UAlbany Recognized for Commitment to Diversity with 7th Consecutive HEED Award
ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 9, 2024) — The University at Albany continues to be recognized for its efforts to support campus-wide diversity and inclusion. For the seventh consecutive year, the University received the 2024 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. The national honor recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. UAlbany is among 113 institutions to receive the award this year.
“At the University at Albany, we know that our diversity is what makes us strong. We value the diverse range of backgrounds, beliefs, languages and goals represented on our campus as one of the things that makes our community great. I am so proud that we have been recognized for the seventh consecutive year for our commitment to diversity and inclusion and our work to foster a campus environment that is welcoming to all,” said Havidán Rodríguez, president of the University at Albany.
"For the seventh consecutive year, the University at Albany has been honored with the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine,” said Samuel Caldwell, vice president for inclusive excellence and equity at the University. “This prestigious recognition underscores our unwavering commitment to equity, inclusion, civil discourse and civic engagement. As a leading, diverse Research 1 institution, this achievement is especially meaningful as it reflects the core values of the UAlbany community and our dedication to fulfilling the goals of the University's strategic plan.”
The University at Albany championed several initiatives over the past year that fostered a welcoming and inclusive environment for its campus community. A key component to advancing diversity at the University is its annual Diversity Transformation Awards, which funds projects that promote inclusiveness, stimulate creativity and facilitate idea exchange while enriching campus life. Projects funded in 2024 included:
- “Dancing Dialogues” — a program developed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip hop featured student dancers from UAlbany’s various dance clubs working together with the Dance Council to explore hip-hop as an artistic and social movement while engaging with guest speakers.
- "Self-Reliant Scholars” — UAlbany launched a grant program last year to host a dinner for students who identify as orphans, wards of the state, or those with a history in the foster care system, who often encounter certain adversities in academic settings. This year’s cohort elected to use the grant to fund care packages for incoming self-reliant scholars who would begin their studies at UAlbany this fall.
- “Conceptualizing, Implementing and Sustaining Inclusive Spaces” — The University at Albany’s Writing and Critical Inquiry Program, with support from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosted a workshop and speaker series in the spring, which included presentations by nationally renowned guest speakers who have played a pioneering role in the development of inclusivity-centered pedagogy and written works, as well as two professionally facilitated workshops for UAlbany faculty and staff.
- Enhancing Intersectionality Research and Education — a program offering students and faculty the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge research methods being developed to examine inequalities across intersectional identities.
- “Beloved Community Intergenerational Mentorship Project” — designed to bring local high school students and educators of color together with undergrads, grad students and faculty of color from UAlbany’s School of Education. The program engaged in conversations centering career exploration in the fields of education and mental health counseling in a P-12 setting.
The projects and activities over the past year also reflect the University’s dedication to create opportunities for students, faculty and staff to learn from each other, which was further supported by the inaugural launch of the Great Dane Dialogue held this fall. The cross-campus series was designed to promote civil discourse and inclusivity, and celebrate free speech, which are foundational to scholarly inquiry and higher education. Featuring moderated discussions with local leaders, elected officials and alumni, the programs focused on public service, civic engagement and civil discourse and enhanced understanding of the University’s shared values of access, integrity, common good and inclusive excellence.
The University also has garnered national recognition for its diverse and inclusive campus. It was named an Emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution, and received the prestigious Seal of Excelencia, awarded by educational nonprofit Excelencia in Education, which certified the University’s commitment to ensuring that Latina and Latino students are supported and thriving academically. UAlbany was also noted this year as a top school for raising the social mobility of its students by U. S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal, and Washington Monthly.
“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 — leadership support for diversity, campus culture and climate, supplier diversity and many 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 done every day across their campus.”