OTMs
OTM (“Of the Month”) awards are presented monthly to residents and Student Housing & Hospitality Services (SHHS) Staff members who have made a positive impact on the housing community during a given month. The winners are nominated by students living in residence. Nominations are submitted online through the NRHH OTM website database. To recognize an individual person, “General Category”. To recognize a program, click “Program Category”, both found in the top left corner of the website. When prompted, the Region is “PACURH”.
OTMs extend beyond campus! All winning UBC nominations are submitted to the PACURH region (institutions in British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, and Hawaii) for regional voting. Winning nominations from each of the 8 Regions are submitted to NACURH, for worldwide recognition!
For a complete guide on writing OTMs, visit the “Resources” page of this website. The guide outlines everything from what OTMs are, the timeline for submission, the distinction between “Program” and “General” category OTMs, how to submit an OTM, and tips on how to write the best OTM that you can! The guide even includes links to past NACURH-level UBC OTM winners for inspiration!
Click here to submit an OTM!
OTM FAQs
Who can write OTMs?
Anyone living on campus in Student Housing and Hospitality Services housing can submit an OTM.
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Why should I submit an OTM?
There are so many amazing people and programs in residence, and it is important to take time to recognize the effort that individuals put in to ensure that the residence experience is amazing for everyone.
Taking time to recognize can have a phenomenal short-term and long-term effects. Whether it puts a smile on someone’s face and makes their day, or your program is shared and adapted at other universities as a result of recognition, it is worth putting the time in to submit an OTM.
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How do I submit an OTM?
Scroll up! Click on the big “Submit OTM” link to visit the website for OTM submissions. On the top, left-hand corner there are two links to submit an OTM. Consult the OTM guide for more detailed information and tips for writing.
How long is the nomination?
General category OTMs allow a maximum of 600 words.
Program category OTMs allow a maximum of 1400 words, divided into sections of 100-400 words each.
The more successful OTMs are ones that approach these limits.
When are OTMs due?
OTMs are due on the 4th of the month following the month of nomination (i.e. nominations for September are due on October 4)
How does the voting process work?
After the submission deadline, all NRHH active members vote on submissions for each category based on adherence to category descriptions and whether the nomination outlines the success of the nominee or nominated program by providing specific examples.
Winners receive recognition at the campus level and are submitted to the Regional level to be considered for a Regional award.
What’s the secret to winning?
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Try to reach the maximum word limit in each category
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Write short paragraphs
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Define any acronyms you use
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Submit the OTM on time
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Proofread
How do I know what category to use?
If you’d like to recognize a program, use the program category. All other nominations can be found under “general” category.
Complete category descriptions are available on the OTM submission website and the OTM guide available on the “Resources” page of this website.
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If, after reading the category descriptions, you are still unsure about what category to use, please contact an NRHH representative for help: nrhh@mail.housing.ubc.ca
UBC National Residence Hall Honorary
2205 Lower Mall
Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4
Email nrhh@mail.housing.ubc.ca