.: OTM Categories

There are a number of categories from which to submit OTMs for. Below are the criteria and important questions to consider when nominating for an OTM. You can also download a copy in .pdf format here.

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Advisor of the Month
Community of the Month
Executive Board Member of the Month
First Year Experience
Organization of the Month
Resident Assistant of the Month
Spotlight of the Month
Student of the Month
Program of the Month
Submit an OTM!

.: Advisor of the Month

Criteria/Questions

* Is the nomination month specific?
* Did the individual recognize they worked with during the month of nomination?
* How has the individual contributed to the profession?
* What outstanding accomplishments merit recognition of this individual this month?
* How has the individual gone above and beyond their duties as an advisor? (give specific examples)


Advisors need to create a supportive environment for the leaders they work with. The focus of the Advisor OTM should be based on the advisory role of the person rather then their professional role. Personal examples are often the best way to express the intangible contributions of an advisor. The nomination should display how the advisor was instrumental in helping the leaders they work with grow, learn, and develop.

It is also important to note the difference between the relationship between advisor and organization member versus the relationship between supervisor and staff member. The Advisor OTM should show how the person has made a positive impact on the students and staff that live in their respective area. This includes advising to individual governing boards/councils, campus wide organizations, and their staff. An advisor does not have to be a profession in the field of housing...the OTM can be written about a student who has taken on the role of an advisor to a specific group.

This OTM category has a maximum word count of 600 words.

.: Community of the Month

Criteria/Questions

* Is the nomination month specific?
* What brings the group of people together? Examples include, but are not limited to hall, floor, wing, suite, and communities.
* What positive contributions did this community make to enhance the lives of the group members or those around them?
* How does the community interact with other communities?
* What makes the community different from other communities? Examples include participation and enthusiasm as a group, fewer discipline problems, etc.
* What accomplishments has the community made this month?


This category is another award that recognizes the intangible. A community is a group of individuals that share a sense of belonging with other members of the group and share experiences that bind them together and make them a mutually identifiable group. An outstanding community is one that makes a positive impact on not only the other members of the group, but also the people and students around them. Make sure to include how the community exists, whether it is a wing or floor of a residence hall, the executive board or committee of an organization, or another on campus group of students.

Items to include in the Community OTM are activities the community does together and what accomplishments they have made during the month. Specific examples of cohesiveness are encouraged. A community can be as small as a few people (an executive board) or as large as a whole building, apartment complex, or campus.

This OTM category has a maximum word count of 600 words.

.: Executive Board Member of the Month

Criteria/Questions

* Is the nomination month specific?
* How had the individual exceeded his/her job responsibilities this month?
* How has the individual grown as a result of his/her work this month?
* Is the nominee an executive officer of a campus-wide residence hall governing body? Examples include RHA executive, NRHH executives, and other on campus living student governing body executives.
* Did the nominee make outstanding contributions to the organization during the month of nomination?
* What contributions did the nominee make to other campus groups?
* What has been the nominee's use of NACURH and campus resources?
* What contributions has the nominee made to your region during the month of nomination?
* What outstanding contributions were made by the individual during the month?


Any executive board member of any on campus student’s organization in housing can be nominated for this category. A nominee can be on the executive board of the RHA or NRHH, or can be a hall/council executive board member. NCCs are considered to be an Executive Board Member even if they aren’t on your local campus.

It is extremely important in this category to nominate a person for their duties in an executive board position. Many times, the OTM reads as a student OTM. It needs to focus on the criteria stated above. If the person fills more than one role which would make him/her eligible for more than one award (i.e. executive board and student), two separate nominations can be made in the necessary categories.

This category should be approached similarly to the Student OTM category though but focus on executive board items. Special efforts, not just fulfilling the job requirements of the position, help make this OTM category special. Make sure you include some of the responsibilities of the position so the reader will know how they truly went above and beyond. Be sure to briefly include other activities the student is involved in. This shows that they are a well rounded leader and able to perform well in their position and still participate in other activities. An executive board member is someone that is deemed such a position by your individual RHA.

This OTM category has a maximum word count of 600 words.

.: First Year Experience

Criteria/Questions

* Contributions to their community
* Leadership Tasks
* Outstanding Effort

This category recognizes first year student leaders who excels during their month of nomination.  ARH and NRHH Executives, Advisors, Resident Assistants and Resident Hall Directors are NOT eligible for this award category.  Nominees must be in their FIRST YEAR of living on campus.

This OTM category has a maximum word count of 600 words.

.: Organization of the Month

Criteria/Questions

* Is the nomination month specific?
* What is the focus of the organization?
* Did the organization recognize or contribute to student leadership on your campus during the month of nomination?
* Did the organization impact the students they worked with during the month of nomination?
* What activities during the past month set the organization apart from other organizations?
* What contributions has the organization made to their region during the month of nomination?
* What outstanding accomplishments merit recognition of the organization this month?


This category is to recognize an outstanding organization, not an outstanding organization member. Nomination should be group specific and not concentrate on the efforts of a few individuals.

When nominating an organization, reviewing the purpose of the organization before starting is helpful.  Be sure to include all of the activities that make a organization special.

It is also helpful to include information about some of your members and their commitment to the organization. Not only include members and their commitment, but the commitment of the organization to certain organizations in the community or campus. Also include any new and exciting ideas that the organization has tried out during the month. This is a category in which you can nominate organizations from other schools.

