IU’s diversity work has again been recognized by INSIGHT Into Diversity, the largest, oldest, and most respected national diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. Specifically, the magazine has honored two Indiana University campuses with the 2022 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award.
IU Bloomington and Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis (IUPUI) received the only national award that honors individual institutions for being outstanding examples of universities committed to making diversity and inclusion a top priority across their campuses. IUPUI has been honored every year the HEED award has been given, eleven in total, and it’s the eighth consecutive time for IU Bloomington.
“We are again delighted that Indiana University is honored with the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity award. This national recognition publicly acknowledges our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” says James C. Wimbush, vice president for diversity, equity, and multicultural affairs and Johnson Chair for Diversity and Leadership at Indiana University.
“Supporting a diverse and inclusive campus community is a core value at Indiana University. We take great pride in this diversity work—and look forward to making continual improvements so that our campuses truly exist as places of access, success, equity, and community for all,” Wimbush adds.
In addition, IU Bloomington received the Diversity Champion Award for the sixth consecutive year. Known for visionary leadership, Diversity Champions are institutions that set the standard for thousands of other campus communities striving for diversity and inclusion and develop successful strategies and programs that serve as models of excellence for other institutions. Schools deemed Diversity Champions exceed everyday expectations, often eclipsing their own goals.
Only a very limited number of colleges and universities across the nation are selected for this prestigious honor.
“It’s the breadth, depth, and commitment that sets Indiana University apart,” notes Holly Mendelson, vice president and co-owner of Potomac Publishing, Inc., and co-publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “It sets the bar, serving as a model of excellence for other institutions.”
IU Bloomington
“We work hard to ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are considered throughout every aspect of our campus,” said IU Bloomington Provost & Executive Vice President Rahul Shrivastav. “I am honored to work with colleagues whose commitment to DEI has led us to this point and excited about the work to further improvements going forward.”
Several programs are responsible for helping IU Bloomington achieve its HEED and Diversity Champion recognition, including:
- Opening the new Jewish Culture Center, where events, activities, cultural, traditional, and social programming opportunities are available to all students, faculty, and staff.
- Creating the Jane Jorgensen Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Internship to empower motivated and ambitious students to develop as extraordinary leaders with the skills to transform society and be recruited as top candidates to diversify university professional staff further.
- Serving as host for the first national HIV conference at a major university. Efforts featured workshops, presentations by national leaders and researchers, free HIV testing and resources, and multiple community dialogue sessions to share information and unite around the goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.
- Developing the IU-MSI STEM Initiative, an academic and research partnership between Indiana University and multiple Minority Service Institutions (MSIs) that aims to promote and develop the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines.
IUPUI
Thanks to a number of groundbreaking initiatives, IUPUI remains a model for the nation in creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive campus.
Among the efforts behind IUPUI’s diversity and equity-related work:
- Recognizing efforts and achievements in areas that enhance equity and inclusion using the DEI Path to Tenure and Promotion initiative. Deemed a best practice, institutions across the country are now seeking to replicate it.
- Assisting campus leadership with DEI development of the monthly Chancellor’s Senior Leadership Reading Group. Now in its fourth year, the reading/discussion is for all deans and vice chancellors.
- Launching the Taskforce on Latinx initiative to increase retention of underserved students through scholarships, on-campus living, and mentoring.
- Gauging the attitudes and experiences of students, staff, and faculty experiences through the Comprehensive Campus Climate Survey to inform the development of the campus, school, and support unit diversity plans with timelines, accountability measuring, and metrics for success.
“At IUPUI, we remain incredibly proud of our efforts to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion across campus,” said IU Interim Executive Vice President and IUPUI Interim Chancellor Andrew R. Klein. “From the path-breaking efforts to establish a DEI track for promotion and tenure to our campus-wide and school-specific diversity strategic plans, we work to infuse an equity lens in all we do.”