Annual End of Year Celebration

AUTHORITY:

This Code is established under the authority of Article XV of the Bylaws of the Associated Students, California State University, Northridge, Inc.

PURPOSE:

The Purpose of this code shall be to outline the policies and procedures governing the Associated Students (AS) Annual End of the Year Celebration. The purpose of this event is to celebrate the collective achievements of the Associated Students, CSU Northridge over the course of the past year, and to recognize academic and service excellence amongst the staff and student employees/leaders of the AS.

DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS:

This code shall be effective when approved by a majority vote of the AS Senate.

AMENDMENTS:

This code may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the total voting membership of the AS Senate.

COMMITTEE:

The Annual End of the Year Celebration will be planned by two separate committees:

1. AS DEVELOPMENT AND EVENTS WORKING GROUP

The purpose of the AS Development and Events Working Group is to plan, produce, and evaluate the annual event. Additionally, the AS Development and Events Working Group will collaborate to ensure the event aligns with the overall goals of AS development and student engagement. The committee membership will be based on interest from AS staff, student leaders, and student employees, and will be at the discretion of the Assistant Director for Programs and Communications.

2. AWARDS GROUP

The purpose of the End of Year Celebration Awards Group is to develop, execute and evaluate the awards process for each year’s event.

The Annual End of the Year Celebration Awards Group will consist of the following members:

• The AS President
• The AS Vice President
• The AS Executive Director
• HR Manager
• The AS Government Secretary (non-voting) who will take minutes of the meetings, order and receive the awards through the Student Leadership suite, and keep a historical record of the award winners from year to year, as well as update any perpetual plaques.

AWARDS GROUP RESPONSIBILITIES

The Annual End of Year Celebration Awards Group shall be responsible for the following:

• Nomination Process

• Coordinate and manage the nomination process for all award categories.
• Ensure that nomination forms are updated and accessible to all participants.
• Distribute and promote the nomination forms through appropriate channels.

• Review of Nominations

• Collect and review all submitted nominations.
• Evaluate nominations based on criteria.
• Ensure fairness and transparency throughout the review process.

• Selection of Award Recipients

• Based on nominations, select the recipients of each award category.
• Verify that the nominees meet the eligibility criteria.

• Award Presentation

• Ensure that awards are ordered in a timely manner and allow for sufficient production time.
• Coordinate with AS Development and Events Working Group to ensure that each award recipient is recognized during the event.

• Historical Records

• Ensure all relevant lists of award recipients are updated and accurate to maintain up-to-date historical records.

AWARDS

The awards/recognitions given out at the event will include the following:

• Staff member of the Year: Awarded to any full-time member of the AS staff for their contributions to AS over the past year.
• Student Employee of the Year: Awarded to any student member of the AS staff for their contributions to AS over the past year.
• The Hermie Award: See Hermie document for qualifications.

Hermione “Hermie” Wambold was a former AS Government Secretary who passed away due to illness in 1988. This award was created to honor her legacy of service to the students in AS. It is important that the award is given in the same spirit. The document establishing the award lists the following as criteria for giving the award:

i. “Hermie was an outstanding individual, always ready to help the corporation as well as individual students and staff. She was a sounding board for new ideas, an organizer who always seemed to remember all those details that students seemed to forget, the personal psychologist for anyone with a problem and a second mother to us all. She was willing to do whatever was necessary to ensure that A.S. would run smoothly. She was a warm individual who never lacked a kind word; especially at times we needed it most. Yet she was honest; you always knew where she stood. In brief, she was the heart that made A.S. work so well. It is in this spirit that the recipient of a “Hermie” should be chosen.”

Nominees must have given at least two years of service to the Associated Students. All senate members (including the President and Vice President), Chairs, student employees and staff members are eligible. No more than one award may be given out each year.

• The David H. Crandall Spirit of the Matador Award: Presented to a student, staff member or student leader in AS, this award is given to recognize outstanding spirit and enthusiasm for being part of Associated Students, Inc., CSU Northridge, and being a Matador. The award includes a pair of tickets to any one event at the Soraya during the regular season (no special events). The recipient may choose their event and date.

• The award shall be given to any member of the Associated Students, CSUN faculty, staff, or administration.
• Nominees shall represent the five outstanding traits of the Matador; these traits are:

• Courage
• Grace
• Ability
• Strength
• Creativity

• Nominees shall always represent the spirit of the Matador and show pride of being part of the CSUN community.
• There may be only one award recipient each year.

• The William R. Foster Honorary Lifetime Membership Award.

Any student or staff employee of the Associated Students, and any student volunteer with the Associated Students may make nominations for the William R. Foster Honorary Lifetime Membership Award.

Nominations will be submitted according to the guidelines presented by the Awards Committee.

All student nominees for the award must have minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 undergraduate or 3.0 graduate in order to be eligible to receive the award.

All student nominees shall be members of the graduating class of the year in which the award is given. Students who graduate at the end of the previous fall semester will be eligible for the award that spring.

All student and staff members must have been employed/involved with Associated Students at CSU Northridge for a minimum of two years prior to receiving the award.

Awards may be given in the following categories:

a. Undergraduate/graduate student award – no more than six (6) awards may be presented in any year.

b. Outstanding Faculty, Staff, and Administration Special Award – no more than two (2) may be presented in any one year.

Recipients of the WRF Honorary Lifetime Membership Award will receive:

* Lifetime student-rate privileges to AS activities, services and programs (with the exception of the AS Children’s Center services/programs)

• Incoming AS President: The incoming AS President will be given a gavel and sounding block engraved with the academic year of their presidency.
• Staff Service Awards: These are given to recognize AS staff at 5 year increments of service with one red rose for each year they have served. (i.e. 5 years = 5 roses)
• Academic Achievement Recognition: given to all students (including staff) who have achieved a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 undergraduate or 3.5 graduate (as of the beginning of the spring semester) will be recognized for their academic achievement.
• Graduation Medallions: Students and staff who are graduating

REGULATION:

Both the Planning and the Awards Committees shall, in the execution of their responsibilities, uphold the policies of:

• The United States Constitution
• The State of California
• California State University, Northridge, and
• Associated Students

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY:

The parliamentary authority for the End of the Year Celebration Committee shall be the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

ENABLING CLAUSE:

This Code shall supersede all previous codes on the AS Awards Banquet. It will also serve to supersede any language in the Hermie document, the Code on the William R. Foster Honorary Lifetime Membership Award or the Code on the David H. Crandall Spirit of the Matador Award which outlines a selection committee, or members of that selection committee. The criteria for each award remains unchanged.

Amended on: May 5, 2025 (12-0-0)