Frequently Asked Questions of the Committee on Honors

• Do I receive a confirmation e-mail when I submit the application?
• Why do we have to have a deadline of 3 p.m. Eastern time?
• Do all the applications get reviewed by all Honors Committee members?
• How long will it take to fill out an application on the awards site?
• Can I receive feedback on an application should it not be selected for the award in which it was nominated? 
• How does the Committee on Honors (COH) handle potential conflicts of interest regarding committee members and applications? 
• Who decides the recipients of ASHA's awards and how is that done?
• What is meant by "supporting documentation"? 
• What are some items found in nominations that have not been effective or that could be improved?
• For Fellows nominations, why do two of the three nominators have to be ASHA members who have not worked with the nominee in the past 10 years and why do they have to be Fellows?
• How do I document that a nominee for Honors is well known, deserving, etc.?
• How do I organize the information for the "brief vitae"?
• Why are some awards not given some years?
• What causes an application to not be considered?
• How do I verify whether a nominee and/or sponsor is a "member in good standing"? 

Do I receive a confirmation e-mail when I submit the application?

Yes. Once you have completed the application and click on “Save and Finalize” you will receive an e-mail notification that your application has been submitted and received.

Why do we have to have a deadline of 3 p.m. Eastern time?

ASHA staff stands ready to answer operational questions. This allows a reasonable time for all US time zones to reach ASHA staff if needed.

Do all the applications get reviewed by all Honors Committee members?

Yes, all applications are reviewed by Honors Committee Members. A lead reviewer is assigned for each application and that person will lead discussion at the Face to face meeting.

How long will it take to fill out an application on the awards site?

It shouldn't take long to complete the application however, it does depend on the speed of your internet connection. ASHA strongly recommends begin the application early enough to ensure proper review and understanding of the online application. Sponsors may return to edit their applications prior to the deadline date.

Can I receive feedback on an application should it not be selected for the award in which it was nominated?

All deliberations of the Committee are directed by COH policies and procedures. These policies state all discussions of the committee are confidential and therefore feedback on an application is not possible.

How does the Committee on Honors (COH) handle potential conflicts of interest regarding committee members and applications?

The COH addresses potential conflicts of interest (COI) before deliberations begin at the COH face to face meeting. The standard for recusing oneself for COI is if a COH member thinks about the possibility of a conflict with any nominee, then it should be discussed with the committee and if deemed necessary that member(s) will not participate in discussion and may be excused from hearing committee deliberations. COH policy mandates that committee discussion and final decisions on applications only relate specifically to the application and supporting documentation submitted by the sponsor(s) and how they relate to the award requirements.

Who decides the recipients of ASHA's awards and how is that done?

Who: The Honors Committee administers the nominations and selection of awards from the association. The Committee comprises nine ASHA members who must be ASHA Fellows.

How: In 2009 the Honors Committee moved from paper nomination to an online nomination form via the Awards Nomination Center.

Upon the close of the nomination period, the ASHA National Office staff review the nominations for administrative details (e.g. nominees and sponsors/co-sponsors are ASHA members, sponsors/co-sponsors meet the required nomination components, etc.).

In late May or early June the Honors Committee meets for two days to review each nomination and discuss the quality of the documentation and how well it meets the required nomination components. A 2/3 majority vote of the committee is required for approval of a nomination. After discussion and deliberation, awardees are selected and announced in an issue of The ASHA Leader.

When: January of each year a call for nominations is announced in The ASHA Leader and on the Web site. The nomination period typically closes between mid-March and early April.

What is meant by "supporting documentation"?

Lack of supporting documentation is the most frequent reason that the Committee on Honors does not act favorably upon a nomination. Supporting documentation is evidence that someone is truly “outstanding” in a particular area, not just performing the regular duties of their job.

Example: If you nominate someone in the area of "teaching," you may want to include summary results of past teaching evaluations, workshop evaluations or comments, peer review, list of teaching awards, etc. The same is true of clinical service. If that is the category chosen, list special programs the nominee has created, client letters of support, clinical achievement awards they have won, clinical grants or funds they have raised, etc. Just writing that the nominee is outstanding is not enough. Having a well-known person nominate someone is not enough. There must be supporting documentation that the nominee's performance has been beyond the regular duties expected of a good employee.

What are some items found in nominations that have not been effective or that could be improved?

Some common mistakes made by nominators include:

Not providing supporting documentation for award categories. Failing to describe the outstanding work of the nominee and the importance to the professions, and instead assuming that the Committee on Honors will be familiar with the individual's work. The committee is instructed to make its decision solely on information provided, and not information a member of the Committee may have from another context. This instruction is designed to ensure that all nominees are considered equally by all members of the committee: those who do and do not know the nominee.

Poor nomination organization. It is recommended that the nominator not force the committee to find the important parts of the nomination. Use headings and subheadings to organize the nomination materials. If a vitae or resume format is used, mark the sections on the vitae related to the required nomination components for that award. The Committee is aware that some activities of a nominee could fit into more than one category; the nominator must decide where to use that information (publication, presentation, clinical activity, etc.). In addition, assembling the nomination materials at the last minute may result in missing parts, duplication of parts, or obvious evidence that the primary and secondary nominators have not communicated well on "who does what."

Helpful Tip: The nomination materials appear much more organized if the primary nominator takes responsibility for organization and does so well in advance of the deadline.

For Fellows nominations, why do two of the three nominators have to be ASHA members who have not worked with the nominee in the past 10 years and why do they have to be Fellows?

These requirements were set by a Legislative Council resolution. The discussion at the time was that the nominee deserving of Fellow should be known or supported by ASHA members outside of the work setting. The award of Fellow is for someone in the professions who has achieved beyond the local work setting and has made a contribution statewide, nationally or internationally. In addition it was also discussed that an ASHA Fellow, who is someone who has already been recognized beyond the local level, would recognize these qualities in another professional.

How do I document that a nominee for Honors is well known, deserving, etc.?

Successful nominators in the past have often gathered statements from other ASHA members who know the work of the nominee. These statements have been put together, along with other supporting documentation, to provide evidence of the effect this individual has had on the professions. In some cases, when the individual has made a contribution within and beyond our professions, the nominator has documentation and statements from national and international leaders in other professions.

How do I organize the information for the "brief vitae"?

The Committee recognizes that nominees typically have a much lengthier vitae than requested; however, for the nomination materials it is requested that the nominator organize the important areas of the vitae to fit in the categories that have been chosen. Many successful nominations insert headings within the vitae to match the categories of the nomination. Again, some of the activities on the vitae of a nominee could fit in several different categories, but the nominator must decide where and organize accordingly.

Why are some awards not given some years?

In some years, there may be no nominees for a particular award, or no nominees that the committee determines meets the criteria for an award or rises to the level to be selected.

What causes an application to not be considered?

Failure to comply with any of the application process requirements for any of the awards will result in disqualification.

How do I verify whether a nominee and/or sponsor is a "member in good standing"?

To check the membership status of your nominees and/or sponsors, search the Membership Directory located in the ASHA Community; their name will appear if they are a member in good standing. Access the directory, which requires logging in using your ASHA login name and password.