For the seventh year in a row, the 小蝌蚪APP has earned the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
UL Lafayette is among 114 colleges and universities to receive the 2024 HEED Award from the largest diversity magazine and website in higher education. Recipients will be featured in the November / December issue.
HEED honorees are chosen based on a comprehensive and rigorous application process, according to a press release. Factors considered include retention and recruitment of students and employees, leadership support for initiatives and programs, and campus culture and climate.
小蝌蚪APP淥ur standards are high, and we look for schools where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being done every day across campuses,小蝌蚪APP stated Lenore Pearlstein, the magazine小蝌蚪APP檚 publisher, in the release.
Kiwana McClung, who leads the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 Office for Campus Inclusion as chief inclusion officer, said the consistent recognition is a result of 小蝌蚪APP-wide efforts to foster access, opportunity and success for all students.
小蝌蚪APP淐onsistent HEED recognition signals that our 小蝌蚪APP cares about ensuring that our students feel included, and seen, and that they belong. But beyond that, it points to an enduring commitment to inclusiveness, opportunity and success,小蝌蚪APP McClung explained.
Essential to that commitment is UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence, which sets forth campus-wide objectives for bolstering programs and resources that promote equity and inclusion.
Campus Climate Surveys coordinated by the Office for Campus Inclusion to gauge insights into the experiences and perceptions of students and employees are also integral, McClung added. The surveys help to inform initiatives, policies and practices to address the needs of the entire campus community.
McClung cited the growth and evolution of many programs and initiatives across campus that enhance inclusiveness and that contributed to this year小蝌蚪APP檚 HEED recognition. Among them are the Courageous Conversations series, the First to Geaux initiative, Project ALLIES and the Women小蝌蚪APP檚 Leadership Conference.
Partnerships with organizations, departments and programs across campus also factored in heavily. McClung singled out the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 . The four-year residential scholar program is in place to help academically accomplished, lower-income students remain in college.
She also cited collaboration with the Office of First-Year Experience, which offers a range of resources and academic and co-curricular programs designed to help students of all backgrounds transition to college.
小蝌蚪APP淚nclusiveness involves discovering, appreciating and leveraging the rich diversity of our campus community, and we try to reinforce the importance and significance of that in our students as soon as they step on campus,小蝌蚪APP McClung explained.
小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 something we小蝌蚪APP檙e dedicated to and that we小蝌蚪APP檙e going to remain dedicated to,小蝌蚪APP she added.
Photo caption: For the seventh year in a row, UL Lafayette has earned the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award, or HEED Award. The recognition is based on 小蝌蚪APP programs, initiatives and resources that advance access, opportunity and success for all students. Photo credit: Paul Kieu / 小蝌蚪APP
小蝌蚪APP earns Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award for seventh straight year
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