2025-26 Staff Award Guidelines

Introduction and Purpose

In December 2025, the CSU Chancellor’s Office announced the inaugural Trustee Wenda Fong & Mr. Daniel Fetterly Staff Award, a new CSU Board of Trustees recognition program celebrating the extraordinary contributions of CSU staff.

This award honors an individual whose efforts have a profound impact on making a CSU education affordable and accessible.

  • Demonstrates significant, measurable impact on reducing financial barriers and expanding access for students, particularly those with high financial need.
  • Implements creative, forward-thinking, or system-level solutions that lead to meaningful change.
  • Actively advocates for affordability through leadership, partnership, or influence across departments, institutions or policy spaces.
  • Efforts result in lasting practices, policies or programs with potential for long-term sustainability and replication.

This award honors an individual who is dedicated to student success while promoting equity and inclusion within the university community.

  • Demonstrates a sustained commitment to equity and inclusion by addressing systemic barriers and advancing inclusive practices.
  • Positively influences student learning, engagement, retention or achievement, with particular attention to efforts to remove barriers for students facing systemic barriers to success.
  • Creates learning or campus environments where students feel valued, respected, and supported.
  • Serves as a leader or role model who influences peers, programs or policies to advance inclusive excellence across the university.

This award honors an individual who excels in fostering a sense of belonging and building a supportive campus community for first-generation students.

  • Demonstrates a deep understanding of first-generation student experiences and provides intentional support through advocacy, mentoring, or programming.
  • Creates inclusive spaces, initiatives, or relationships that promote connection, visibility and belonging for first-generation students.
  • Engages consistently and authentically with first-generation students, building trust and supportive relationships.
  • Shows clear evidence of positive outcomes or broad influence on first-generation students or campus communities.

This award honors a team of no more than five individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in the service of students and the mission of the CSU.

  • Demonstrates strong collaboration, shared leadership, and effective teamwork in pursuit of student-centered goals.
  • Develops and implements innovative approaches that address student needs and advance the CSU mission.
  • Achieves meaningful, measurable outcomes that improve student experiences and align with CSU values.
  • Creates initiatives or solutions with potential for long-term impact, expansion, or replication beyond the initial effort.

Award Amount and Distribution

This award honors staff whose creativity, equity-driven leadership and commitment to student success exemplify the very best of the CSU. The program includes three individual awards of $25,000 and one team award of $25,000 (shared among up to five team members)

Eligibility

Current CSULB staff in good standing, with accomplishments occurring after January 1, 2025. Student assistants and faculty are not eligible.

Application Requirements

We encourage applications from all qualified staff members and value the unique perspectives they bring to our campus. To ensure strong nominations for this award, we encourage self-nominations and nominee involvement. Those wishing to nominate a staff member should collaborate with that individual to complete and submit the application. All application materials must be submitted electronically to fongfetterly@csulb.edu by 5:00 p.m. PST on Friday, January 30, 2026.

  1. Application Form
  2. Application Narrative - not to exceed 500 words
  3. Supplemental Materials - not to exceed five (5) single-spaced pages, where applicants may display examples of their excellence. Submissions should include evidence of impact. Applications will not be considered if accomplishments described in the application materials occurred prior to January 1, 2025. Applications that do not adhere to the application requirements or applicants who do not meet the eligibility will not be considered.

Selection and Administration

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. PST on Friday, January 30, 2026. A review committee will consider all applications that meet the eligibility requirements and make recommendations to the president. The president will choose up to two applications from each category for submission to the Chancellor's Office. Awardees selected by the Chancellor's Office will be notified this spring and recognized at the May 2026 CSU Board of Trustees meeting and in subsequent campus and CSU communications. 

Administration of these awards is provided by CSULB’s Staff Human Resources, the Office of the President and a review committee of campus representatives. After the campus nomination process, the Chancellor’s Office will administer the process for final selection and announcement of the award recipients.

Deadlines and Important Dates

  • Complete applications are due by 5:00 p.m. PST on Friday, January 30, 2026, to fongfetterly@csulb.edu
  • Presidential nominations are due to the Chancellor’s Office on Monday, February 23, 2026.
  • Award recipients will be honored at the May 2026 CSU Board of Trustees meeting and in subsequent campus and Chancellor’s Office communications.