I. Purpose

The Awards & Recognition Committee is established by the APPA Board of Directors to honor excellence and distinguished service in educational facilities management. The committee advances APPA's mission by:

• Identifying and celebrating exemplary achievement in facilities leadership and management
• Recognizing significant contributions to the facilities profession and APPA
• Promoting professional standards and best practices through public recognition
• Inspiring members and the broader facilities community through examples of excellence
• Developing and maintaining the Association Award Policy that establishes clear, equitable award criteria

II. Authority

This charter is established under the authority granted in the APPA Bylaws (Article V, Section 3). The Awards & Recognition Committee operates as an ad hoc committee, formed annually to complete a specific awards cycle and dissolved upon completion of its work.

The committee has authority to:

• Develop and maintain the Association Award Policy
• Work with CEO and APPA staff to manage the complete awards cycle, including solicitation, evaluation, and selection
• Select award recipients based on established criteria
• Recommend new awards or modifications to existing awards to the Board

Note: The Committee Chair maintains custody of the Association Award Policy between award cycles and may make minor administrative updates as needed in consultation with the CEO.

III. Committee Composition

Leadership

• Chair: Board member (appointed by Board)

Members

• Regional Representatives: Each of the six APPA regions may select one representative to serve on the committee
• Committee Size: Minimum of four (4) members, maximum of eight (8) members

Qualifications. The committee should include members with diverse experience across the profession, representing various institution types, career stages, and geographic regions.

Appointment Process

1. The Board Chair appoints a Board member to serve as Committee Chair
2. Each region has the opportunity to nominate one representative to serve on the committee
3. If fewer than four total members (including the Chair), the Committee Chair may appoint additional Board members to reach the minimum
4. Committee membership will be presented to the Board annually after committee formation

Staff Support. The CEO and designated staff members participate in committee meetings to provide administrative support, coordinate logistics, and ensure alignment with organizational operations.

Term. Committee members serve for one awards cycle, from formation through dissolution following completion of award presentations and submission of final documentation to APPA staff.

IV. Duties and Responsibilities

The Awards & Recognition Committee shall:

V. Meeting Requirements

Frequency. The Awards & Recognition Committee shall meet as frequently as necessary to fulfill its duties, with a recommended schedule of:

• Organizational meeting: Review charter, establish timeline, review award criteria
• Nomination period preparation: Finalize call for nominations, coordinate outreach
• Evaluation meetings (as needed based on nomination volume): Review nominations, conduct evaluations
• Selection meeting: Deliberate and select award recipients
• Post-awards debrief (following Annual Meeting): Evaluate process and identify improvements

Additional meetings may be scheduled as needed for committee business.

Meeting Format. Meetings may be conducted in person, by videoconference, by teleconference, or through other electronic means that permit real-time communication among all participants.

Quorum. A majority of committee members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Decision-Making.

• Selection of award recipients requires a majority vote of committee members present
• In the event of a tie vote:
  • For awards that specify a single recipient (such as Rex Dillow Award), the Committee Chair shall cast the deciding vote
  • For awards that permit multiple recipients, the committee may select co-recipients provided the total does not exceed any maximum specified in the Association Award Policy
  • If co-recipients would exceed the award's specified maximum, the Committee Chair shall cast the deciding vote
• The Committee Chair may make procedural decisions between meetings, subject to committee ratification
• All substantive decisions should be documented in meeting minutes

Minutes and Records. The committee shall maintain: minutes of all committee meetings; documentation of nomination evaluation processes; records of all decisions and votes; selection rationale for award recipients. All records shall be submitted to APPA staff for retention in accordance with the Association's document retention policy.

