Human Resources Accepting Proposals for 2012 Dream Fund Award

The Department of Human Resources has announced that it is accepting proposals for the 2012 Staff Dream Fund award program. Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. Thursday, March 1.

This program is intended to assist deserving employees in realizing a long-held dream. First launched in 2008, this program, which is privately funded through an endowment, will provide a monetary award and up to five days of paid time off each year for a staff member to fulfill a long-held dream - for example, to pursue studies in an area unrelated to work, travel to another country or visit family far away. The awards are not intended to address personal hardship situations, emergencies or job-related professional development.

Dream Fund proposals will be reviewed by a selection committee that includes representatives from each vice presidential area, the Hourly and Classified Employees Association and the Association of University Administrators. Human Resources will serve as a non-voting coordinator for the selection process. (In the event that a proposal is submitted from the HR department, an employee from another department will be appointed to coordinate the selection process that year.) The selection process may include an interview with the selection committee to answer questions about the proposal.

Award recipients will be selected based on the merits of their proposal, their past service and the promise of future service to the university. The selection committee will consider:

• The quality and detail of the description of the dream;

• The detail and explanation of the budget/cost for the dream;

• The strength and detail provided in the supervisor's support document;

• The strength and detail provided in the colleague's support document;

• The steps the employee has taken toward realizing the dream; and

• The employee's contributions to the university.

The winner will be announced in April and funding will be made available to the winner in July.

Full-time classified employees and full-time administrative and professional faculty who have worked at the university for a minimum of five years are eligible. Applicants must also have satisfactory or higher performance evaluations and no formal disciplinary actions issued within the past 12 months.

Applicants must submit a proposal package that includes:

• A letter stating the dream, the reasons for it and a budget;

• A statement of support from a direct supervisor indicating the candidate is a valuable and meritorious employee;

• A statement of support from an ODU colleague;

• A brief resume; and

• A statement of intent to remain at Old Dominion for the foreseeable future.

For questions or assistance with completing a proposal packet, contact Tony Belk at jbelk@odu.edu or 3-3046.

The nomination form is available on the Human Resources Web site at http://www.odu.edu/ao/humanresources/recognition/dreamfund.shtml.