UAlbany Earns National Award for Diversity and Inclusion
The University at Albany is demonstrating an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, according to INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
The magazine, which is the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education, named UAlbany as one of its 2018 Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award recipients, along with 95 other U.S. colleges and universities.
The HEED Award is open to all institutions and measures achievements and intensity of commitment to “broadening diversity and inclusion on campus” through initiatives, programs, and outreach; student recruitment, retention, and completion; and hiring practices for faculty and staff.
Honorees will be featured in the magazine’s November issue.
“The HEED Award process consists of a comprehensive and rigorous application that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees — and best practices for both — continued leadership support for diversity, and other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
“We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being accomplished every day across their campus,” she added.
Authoring Our Success:
After collaborating with more than 1,000 campus stakeholders, President Havidán Rodríguez launched the University’s new strategic plan earlier this year titled “Authoring our Success.”
Diversity and inclusion is one of the plan’s five key priorities, with metrics for success including:
- Faculty, student, and staff diversity
- Retention rates of underrepresented minority faculty, staff, and students
- Perceptions of the campus climate
- Instruction and/or participation in diverse and inclusive activities
The U.S. Department of Education has recognized UAlbany as a national leader in best practices for advancing diversity and inclusion in higher education. It was also lauded as a top-10 performing institution for both Latino/a and black student success by The Education Trust.
More than 40 percent of UAlbany’s freshmen class are students of color; 31 percent are the first in their families to go to college. Students come from 23 states and 21 countries.
“Diversity – in our people and our ideas – drives everything that we do at UAlbany,” said Rodríguez. “We are committed to creating a campus climate where everyone feels welcome and is welcome, and so it is rewarding to see our efforts recognized nationally.”
“This University has long worked to ensure it’s a place where all students, faculty, and staff can succeed,” added UAlbany’s Chief Diversity Officer and Assistant Vice President for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Tamra Minor, who is charged with advancing the university’s promise of creating a welcoming and accepting campus environment. “We look forward to building upon this momentum by working with campus partners to ensure our students are prepared for today’s increasingly diverse world.”
The HEED Award is the only one of its kind that recognizes colleges and universities for outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts. Current, archived, and digital issues of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine are available online at insightintodiversity.com.