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True Bruin Values Award Eligibility Requirements

When submitting a nomination, please provide a full description of the candidate’s achievements. Examples of detailed nominations can be found on the True Bruin Values Award Recipients page.

True Bruin Values Eligibility Requirements

  • Any UCLA career staff member or Management and Senior Professional (MSP) employee in good standing with at least one year of UCLA service is eligible.
  • Nominees must have a sustained record of excellence during their employment and outstanding citizenship in the university community.
  • Employees in student status, faculty, current True Bruin Value committee members, and previous recipients of the award are not eligible.

Nominees must have the following UC trainings completed

  • Abusive Conduct in the Workplace Training
  • COVID-19 Pandemic Training
  • Cyber Security Awareness Training
  • Ethical Values and Conduct Training
  • Sexual Violence/Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Program
  • Emergency Evacuation Training

Integrity

  • Nominee is transparent, honest and trustworthy 
  • Nominee communicates with honesty and transparency
  • Nominee makes ethical decisions grounded in evidence and truth
  • Nominee demonstrates openness, humility, and accountability.

Excellence

  • Nominee is engaged, innovative and impactful and sets high standards
  • Nominee pursues knowledge through inquiry
  • Nominee collaborates to improve quality and impact, and advance the public good

Belonging

  • Nominee treats others with respect across differences and creates inclusive environments
  • Nominee addresses bias and harm with accountability and care, and builds bridges across perspectives. 

Team Eligibility

For purposes of the award, a team is defined as three to ten employees working together toward a shared goal or outcome. Teams may include employees within the same department or unit, employees from multiple departments or areas, operational or service teams, and project teams. 

The majority of the nominated team's members must be UCLA Administration employees. For efforts involving more than 10 employees, nominators should identify the core team whose collective contributions were essential to the achievement. All team members should be in good standing with at least one year of service at UCLA.

Evaluation Criteria

Team nominations will be evaluated based on the values at the heart of the True Bruin Values Award, with particular consideration given to:

  • True Bruin Values (30%) – How the team collectively demonstrates UCLA's True Bruin Values through its work and interactions.
  • Community Impact (30%) – The meaningful impact the team's contributions have had on UCLA Administration and/or the broader UCLA community. Impact may be demonstrated through measurable outcomes, improved experiences, stakeholder feedback, quality or consistency of service, or other meaningful contributions.  
  • Collaboration (25%) – How team members worked together toward a shared goal, supported one another, shared accountability, and brought together different skills, roles, or perspectives to achieve an outcome that required a collective effort. 
  • Continuous Improvement (15%) – How the team demonstrated problem-solving, adaptability, innovation, or a commitment to improving its work, services, or the way it serves the UCLA community.

What Makes a Strong Team Nomination?

Strong nominations should clearly describe what the team's accomplished or contributed, why the collective effort of team members was essential, and the difference their work made. Nominators should provide specific examples that demonstrate how the team worked together, embodied the True Bruin Values, and made a meaningful impact on UCLA Administration and/or the UCLA community.

Contributions may range from major initiatives and operational improvements to exceptional everyday service and the essential work that keeps UCLA running. Teams are considered based on the significance of their contribution, not the size, visibility, or scale of their work.

Nomination and Recognition

Nominations for both the Individual True Bruin Values Award and the Team Excellence Award open twice each year, with recipients announced following each award cycle.

Award recipients are honored at a breakfast with Vice Chancellor Beck and receive a certificate of recognition, a commemorative True Bruin Values jacket, and two tickets to qualifying UCLA events.

Nominations are reviewed by the True Bruin Values Program committee, and submitted to the Administration Leadership Team (ALT) for final selection.

Let’s come together to recognize and celebrate the individuals and teams who bring our True Bruin Values to life.