The University of Rochester has received the 2020 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 US colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—Rochester will be featured, along with the other recipients, in the November 2020 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
“Receiving the 2020 HEED Award is a wonderful recognition of our institution’s efforts,” said University of Rochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf. “I am particularly proud that with all the challenges facing us this year, from the COVID-19 pandemic to safely restarting our academic enterprise, we have not lost sight of our priorities around equity, diversity, and inclusion.”
The magazine selected the University specifically for its on- and off-campus equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts, its involvement with and mentorship of diverse student organizations, and its ongoing efforts to recruit, retain, and support diverse faculty, students, and staff.
“We are deeply honored to receive the 2020 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award,” said Mercedes Ramírez Fernández, the Richard Feldman Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and chief diversity officer. “While we recognize that we have much to do as an institution, the HEED award highlights the University’s ongoing commitment to equity, 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—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 done every day across their campus.”
This is the second time in a year that the magazine has recognized the University of Rochester. Both the School of Medicine and Dentistry and the School of Nursing received HEED awards last fall as part of the magazine’s program to recognize diversity and inclusion in professional schools.
