On Oct. 11, SUNY Oneonta received the 2023 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. The HEED Award is a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.
“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.”
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected SUNY Oneonta because of the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) have long been core values at SUNY Oneonta, and the university is conscientiously and consistently developing new strategies and tactics aimed at creating a campus community where everyone feels welcome. As a result, SUNY Oneonta has seen a 3% increase in under-represented minority students from fall 2021 to fall 2023, a 5% increase in first year retention for under-represented minority students and a 10% increase in diverse staff and faculty hired.
New Initiatives
The university offers a wide range of DEI-themed speakers, programs and events every year, many of which occur in the Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence. Two recent initiatives developed through partnerships across campus go a step further by integrating DEI in entry-level employee recruitment and faculty professional development: an employee DEI pipeline Program, and the Faculty Academy for Inclusive Pedagogies.
In spring 2023, Employee Services and the Office of Equity and Inclusion collaborated to develop a new employee “pipeline” program to encourage talented, diverse, recent graduates from SUNY Oneonta to join the university as employees in various entry-level positions. The program’s goal is to enhance the recruitment and retention of underrepresented staff and support student retention and persistence efforts. Six graduates from the Class of 2023 are now working in positions ranging from Student Activities Assistant to Academic Success Consultant and will receive guidance from assigned mentors, giving them extra support as they transition from being students to professionals on campus.
In August, 12 SUNY Oneonta faculty members representing a variety of academic disciplines participated in a weeklong Faculty Academy Professional Development Program focused on inclusive pedagogies. The four-day workshop and training Were led by award-winning educator, Dr. Paul Hernandez, author of “The Pedagogy of Real Talk: Engaging, Teaching and Connecting with Students At-Promise,” which asks faculty to share conversations with students and connect with them through universal themes. This is the second cohort of faculty members to participate in the Faculty Academy, which was first introduced in August 2022 and aims to create more inclusive classroom environments.
A Work in Progress
As a recognition for receiving the 2023 HEED Award, SUNY Oneonta will be featured, along with 108 other recipients, in the November/December 2023 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity. This is the third year SUNY Oneonta has been named as a HEED Award recipient.
SUNY Oneonta received news of the award with both a sense of pride and dedication toward fostering its DEI-related goals.
“This is exciting news for our university,” said Dr. Bernadette Tiapo, SUNY Oneonta’s vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer. “The HEED Award recognizes and validates the hard work of all members of the campus community in fostering the university’s diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice goals.”
University President Alberto Cardelle noted, “As we celebrate this national recognition, we are mindful of the work that still lies ahead. We will reinforce our commitment to assessing progress toward our DEI goals and strengthening all areas that need additional attention.”
For more information about the 2023 HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com.