STAR Award Program

Overview

Please note that the process listed on this page is the internal process for the VC Finance division.

This is our documentation for our staff of how we meet the People and Culture guidelines.

STAR awards allow us to acknowledge and reward exemplary performance and contributions by employees. The program is governed by Personnel Policies for Staff Members (PPSM) 34 which provides guidelines for all university cash recognition awards.

Please refer to the Recognition and Non-Cash Awards page for more about the STAR awards, including criteria and eligibility.

Spot Awards Only in 2024

Please note that per People and Culture's announcement, we will only distribute SPOT awards under the STAR Award Program in 2024.

STAR Award Allocation

Funding for the Star Awards is allocated to each division. If you have questions about the STAR Award Program Allocation, please contact your Divisional Finance Leader.

STAR Award Nomination Process for VC Finance Division Only

If you would like to nominate an employee for a STAR award, please follow the process outlined below. Please contact the Immediate Office with questions at vcfinance@berkeley.edu.

Step 1: Complete a Nomination Form

The Nomination Form for VC Finance will open up in DocuSign to facilitate capturing necessary signatures prior to submission.

Important: If you have multiple nominations, please complete and submit a separate form for each Nominee.

When ready, go to: STAR Plan Nomination Form - VC Finance.

You will need the following information to complete the form:

  1. Nominator's Name and Email (this will be you as the form initiator).
  2. Supervisor’s Name and Email (if the Nominator and Supervisor are the same, leave this section blank).
  3. Next Level Authority’s Name and email (this will be the department leader or Associate Vice Chancellor).
  4. Information about the Nominee:
    1. Name
    2. Employee ID
    3. Job Title
    4. Job Title Code
    5. Department Name
  5. Proposed Award Amount (this should be $500, as Achievement Awards are no longer an option).
  6. Reason for Nomination (1-3 paragraph description and linkage to Achieve Together criteria).
  7. Submit the form and sign when prompted.
    1. The form will route to the Supervisor and Next Level Authority for signatures.
      1. Note, that an approved delegate can sign for the Next Level Authority if applicable.
    2. When completed, a copy of the signed form will be routed to vcfinance@berkeley.edu for further processing and review.

Step 2: Processing and Review

  • Completed and signed nomination forms are received at vcfinance@berkley.edu and forwarded to the Star Award Committee for review.
  • The Star Award Committee reviews and approves nominations.
  • The Program Administrator writes award letters and distributes the letters to Supervisors / Managers.

Step 3: Award Distribution

  • Supervisors / Managers send award letters to winners.
    • Supervisors / Managers may personalize the letters if they choose before sending them to the winners.
  • The Program Administrator sends information on award payments to People and Culture for processing and confirms the payment date.
    • Please note: Currently, the Program Administrator for VC Finance is Heidi Van Yang at hvanyang@berkeley.edu.

Star Award Review Committee

  • Amy Gardner - Executive Director, University Business Partnerships and Services
  • Chris Stanich - Associate Vice Chancellor, Financial Planning and Analysis
  • Heidi Van Yang - Director of Business Operations and Communications, Finance Immediate Office
  • Kevin Mack - Divisional Finance Leader, Financial Planning and Analysis
  • Michael Riley - Associate Vice Chancellor and Controller
  • Rosemary Kim - Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff