The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has received the 2015 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. As a recipient of the annual HEED Award — a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion — Carolina will be one of the institutions of higher education featured in the November 2015 issue of the magazine.
“We are honored that the University is a recipient of the 2015 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education,” said Taffye Benson Clayton, associate vice chancellor for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and chief diversity officer. “The University has made significant institutional gains in diversity and inclusion over the last few years in both its programming and its campus-wide dialogue and conversations. While we recognize that there is much more to be done, we take time to celebrate the accomplishments made thus far and the hard work that members of our community put into making Carolina a place that appreciates everyone’s perspectives, talents and backgrounds.”
“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. “We take a holistic 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 a campus.”
The University’s work in diversity and inclusion programing over the last three years include:
- * The UNC-Chapel Hill diversity organization, Diversity and Multicultural Affairs (DMA), has re-organized to focus more attention on University infrastructure and dialogue, assessment and analytics, student engagement and faculty and staff development. This resulted in an increase in programs and support for faculty and staff, an emphasis on preparing students to enter a diverse workforce or graduate study, an increase in middle school outreach programs and greater attention to assessment.
- * The University established an institutional-level committee—the Provost’s Committee on Inclusive Excellence and Diversity (PCIED)—which is comprised of senior leadership, faculty, staff, students, alumni and board members and tasked with identifying and investigating diversity and inclusion at the institutional level. Through the work of PCIED, key institutional areas for advancing inclusion have been identified that speak to the University’s communications, opportunities for education and dialogue, strategic vision and leadership. http://diversity.unc.edu/pcied
- * Carolina established the Institutional Diversity and Inclusion Collaborative (IDIC). The group connects diversity and inclusion stakeholders from across the University, shares institutional diversity priorities and progress, provides updates on the work of DMA and assists University leadership in identifying diversity and inclusion matters of interest. http://dversity.unc.edu/idic
- * The Office of the Chancellor launched the Chancellor’s Science Scholars Program, which is designed to provide a pathway to success for highly capable students who aspire to become PhD and MD/PhD scientists. A key goal of the program is to increase diversity in the scientific community.
- * The University launched Carolina Conversations, which is a set of interconnected activities designed to support, facilitate and encourage conversations about critical issues of inclusion.
- * The Office of Innovative Leadership and Diversity was established in the Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Its mission is to recruit, retain and develop the next generation of pharmacy leaders.
- The annual THINKposium was launched. THINKposium is a meeting of interested participants on a particular issue or topic, engaged speakers providing data and context, a free exchange of ideas and fuel for creative problem solving. THINKposium is meant to be a non-conventional approach to addressing diversity, inspiring action and facilitating the solution-making process. http://diversity.unc.edu/thinkposium
For more information about the 2015 HEED Award, visit www.insightintodiversity.com.
