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Recognizing excellence in the profession is one of the most important activities of the American Political Science Association. In an effort to bring attention to exceptional scholarship, many Sections have established awards. Currently there are over 100 such awards honoring dissertations, papers, articles, books, and career achievement.

A. ESTABLISHING AWARDS

A Section may create an award to honor the work of a political scientist within their subfield. Although the procedure of setting up a prize may be set out in individual Section By-laws, certain items should be included in the process, for instance its purpose, nomination and selection procedure, eligibility requirements; and decisions on cash prizes. Once an award has been created, the Section should forward this information to the APSA National Office so that it can be used to update our database.

B. HOLDING AN ENDOWMENT WITH THE APSA TRUST AND DEVELOPMENT FUND

If an Organized Section wishes to establish an endowed award, APSA will assist by aiding in the management of funds. The APSA Development Committee is responsible for overseeing endowment and trust funds as assigned to it by the Council. The following guidelines have been developed for handling Section endowment funds.

The Development Committee will accept and manage endowment funds for Organized Section awards, when Sections have raised an amount equal to at least 25 times the proposed annualized award.

Section endowment funds will be managed in conjunction with other APSA endowed award funds. Organized Sections should recognize that while these funds are invested prudently and draw a 4% annuity annually, the investment portfolio may include equities and other investments which carry a potential risk of loss of capital.

APSA will issue one check per year from the Award endowment, not to exceed 4% of the total monies in the endowment fund, in response to a specific request from the Organized Section Chair, and will provide an annual accounting report of the fund balance at that time.

APSA will work with Organized Sections undertaking a campaign to raise funds for an endowment, if the Section so wishes, in the following ways:

• APSA will collect contributions made to Sections' endowment funds, and make deposits directly into the Sections' accounts on a quarterly basis. Checks should be made out to APSA, the Section, and the award, e.g. to the "APSA Comparative Politics Section Gregory M. Luebbert Award Fund."

• APSA will report monthly to Organized Sections listing contributors and amounts; the Section itself is responsible for writing each donor a letter acknowledging the contribution and confirming its amount for tax purposes.

• Sections will manage funds in their own accounts until a critical mass equal to 25-or-more times the award amount has been accumulated for transfer to the Trust and Development Fund.

If a Section wishes to create an endowed award, they should contact the Organized Sections Liaison at sections@apsanet.org for guidelines and procedures surrounding endowed awards.

C. SELECTING AWARD COMMITTEES

The process for selecting Section members to serve on awards committees is governed by the individual by-laws of each Section.

D. NOTIFYING PUBLISHERS AND DEPARTMENT CHAIRS TO GET BOOKS OR PAPERS FOR REVIEW

APSA will inform publishers about Section book awards, and department chairs about dissertation awards. Detailed information about Association and Section awards is mailed to publishers and department chairs in early October. This mailing provides information regarding committee members, eligibility and submission requirements, and deadlines for submissions. Please be sure to notify the Organized Sections Liaison of the names of Awards Committee members, or at least of the Award Committee Chairs, by the end of the first week in October.

E. GUIDELINES FOR PUBLICITY OF ORGANIZED SECTION AWARDS

While the Association handles some of the promotion for Section prizes through publication in the final Annual Meeting Program, the October issue of PS: Political Science and Politics, and on the APSA web site, these awards are separate from the regular Association awards, and care should be taken in identifying them properly in publicity material such as press releases and publishers' promotions. Awards are properly identified when they are presented as "the Organized Section Award on...," or "the APSA Section Award on....," or the "Section Award on...", and improperly identified if presented as the "APSA Award on..." Clarity will avoid misleading readers and help direct individuals wishing to know more about the Section Awards to the appropriate Section Officers.

F. ANNOUNCING SECTION AWARDS

Section Award winners are listed annually in the October issue of PS, as well as, in a special Section of the Annual Meeting Final Program and on the APSA web site. Presentation of Section Awards usually takes place at Organized Section business meetings or receptions during the Annual Meeting. To ensure your Section award winners are included in the Annual Meeting Program, the name, institutional affiliation of the winner, as well as the title of their piece and any publication information (if applicable), must be delivered to the Organized Section Liaison at sections@apsanet.org by July 1.