The University of Delaware has been presented the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. The annual HEED Award is a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion. This is the second year UD has been named as a HEED Award recipient.

“The University of Delaware is proud to be recognized once again for the diligent and ongoing efforts of our faculty and staff to build a more diverse and inclusive community,” said UD President Dennis Assanis. “We are dedicated to welcoming all students and providing them with the opportunities and resources they need to succeed here and throughout their lives.”

UD was selected for its dedication to enhancing diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the campus community. This commitment has been demonstrated through creation of new staff positions, new programming, training, scholarships and community-based partnerships focused on attracting, retaining and valuing underrepresented staff, faculty and students.

Specific areas of progress include:

• Since 2012, the representation of underrepresented minority students and students of color at UD has consistently increased among Associate in Arts, undergraduate, graduate, and Professional and Continuing Studies students.
• The percentage of women with STEM majors has steadily increased almost yearly at UD since 2012. The percentage of underrepresented minority undergraduate and graduate students with STEM majors has also increased since 2012.
• Since 2012, UD’s four-year graduation rates rose for most groups pursuing bachelor’s degrees. The University’s four-year graduation rate is consistently above the graduation rates of AAU public institutions for Hispanic/Latino(a)s and women pursuing bachelor’s degrees.
• Women faculty have increased in representation over the past five years, constituting 44 percent of all UD faculty in 2017. Faculty racial/ethnic diversity has also increased since 2012, with the largest gains occurring for Asian tenured/tenure track and Black/African American non-tenure track faculty.

Carol Henderson, vice provost for diversity at UD, said, “It is encouraging to see the University’s steady progress and engagement in creating a more diverse and inclusive campus. Though there is still much work to be done, the dedication of so many staff, faculty and students in this effort is truly inspiring.”

UD will be featured along with 95 other award recipients in the November 2018 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.   

According to Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, 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.

“We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED Award recipient,” Pearlstein said. “Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being accomplished every day across their campus.”

To learn more about the University’s plans for and progress toward advancing inclusive excellence, visit https://sites.udel.edu/diversity/.

For more information about INSIGHT Into Diversity and the HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com. The full list of 2018 HEED Award recipients can be found here.