SDSU Recognized for Commitment to Diversity
The university is one of 80 colleges in the nation to receive the prestigious 2017 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award.
"SDSU is among a select group of national institutions that has been awarded the 2017 HEED Diversity award," said Aaron Bruce, SDSU's chief diversity officer. "This recognition reflects the ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion on our campus, where we are providing all students, regardless of their background, with opportunities to grow academically and personally."
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected SDSU for its exemplary diversity and inclusion initiatives and for its ability to embrace a broad definition of diversity on campus, including gender, race, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ community. The magazine is the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.
At SDSU, students from all backgrounds are achieving academic excellence. SDSU’s six-year graduation rate for underrepresented students is 69 percent, compared to the university’s overall six-year graduation rate of 74 percent, an indicator that SDSU is one of the most successful universities in the country in addressing the achievement gap. The six-year graduation rate is the national standard of comparison among universities.
The HEED Award is open to all colleges and universities throughout the United States. It measures an institution’s level of achievement and intensity of commitment in regard to broadening diversity and inclusion on campus through initiatives, programs, and outreach; student recruitment, retention, and completion; and hiring practices for faculty and staff.
“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. “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.”
