Academic Affairs Faculty and Staff Engagement
Faculty and staff members play an integral role in the success of Cal State San Bernardino. Through their dedication, expertise, and commitment to excellence, they contribute to all aspects of university life, including teaching, scholarship, student support, administration, operations, and community engagement. The Division of Academic Affairs is committed to recognizing that work and building genuine connection across our colleges and offices — whether that means celebrating a job well done, getting colleagues out from behind their desks to explore campus together, or simply putting a little extra reward behind the everyday effort that keeps CSUSB running.
Below are the two ways the division currently brings that commitment to life: Academic Affairs Spot Awards, which recognize outstanding contributions, and Coyote Quest: Academic Affairs Edition, a recurring scavenger hunt that gets faculty and staff moving around campus and connecting with one another.
Academic Affairs Spot Awards
Faculty and staff members play an integral role in the success of Cal State San Bernardino. Through their dedication, expertise, and commitment to excellence, they contribute to all aspects of university life, including teaching, scholarship, student support, administration, operations, and community engagement. Their efforts are essential to creating a supportive, inclusive, and enriching environment that advances student success and the university's mission.
Academic Affairs’ Spot Awards provide a way for division members to immediately recognize a faculty or staff member for exceptional performance on a specific project or task, outstanding service, meaningful contributions to student success, innovative practices, collaborative efforts, or for exemplifying Cal State San Bernardino’s core values.
Eligibility
All Division of Academic Affairs faculty and staff members are eligible to receive a Spot Award.
Notes of appreciation are encouraged to be sent to staff members in other divisions. However, they should be sent via your personal email account since this is an Academic Affairs-specific program.
Supervisors (MPPs) are not eligible to receive a Spot Award.
Submission Process
Divisional college/unit leaders, faculty and staff are invited to submit a Spot Award through a specifically created automated program.
All sections of the submission form must be complete. It includes:
- The recipient’s first and last name. (The sender’s first and last name will be captured automatically.)
- The recipient’s email address.
- Select if recipient is Faculty or Staff.
- Message: A text box is provided for senders to write their message. It must include why the staff member is being recognized.
- A note card: Three pre-selected note cards are available for senders to choose from. They will be interchanged periodically.
Monthly Awards
All submissions are captured in an automated monthly report. The monthly faculty and staff winners will be randomly selected by the program.
The awardees will be notified via an email from the Office of the Provost.
The monthly winners will receive a special a recognition badge, $50 dollars in CSUSB’s Advantage Club Platform and will be spotlighted in the Academic Affairs newsletter and yearbook.
Coyote Quest
Coyote Quest: Academic Affairs Edition invites colleagues to step away from their desks and rediscover campus through a friendly scavenger hunt. On the San Bernardino campus, a new clue is released every Friday at 2 p.m., leading Academic Affairs faculty and staff to a mystery location where a hidden Coyote Quest logo awaits; the first three to find it, retrieve the logo, and deliver it to the Provost's Office. Each winner will earn $50 in Advantage Club funds. The Quest also extends to our Palm Desert Campus, where all faculty and staff are welcome to participate regardless of divisional affiliation, with a new clue released monthly.
However you take part, Coyote Quest is a fun, recurring way to connect with colleagues and explore our campus together.
Coyote Quest Clue
Join us for the next Coyote Quest on Friday, September 18, 2026 at 2:00p.m.
Accessing the Advantage Club
To access the Advantage Club Platform there are three ways to access:
📌Desk Top: CSUSB AdvantageClub
📌Mobile App: Android App Download | iOS App Download (Apple)
📌Microsoft Teams: User Guide
The platform is set up for you to sign in via SSO (your MyCoyote login). When directed to the website, choose Sign In Via SSO and click CSUSB from the drop-down menu.