Each year NAASS recognizes member schools that offer creative and innovative programs. Through these awards, NAASS seeks to highlight the importance of curriculum development, give credit to summer session administrators who make outstanding contributions to the operation/management of summer session, and provide a forum for members to learn from each other.

To submit your program, please complete the Program Data and Program Narrative forms. The deadline has been extended and entries will be accepted until Friday, October 14, 2011.

This year’s awards will be presented at the November annual conference in Chicago, IL and are categorized as:

• Credit: This category includes courses for which students earn college-level credit hours that apply toward a degree.

• Non-Credit: This category incorporates all other courses categorized as non-credit, even though "credit" may be earned toward teacher CEUs, a high school diploma, etc.

• Administrative: The administrative category is for innovative strategies and ideas in planning, financing, marketing, reporting, administrative structure, public relations, student services and other similar areas engaged in by the summer session leadership and staff.

Each program is judged on the following criteria: creativity, uniqueness, benefit to students, your institution, and/or community, etc., and adaptability to other institutions. You may submit more than one program in a single category. However, you may not submit a program for consideration in more than one category.

Two awards are granted each year based on the size of the institution. Institutions with an academic year enrollment of less than 7,500 will fall into the small school category, while those with equal or more than 7,500 fall into the large school category.

In an effort to ‘go green’ and be environmentally responsible; all submission can now be submitted electronically. In addition to the nomination forms, one additional piece of written material (i.e., brochure, flyer, etc.) may be submitted. The additional written material will not be part of the evaluation process. Rather it will provide committee members with a better understanding of the program. No additional CD’s, videotapes or other forms of multi-media will be accepted.

This year’s poster session will provide an opportunity for finalists to showcase programs while interacting with members. Members can visit each program or only those programs of interest. Members will have the opportunity to vote for the program(s) they believe fit the established criteria. Awards will be presented at the evening award’s ceremony during the annual conference in Chicago, IL in November.

If you have questions, please contact:

cevans2 [at] gmu [dot] edu (Cathy Evans), Chair of the Creative and Innovative Awards committee
Or call: 703-993-2300