VI. Award Categories and Selection Process

Award Categories. The specific award categories, criteria, and nomination procedures are established in the Association Award Policy, which is maintained and updated by this committee. The Association Award Policy shall include:

• List of all APPA awards
• Detailed criteria for each award
• Nomination procedures and forms
• Selection processes and timelines
• Eligibility requirements

Selection Criteria. When evaluating nominations and selecting recipients, the committee shall consider:

• Excellence and Impact: Demonstrated outstanding achievement or contribution that has made a significant positive impact on educational facilities management
• Alignment with Award Criteria: Clear demonstration that the nominee meets the specific criteria established for each award
• Breadth and Depth: Scope and duration of contributions, considering both depth of expertise and breadth of influence
• Innovation and Leadership: Evidence of innovative approaches, thought leadership, or advancement of the profession
• APPA Involvement: For awards recognizing APPA service, active participation and meaningful contributions to the Association

Evaluation Process. The committee shall:

• Review all nominations using standardized evaluation criteria
• Use scoring rubrics or evaluation frameworks to ensure consistent assessment
• Consider diversity of recognition across institutions, regions, and career stages
• Document evaluation rationale for institutional memory
• Maintain confidentiality of all nominations and deliberations

Conflicts of Interest. Committee members must:

• Disclose any personal or professional relationships with nominees
• Recuse themselves from evaluation and voting on nominations where conflicts exist
• Maintain strict confidentiality of all nomination materials and committee deliberations

Transparency and Fairness.

• Award criteria and nomination procedures are publicly available
• Selection processes are applied consistently and equitably
• All eligible nominees receive fair consideration
• Decisions are based solely on merit and established criteria

VII. Conflict of Interest

General Requirements. All committee members shall comply with the Association's Conflict of Interest Policy and maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct in the awards evaluation and selection process.

Disclosure and Recusal. Committee members must:

• Disclose any personal, professional, or financial relationships with nominees at the earliest opportunity
• Recuse themselves from discussions, evaluations, and votes involving nominees where conflicts exist
• Not advocate for or against nominees with whom they have relationships outside of formal committee proceedings
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding all nominations, deliberations, and selection decisions

Examples of Conflicts Requiring Recusal

• Direct supervisor/employee relationships
• Close family relationships
• Current or recent collaborative projects or research partnerships
• Financial interests or business relationships
• Close personal friendships that could affect objectivity

Confidentiality. All committee members must:

• Keep all nomination materials, evaluations, and deliberations strictly confidential
• Not discuss nominations or committee decisions outside of official committee proceedings
• Refrain from disclosing award recipients before official announcements
• Protect the identities of unsuccessful nominees

Voluntary Recusal. A committee member who believes they may have a conflict of interest may voluntarily recuse themselves without requiring a formal committee determination.

VIII. Reporting Requirements

Reports to the Board of Directors. The Awards & Recognition Committee shall provide the following reports to the Board:

• Annual Planning Report (beginning of awards cycle): Committee membership, timeline for awards cycle, any proposed changes to award categories or criteria, and communication strategy
• Mid-Cycle Update (as needed): Status of nomination process, number and diversity of nominations received, any challenges or concerns identified
• Award Recipients Notification (prior to public announcement): List of selected award recipients and brief summary of qualifications for Board information
• Annual Summary Report (following Annual Meeting): Awards presented, participation metrics (nominations received, geographic and institutional diversity), process evaluation and lessons learned, recommendations for improvements or new awards

Transparency and Communication.

• Committee meeting minutes (excluding confidential nomination discussions) shall be available to the Board upon request
• Award criteria, nomination procedures, and deadlines shall be publicly available on the Association's website
• Individual nomination details and committee deliberations remain strictly confidential
• Award recipient information becomes public upon official announcement

Documentation and Archival. Upon completion of each awards cycle, the committee shall submit to APPA staff: all meeting minutes and documentation; nomination materials and evaluation records; selection rationale and voting records; process documentation and recommendations for future cycles. All materials shall be retained in accordance with APPA's document retention policy.

IX. Amendments

This charter may be amended by:

• Recommendation of the Committee Chair, OR
• Action of the APPA Board of Directors

All amendments must be approved by the APPA Board of Directors.

The charter shall be reviewed annually by the Committee Chair and updated as needed to reflect best practices, changes in organizational structure, and lessons learned from the awards process.

X. Adoption and Effective Date

This charter was adopted by the APPA Board of Directors on May 29, 2026.