AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin has received the 2015 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award (HEED) from INSIGHT into Diversity magazine for the fourth consecutive year.
The award is based on a comprehensive university application that includes questions relating to the recruitment and retention of students and employees, continued leadership support for diversity, course offerings, support services and numerous other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion.
“We take a holistic approach to reviewing each application,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of the magazine. “Our standards are high and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being accomplished every day across a campus. The University of Texas at Austin has once again proved to be a leader in best practices, especially in efforts to improve retention and graduation rates for historically underrepresented populations.”
Dr. Gregory J. Vincent, UT Austin’s vice president for diversity and community engagement, said, “We are honored to receive the HEED award again this year as it has become a benchmark for excellence in diversity among colleges and universities across the country.
“Receiving this recognition once again reflects the strength of UT Austin’s dedication to fostering an inclusive environment where a diversity of cultures, perspectives and scholarship are not only accepted but embraced,” he said. “The work of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement is now integrated into the daily life of the university through partnerships with every college and school on campus.”
As a recipient of the annual HEED award, UT Austin will be featured in the November 2015 issue of the magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.
