Sonoma State University

Open Call for Nominations: Trustee Wenda Fong & Mr. Daniel Fetterly Staff Award -- Deadline February 6

Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 5:09pm

TO: Sonoma State Employees
FR: Chandra Holte, AVP for Human Resources

The California State University (CSU) has announced an opportunity for CSU staff to be recognized through the Trustee Wenda Fong and Mr. Daniel Fetterly Staff Award -- a historic, systemwide initiative celebrating the extraordinary contributions of CSU staff.

This signature, Board-level recognition program highlights the innovation, equity-centered leadership and transformative impact of staff across all 22 CSU campuses. Sonoma State is proud to participate in this inaugural year and to uplift the vital role staff play in advancing our shared mission. Inaugural award recipients will be honored at the May 2026 CSU Board of Trustees meeting, providing a powerful, systemwide moment to celebrate staff excellence and leadership.

Award Overview

This program includes:

  • Three individual awards of $25,000 each
  • One team award of $25,000, shared among up to five team members

Award Categories

  • Affordability Advocate and Driver of Transformative Change – Honors an individual whose efforts have a profound impact on making a CSU education affordable and accessible.
  • Fostering an Inclusive and Equitable Learning Environment – Honors an individual dedicated to student success while promoting equity and inclusion within the university community.
  • First Generation Belonging and Community – Honors an individual who excels in fostering a sense of belonging and building a supportive campus community for first-generation students.
  • Trailblazing Team – Honors a team of no more than five individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in service of students and the CSU mission.

Best Practices for Nominations

As you consider nominating a colleague or team, please keep the following in mind:

  • Center the spirit of the award, which honors creativity, equity-driven leadership, and transformative solutions
  • Reflect on staff accomplishments from 2025 that align with the award categories
  • Ensure nominations are thoughtful, equitable, and aligned with CSU systemwide criteria

Nomination Criteria, Timeline and Process

  • Eligible nominees are current CSU employees in good standing whose accomplishments occurred after January 1, 2025. This includes represented staff, confidential employees and MPPs. Faculty (Bargaining Unit 3) and student employees (Academic Student Employees and Student Assistants) are not eligible for nomination.
  • Submissions for each nominee must include feedback or evidence of impact and are limited to five (5) single-spaced pages. Nominees are encouraged to showcase examples of their individuality and excellence.

A review committee, convened by Human Resources, will evaluate all nominations and advance no more than two nominations per award category to the President for consideration and final submission to the Chancellor’s Office.

All nominations must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. Friday, February 6, 2026, using the following form: Trustee Wenda Fong and Mr. Daniel Fetterly Staff Award Nomination Form.

Additional details and the most current systemwide information available can be found here.