Current Awards
This award honors Senate faculty who, over their career, have excelled across teaching, service, and scholarship that fosters diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The main criteria are extraordinary accomplishments in leadership, innovation, initiatives, and creativity related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in research or teaching at UCLA. These accomplishments may include scholarship that has made a significant and lasting impact on diversity in their field; demonstrated excellence in teaching and mentoring a diverse student body; established curricula and developed teaching methods that are especially inclusive and interactive; created solid, lasting, and meaningful partnerships with community groups and organizations that have a significant impact on the diversity of Los Angeles and surrounding communities.
Award: The UCLA Academic Senate welcomes nominations for two Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Awards from Senate faculty in departments, interdepartmental degree programs, institutes, and other academic units. Awards are available for Senate Faculty who have demonstrated a career commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work. The nomination period is March 10-31, 2026. Please review the information below for further details and visit the Academic Senate's Data Managements System (DMS) to submit your nomination.
Award Amount: Up to two Senate faculty recipients will each receive a $2,500 award as research funds.
Eligibility: The award is open to Senate faculty members. Senate faculty members may self-nominate or nominate other Senate faculty. For Academic Senate eligibility, see the Senate's Senate Membership page.
Selection Process: Senate faculty members may submit nominations electronically via the Data Management System (DMS). The nomination period will run from March 10, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. to March 31, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. The Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will select award recipients in the Spring quarter, and recipients will be notified shortly thereafter.
Nomination Steps: Senate faculty members may submit nominations electronically via the Data Management System (DMS). The nomination period is March 10-31, 2026. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline.
- Visit the Awards page in DMS.
- Login using your UCLA ID and submit your nomination. Note: Convert all documents to PDF format before uploading.
The nomination should include:
- A nomination letter no longer than two pages. This letter is critical; it should describe what makes the candidate’s leadership, innovation, initiatives and creativity in diversity distinguished as opposed to good or merely adequate. The nomination letter must come from a Senate faculty member. The letter should contain a description of the contributions of the candidate relevant to the specific award descriptions listed above.
- Between one and three letters of support (maximum of two pages each) describing the candidate’s accomplishments. The letters of support may come from faculty, staff, students, or administrators.
Instructions on how to submit an award nomination online will also be available in DMS once the nomination period opens.
The committee will only review complete nominations submitted by the deadline. If you have questions, please contact senateoffice@senate.ucla.edu.
This award celebrates Senate Faculty who have shown a commitment to the principles of shared governance and exemplary Academic Senate Service. The award honors meaningful and consequential Senate service that promotes and strengthens shared governance at UCLA. The Distinguished Senate Service Award was approved for a three-year pilot program on June 6, 2024 by the Executive Board. The pilot has been postponed to begin AY2025-26 and will be reassessed by the Executive Board in fall 2028 after three award cycles.
Award Amount: One faculty recipient per year will receive a $2000 award as research funds. The Senate Chair will present the Award at the final Legislative Assembly meeting of the academic year in recognition of service to the UCLA academic community.
Eligibility: Only tenured Academic Senate faculty, including emeriti professors are eligible for the award.
Selection Criteria:
In evaluating outstanding candidates, the main criteria are:
- Tenure as a UCLA Senate faculty member;
- Demonstration of an outstanding contribution to the Academic Senate, defined as service which
- leads to the betterment of the academic mission of research and teaching,
- reflects a deep commitment to both the principles and the practices of shared governance, and
- has had a lasting and significant impact.
Selection Process:
The nomination period will run from February 23, 2026 to March 23, 2026. A selection committee comprised of the Immediate Past Chair, Committee on Committees Chair, and Executive Director will select an annual award recipient.
Nomination Steps:
Senate faculty members and Academic Senate staff may submit nominations electronically via email as one PDF packet to senateoffice@senate.ucla.edu. A complete nomination must include the following:
- Nomination Form: Will be available in 2026.
- One nomination letter (no longer than two pages)
- Nominee’s current and complete curriculum vitae
- Two additional letters of support (two-page maximum per letter) are highly encouraged
The committee will only review complete nominations submitted by the deadline. If you have questions, please contact senateoffice@senate.ucla.edu.
Academic Senate Service Rising Star Award
This award celebrates and recognizes UCLA Senate faculty who are in the early stage of their Senate service and have demonstrated a noteworthy contribution to the Academic Senate. A noteworthy contribution may include activities such as consistent and meaningful participation in committee or council meetings or projects; effective chairship of a subcommittee, special committee or task force; championing shared governance; or demonstrating Senate leadership potential. Preference will be given to Senate members who have not yet chaired a standing committee or council.
Award Amount: Faculty recipients will receive a $750 award as research funds. The Award(s) will be presented at the first Legislative Assembly meeting of the subsequent academic year. The number of recipients, if any, will vary based on the nominee pool for each academic year.
Eligibility: Only Academic Senate faculty with divisional Academic Senate service are eligible for the award.
Selection Criteria:
A noteworthy contribution may include activities such as:
- consistent and meaningful participation in committee or council meetings or projects;
- effective chairship of a subcommittee, special committee or task force;
- championing shared governance;
- or demonstrating Senate leadership potential.
Nomination and Selection Process:
The nomination period will run from June 6, 2025 to July 7, 2025.
Academic Senate staff and Committee/Council Chairs will identify possible recipients and submit nominations to the Executive Director and Senate Chair via a nomination form. The Senate Chair and Executive Director will select award recipient(s) during the summer after the recipient’s academic year of service.
If you have questions, please contact senateoffice@senate.ucla.edu
2024-25 Academic Senate Service Rising Star Award Recipients
Isla Garraway
Department of Urology
Jose Rodriguez
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Please note: The Academic Senate no longer administers the Distinguished Teaching Award. More information is available at the UCLA Teaching and Learning Center.
