Awards Procedures

1. The VCC Student Awards Committee will be responsible for administering all VCC awards and medals, and ensuring that each award:
   
   
   
   1. has a title and description
   
   
   2. has a funding source, and where applicable, an outline of the annual value and the determinate number of awards to be disbursed
   
   
   3. has a nomination or application process
   
   
   4. has clear eligibility and selection criteria
   
   
   5. is reviewed annually
   
   
   
   


2. The VCC Student Awards Committee will review all nominations and applications and make a final decision on award recipients, and will notify recipients.


3. No person may sit on the Student Awards Committee who is one or more of the following:
   
   
   
   1. An applicant
   
   
   2. A nominee
   
   
   3. A friend of an applicant or nominee
   
   
   4. A co-worker of an applicant or nominee
   
   
   5. Has a supervisory relationship with an applicant or nominee
   
   
   6. Is a family member or relative of an applicant or nominee
   
   
   7. Is an individual who resides at the same address of an applicant or nominee
   
   
   
   


4. To ensure transparency and equitability in the awards process, staff must strictly adhere to VCC's Standards of Employee Conduct & Conflict of Interest Policy 202. Staff who are donors specifically related to an award must declare this at the time the Committee meets.


5. Selection criteria may include, but is not limited to, academic achievement, community service, community leadership, family situation, financial need, commitment to a career path, disability, overcoming obstacles or other factors to be determined.


6. The proposed value of a new award or any changes in value to an existing award shall be brought forward to the Student Awards Committee for information.


7. All awards will undergo an annual review. The review of awards established by donors will require input and agreement from the donor. All reasonable means will be made to contact donors.


8. A student must be in good standing to apply for or receive an award.

Nominations and Applications

9. Departments are expected to adhere to deadlines concerning nominations for specific awards and must ensure that they do not contact students receiving awards directly prior to official notification from the Office of the Registrar.


10. Award nominations and applications are submitted to the Financial Aid and Awards Office, which will use the criteria within the description of the award to determine the nominee's or applicant's eligibility.

Selection of Recipients

11. In the case of an entrance award, the approved selection criteria will be used to determine eligibility for the award.


12. The selection of an award by nomination may be based upon summary GPA information for eligible students. Departments may be requested to provide assistance in the selection of an award by nomination.


13. Recipient selection may be based on defined criteria, for example, ranking by GPA, an assessment of responses on the awards application, a defined scoring sheet or a combination of any of these factors.

Award Recipients

14. Award recipients will be notified that they have been selected to receive an award. This notification will be via various formats so as to maximize awareness among award winners and attendance at the Awards Ceremony itself.


15. Award recipients may be requested to voluntarily provide their Social Insurance Number to ensure compliance with Canada Revenue Agency regulations.


16. Awards received will not be included on academic transcripts.


17. Cheques or award certificates issued to award recipients that become stale-dated will not be reissued.  Such awards will then be offered to eligible students at the next Awards Ceremony to maximize the funds provided to students.

 External Awards

18. The Financial Aid and Awards Office may publicize awards available to VCC students from sources outside the College (external awards). External awards so publicized must be consistent with the College's values and comply with Student Awards Committee approved principles and guidelines.

Governor's Bronze Medal

19. The Office of the Registrar will maintain records of student graduates and in September, the Office of the Registrar will assemble the Dean's List, containing the names by program of all graduates who achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.8 or higher for courses taken at VCC in all full-time two year completed diploma programs.


20. The Office of the Registrar will provide the Dean's List to the Deans for information.


21. The Student Awards Committee, at its meeting for the Fall Awards, will confirm the award recipient, based on the highest overall average, as per the identified criteria.

Lieutenant Governor's Silver Medal

22. The Office of the Registrar will maintain records of student graduates and, at the beginning of the fiscal year, they will assemble the Dean's List.  This list will contain the names of all graduates, by program, from full-time certificate programs one year or less in duration and for those who have achieved a GPA of 3.8 or higher for courses taken at VCC.  These programs have to have been completed in the previous fiscal year.


23. The Office of the Registrar will provide the Dean's List to each Dean for use in the selection process.


24. Each Dean will recommend one nominee from each School.  A “Personal Information Form” will be sent to the nominees by the Office of the Registrar to obtain information on their community involvement and/or contributions to the College


25. The Registrar, in consultation with the Associate Registrars and Registrar's Office Administrative Assistant, will review the completed nominations received from the Deans and recommend a winner, based on the stated criteria. 


26. The Student Awards Committee will consider the graduate's achievement in the program and community involvement and/or contributions to the College.


27. The Awards Committee will determine the award recipient as per the identified criteria.