that older information remains accurate.

Can my colleagues submit a letter of support for my nominee?
We do not accept letters of support for nominees or additional statements above and beyond the information received as part of the nomination form. Please let your colleagues know that a nominee can be nominated more than once by benefits eligible Tufts staff or faculty, or suggest that your colleagues collaborate and submit a group nomination.

When can I submit a nomination?
The nomination period runs from January 24, 2024 to February 9, 2024.

Who do I contact if I have questions about the nomination process?
If you have questions about how to nominate, please contact the Distinction Awards by emailing distinctionawards@tufts.edu. We are happy to help!