Of the Year Awards, or OTYs, recognize NYU RLHS community members and programs that went above and beyond their responsibilities and expectations throughout the academic year. OTY nominations can be written & submitted by any member of the campus community. OTYs honor advisors, residential communities, executive board members, organizations, paraprofessionals, residents, Residential Life professional staff, FFIRs, Programs, and more! OTY winners are announced and recognized at the RLHS End of Year Celebration in May.
There are several categories of OTYs. Read the descriptions below before you submit your nomination to determine which category best suites the program, individual, or community you'd like to recognize:
Programs Diversity Program A program that promotes and educates about diversity and understanding. This program illustrates the importance of promoting diversity in the residence halls as well as embracing diversity in the everyday lives of the residents.
Educational Program A program meant to educate residents about a topic, issue or idea. Programs nominated in this category can include, but are not limited to programming focused on academic success, learning a new skill, promoting global citizenship, etc.
PassiveProgram Any program that does not require anyone to actively run it for people to participate in it. This category is intended to recognize residential programming that occurs through bulletin boards, newsletters, pamphlets, etc.
Service Program A service or philanthropic program that benefits a group, charity, or other organization. The program should focus on the importance of the residents giving back to the communities in which they live. This could include drives, fundraising, charity runs and/or book fairs, or other specific events. Examples include, but are not limited to: drives, fundraisers, day of service, etc.
Social Program Any social program that focuses on resident interaction and their ability to meet new people and socialize. Programs in this category can range from being a floor social program to a campus wide program.
Wellness Program A program that specifically focuses on and supports the safety, self-care, well-being, and/or physical/mental wellness needs of our students, staff, and community members. Such programs may focus on providing wellness resources, encouraging their use, or promoting methods of maintaining an individual's or a community's well-being. Programs can be either in-hall or campus-wide so long as it pertains to the residential community.
Individuals & Groups Advisor Any individual who directly advises a residence life organization and has made outstanding contributions to the organization(s). The individual may be the main advisor or the graduate advisor. Examples include, but are not limited to: IRHC Advisor, NRHH Advisor, Hall Council Advisor, etc.
Community - FYRE Any residential community, such as wings, halls, floor, complexes, hall councils, hall council executive boards, etc. in the first-year area at NYU.
Community - Graduate Any residential community, such as wings, halls, floor, complexes, etc. in graduate housing at NYU.
Community - Other Residential communities that do not fit into any other category. Examples include cross-hall groups, RA teams, BLTs, etc.
Community - TRUE Any residential community, such as wings, halls, floor, complexes, hall councils, hall council executive boards, etc. in the upperclass area at NYU.
Faculty This category includes individuals outside of residence life who aid students in their academics and/or personal affairs. This category is intended to recognize institutional faculty who have made a contribution to the residence life community both in and out of the classroom.
FYREResident Assistant Any Resident Assistant within a FYRE residence hall team who has worked with/impacted residents on their floor or in their hall. Nominees should have gone above and beyond the duties as outlined in their role profile to support residents in the community they serve as well as residence life organizations, and/or made outstanding contributions to the hall in which they work during the month of nomination. The OTM should focus on the nominee's accomplishments within the RA role, but may also include other roles or responsibilities taken on during the month of nomination.
Graduate Resident Assistant Any Resident Assistant within a graduate residence hall team who has worked with/impacted residents on their floor or in their hall. Nominees should have gone above and beyond the duties as outlined in their role profile to support residents in the community they serve as well as residence life organizations, and/or made outstanding contributions to the hall in which they work during the month of nomination. The OTM should focus on the nominee's accomplishments within the RA role, but may also include other roles or responsibilities taken on during the month of nomination.
IRHC/Hall Council Executive Board Member This category recognizes the outstanding contributions of an Executive Board member of a residence life organization and the work of the board member within the Executive Board and across residence halls on their campus.
IRHC/Hall Council General Assembly Member This category recognizes the outstanding contributions of a General Assembly (GA) member of a residence life organization and the work of the GA member within the organization and across residence halls on their campus.
Professional Staff/Graduate Staff This category includes individuals who aid residents within the housing campus community. This category is intended to recognize the Residence Life Faculty/Staff who are not eligible for the Resident Assistant category and who have made contributions to the residence life community in the month of nomination. (Note: If nomination content primarily pertains to the individual’s role as an advisor to an organization/hall council, categorize as “Advisor”.)
Resource Center Assistant/Office Assistant Any individual within a residence hall Resource Center Assistant (RCA) or Office Assistant (OA) position that has worked to create a positive experience for the residential community. This category is intended to recognize RCAs and OAs not working in the capacity of a Resident Assistant or Executive Board Member position and who have made outstanding contributions to the residence life community in the month of nomination. Nominees should have gone above and beyond the duties as outlined in their role profile and the OTM should focus on the nominee's accomplishments within the RCA or OA role, but may also include other roles or responsibilities taken on during the month of nomination.
Spotlight Anything that does not fall under any of the other categories that you feel is worthy of an Of the Year recognition. Examples include facilities staff, PSOs, dining staff, etc. Individuals or groups that would be eligible for nomination in any other category are ineligible for nomination in the Spotlight category.
Student This category includes any individual enrolled as a student at the institution who has made outstanding contributions to the residence halls during the month of nomination. Nominees could include, but are not limited to students who have made a contribution to their floor, hall, residence life organization, etc. through leadership, motivation, programming, volunteering and/or being a role model for other residents during the month of nomination.
TRUEResident Assistant Any Resident Assistant within a TRUE residence hall team who has worked with/impacted residents on their floor or in their hall. Nominees should have gone above and beyond the duties as outlined in their role profile to support residents in the community they serve as well as residence life organizations, and/or made outstanding contributions to the hall in which they work during the month of nomination. The OTM should focus on the nominee's accomplishments within the RA role, but may also include other roles or responsibilities taken on during the month of nomination.
