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Distinguished Alumni Awards Procedure

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) The Charles Sturt University Distinguished Alumni Awards have been established to formally recognise and celebrate the professional and personal achievements of the University’s alumni community.

(2) This procedure provides information for determining the award winners, and ensuring that the awards are managed and administered fairly and in alignment with the Charles Sturt University (the University) values and ethos. 

Scope

(3) This procedure applies to current staff and alumni of the University and its predecessor institutions.

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Section 2 - Glossary

(4) For the purpose of this procedure, the following terms have the definitions stated:

  1. Alumni of Charles Sturt University includes: 
    1. graduates of the University’s degrees/program and its former institutions;
    2. Study Abroad and Exchange Students;
    3. past and present members of the University Council; 
    4. past members of staff;
    5. honorary degree recipients; and
    6. Companions of the University.
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Section 3 - Policy

(5) This procedure supports the Governance (Honorary Awards and Titles) Rule 2021

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Section 4 - Procedures

Part A - Award categories

(6) The Distinguished Alumni Awards have four categories stated in the table at clause 8. All categories are open to domestic and international graduates of any undergraduate or postgraduate program from Charles Sturt University or its predecessor institutions.

(7) The Distinguished Alumni Awards have been developed to align with the University Strategy, our ethos ‘Yindyamarra Winhanganha’ and the University’s values ‘insightful’, ‘inclusive’, ‘impactful’ and ‘inspiring’. 

(8) The categories of award and eligibility criteria are described in the following table:

Award name Description Criteria
Distinguished Alumni of the Year – Professional Achievement 
 This award recognises alumni who are, in their professional role, making a significant and positive impact on their communities, their industry or the world. 
  1. Alumni who demonstrate outstanding contributions to a workplace, profession or industry (local or international), i.e. undertaking entrepreneurial challenges, driving new opportunities for their workplace or industry, participation in mentoring programs and/or industry award recipients. 
  2. Alumni who demonstrate through their work, professional or community, alignment with one or all of the University’s values of insightful, inclusive, impactful and inspiring.
Distinguished Alumni of the Year – Service to the Community 
 This award recognises alumni who work inclusively with their community (as professionals or volunteers) and provide outstanding service to others.
  1. Alumni (local or international) who demonstrate the positive impact they have had on their community and/or the University through their work in the profit, non-profit or public sector. Evidence may include, but is not limited to, positive contributions through corporate social responsibility, volunteerism and/or community development.
  2. Alumni who demonstrate through their work, professional or community, alignment with one or all of the University’s values of insightful, inclusive, impactful and inspiring.
Distinguished Alumni of the Year – Young Alumni  This award recognises young alumni (under the age of 35) who are having an impact and inspiring others through their professional achievements or service to community.
  1. Applicants must be 35 years or younger in the year of the award.
  2. Alumni (local on international) who demonstrate:
    1. exceptional success in their chosen industry or field; and/or
    2. the significant positive impact they have had on their community.
  3. Alumni who demonstrate through their work, professional or community, alignment with one or all of the University’s values of insightful, inclusive, impactful and inspiring.
Distinguished Alumni of the Year – Association Member This award recognises alumni who are current members of an alumni association (national or international), who are having an impact and inspiring others through their professional achievements or service to their community.
  1. Applicants must be a current member of a Charles Sturt University recognised Alumni association.
  2. Alumni (local or international) who demonstrate:
    1. exceptional success in their chosen industry or field; and/or
    2. a significant positive impact to their community. 
  3. Alumni who demonstrate through their work, professional or community, alignment with one or all of the University’s values of insightful, inclusive, impactful and inspiring.

(9) One award may be issued per year in each category.

(10) Each award will be in the form of a trophy and citation.

(11) The award winners will be announced online and presented at a graduation ceremony or as otherwise agreed to by the winner and the Advancement Office.

Part B - Nomination and assessment of awards

Nominations

(12) Awards are open to all domestic and international graduates of any undergraduate or postgraduate program from Charles Sturt University or its predecessor institutions.

(13) Nominations in all categories can be made by Charles Sturt University alumni, staff members, students or family, friends, employees, employers or colleagues of Charles Sturt University alumni. 

(14) Alumni members may self-nominate. In such cases, the nomination must include a statement to support the official nomination from someone who is not the nominee.

(15) Alumni may be nominated for more than one category, but can only be shortlisted and eligible to win in one category in any one calendar year. 

(16) Nominations must be no more than two pages in length and must include a response to the selection criteria and supporting evidence.

(17) Nominations must be submitted via the online form at [link to be added].

Determination

(18) The nominations will be assessed by an internal committee comprising of members from the University’s senior leadership team, faculty staff and the Advancement Office. 

(19) Award recipients who have been nominated by someone else will be contacted to ensure they are happy to formally accept the nomination prior to formal advice being sent out. 

(20) The decisions of the committee is final. No correspondence will be entered in to. 

(21) Distinguished Alumni Award winners will be decided by October each year, for presentation at the graduation ceremony in the same year. 

(22) Despite the nominations in any category, the University reserves the right to not grant an award for any reason.

Part C - Notification of outcomes

(23) All approved recipients will be notified of the outcome of deliberations by the alumni team October 31 of that year.  

(24) The results of the awards will be published across the University’s alumni and general media channels. 

(25) Recognition of the award winners will include: 

  1. the Charles Sturt University graduation brochure, which will be updated annually to reflect the successful award recipients;
  2. a citation on the University’s Alumni webpage; and
  3. featuring in the alumni magazine Thrive. 

(26) Presentation of awards will occur at a domestic or international university graduation ceremony or other suitable event.

(27) The Vice-Chancellor may revoke an award where it has been awarded based on misleading or incomplete information, or for any other reason that might bring disrepute to the University or this award program. 

Part D - Responsibilities 

Compliance, monitoring and review 

(28) The Associate Director, Development and Alumni Relations is responsible for administering the awards procedures. 

(29) The Advancement Office Alumni team will undertake reporting, as required.

(30) The Advancement Office, Alumni team must maintain all records relevant to administering this procedure in a recognised University recordkeeping system.

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Section 5 - Guidelines

(31) Nil.