This OTM category has a maximum word count of 600 words.

.: Resident Assistant of the Month

Criteria/Questions

* Is the nomination month specific?
* How well does the nominee work with residents and what impact has he/she had during the month of nomination?
* How has the nominee fulfilled and gone above his/her job responsibility during the month of nomination?
* Are there any specific projects in support of hall government or committees that they have participated in?
* What outstanding contributions has the individual made for the hall they work in during the month of nomination?
* What other activities does the nominee participate in?
* What difficult situations has the nominee dealt with during the month?


Uniqueness in this category is very important. New and creative approaches to the position show a true dedication to helping out the students. If possible, include any difficult confrontations with which the RA intervened or crisis situations with which he/she managed to make a difference. Those situations should be brief, but give a glimpse into their job. Also, include how the RA interacts with their residents. What does the nominee do on their floor with his/her residents?

What types of creative programming ideas has the nominee done. Besides programming, also include any bulletin board the nominee created and how the nominee promoted an advocacy month or week in a passive situation. In addition, do not forget to mention how the nominee has helped and supported their fellow staff members. It is also beneficial to include personal testimonies from residents and fellow staff in the OTM.

There are many aspects to the job of a resident assistant. There are certain things that they must do for their job that do not necessarily show that they are deserving of an OTM award. Be sure to include some of the RA’s duties and how they have gone above and beyond them because the duties of an RA vary from campus to campus. Other things that might be beneficial to include are committee involvement, involvement in other organizations, maintaining an exceptional GPA or having organized a particularly close community.

Nominees in this category must be in a staff position that oversees students on a floor, complex, or on campus living organization. These positions can include, but are not limited to, titles such as resident assistant, community assistant, house manager, area advisor, and complex advisor. Resident assistants typically do not supervise a staff.

This OTM category has a maximum word count of 600 words.

.: Spotlight of the Month

Criteria/Questions

* Is the nomination month specific?
* Does the nominee fit only into this category?
* How does the individual or group interact with on campus students?
* How did the nominee impact the students they worked with during the month of nomination?
* What interaction did the nominee have with an on campus government or individual organization during the month of nomination?
* What other outstanding accomplishments merit recognition of this individual this month?


This award is intended to recognize outstanding OTMs that don't fit into any set category, such as Graduate Assistants, Food Service Personnel, night security, etc. The nominee cannot be an advisor, executive board member, resident assistant, or student. Include how this person has helped out an individual or contributed to the well being of a building or living community. RHAs are not a spotlight.

A spotlight could be a favorite professor. They do not fit in another category and if they have done something to contribute to on campus living (not just by giving a good grade) such as presenting a program for residents, they are a viable candidate.

This OTM category has a maximum word count of 600 words.

.: Student of the Month

Criteria/Questions

* Is the nomination month specific?
* What organizations and activities has the nominee been involved with during the month of nomination?
* What interaction did the nominee have with their on campus government or organization during the month of nomination?
* Does the student work well with and motivate others?
* What contributions has the nominee made to your region during the month of nomination?
* What other outstanding contributions were made by the individual during the month of nomination?
* How has the individual been important to on campus living this month?


Any student can be nominated in this category. It is important to show a student show has put forth special effort during the month of nomination. Has the student shown exceptional growth during the month of nomination? What makes the nominee extraordinary during the month and how has the nominee helped out their on campus community?

Please note that Resident Assistants and Advisors are not eligible for this award. You can however nominate executive board members if they recognized for their efforts as a student, not an executive board member. Include information on how they helped out fellow students, stepped up into leadership roles, or helped better the on campus experiences of other students.

This OTM category has a maximum word count of 600 words.

.: Program of the Month

Criteria/Questions
(some are specific to categories)

* Is the nomination month specific?
* What makes the program unique from what is done at other schools and what has been done in the past?
* Is the program creative? If it is not a new program, what new twists were added to make the program different from previous years?
* What percent of your target group showed up?
* Is the cost per person feasible in terms of adaptability to other schools?
* What lasting effect did the program have on residents?
* What were the goals of the program and how were they met?
* What was the overall quality of the program (evaluation)?
* Was the diversity program a program that focuses on a particular aspect of diversity which may include, but not limited to, sexuality, spirituality, nationality, or gender?
* Did the social program encourage the interaction between students?
* How was the community affected by the program?
* What did the students learn from the program?


Program OTMs are the longest OTM. First, filling out the form is extremely important. When determining the target population, do not select a number of people you wanted to attend. If you advertise for a program for a whole building or campus population, the total population is the number to be used. If the program is for a floor, the number of residents that live on a floor is the population, not the number of people you hope show up. The target population is not a number that you magically pull out of the air. It is determined by the number of residents on a floor, building, apartment complex, or campus depending on who you present the program to.

It is very important that the dates of the program are correct. The grading committees check this information. When writing a program OTM, focus on the creativity, originality, and functionality of the program. New and unique programs are always popular. If it’s an annual program, what twists were added to make it better? Mention how the program was approached by the presenters as well.

Expanding on the goals of the program and the evaluation of the goals and program as a whole is beneficial. Include resources used, attendance, etc. to round out the OTM. Nominations are not only giving recognition to a group of leaders that have done an excellent on programming, but it becomes a resource and a guide for leaders on other campuses. Write the OTM so someone from another campus can read the OTM and recreate the program from that information.

This OTM category has multiple fields with different word maximums.