The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences recognizes that serving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives create community. The college is now accepting nominations to recognize staff whose work in the college or community has advanced the mission of the CLAS diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic goals creating a welcoming and respectful environment.
All CLAS staff—professional and scientific, merit, full-time, and part-time employees—are eligible for the award.
Nominate a staff member
Nominations should be submitted online and include the following materials:
- One letter of support, not to exceed 500 words. Self-nominations are welcome but should include a support letter from another person. Please submit this documentation with the application.
- Statement of the nominee's body of work advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in CLAS or in the broader community. The statement should be 500 words or less, supplied by the nominator or nominee, and is due when submitting the form.
Submit a nomination
Award timeline
- May 1, 2024: Last day to submit award nominations and submission
For questions, email: Rosie Ver Steegh
Award Criteria and Selection Process
What programs are appropriate for nomination?
Nominations will be accepted for an individual's efforts, initiatives, or programs that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion values in CLAS or in the broader community.
The college is driven by our core values and commitments. We aspire to foster and then build on a foundation of community, transparency, communication, equity, diversity, creativity, excellence, and humility. Our 2021-2026 Strategic Plan works to regard all these values as intimately connected and inseparable across these pillars.
In this way, the college is committed to creating and maintaining a diverse, respectful and inclusive learning and working environment that nurtures the growth and development of learners, faculty, and staff community. The nominee’s accomplishments should support the CLAS strategic plan for DEI. Goals and strategies to consider include:
Goal 1: Promote an inclusive environment
- Strategy 1: Use empirically validated methods to address the challenges and opportunities that arise for CLAS students, faculty, and staff
- Strategy 2: Integrate DEI throughout the educational and scholarly experience in CLAS
- Strategy 3: Foster a greater sense of community within the college
Goal 2: Build stronger infrastructure to support DEI efforts
- Strategy 1: Increase support provided to first-generation, URM, and international students, faculty, and staff in CLAS
- Strategy 2: Build DEI capacity across the college
What are the conditions of the award?
This award will be distributed to two staff members.
- Nomination: All nominees will be notified by the selection committee upon receipt of the nomination packet
- Stipend: Recipients shall receive a $500 monetary award
How are selections made?
To be considered for the CLAS Diversity Award for creating a welcoming and respectful environment, the individual must show strong evidence of engagement in projects that:
- Significantly promote diversity, inclusion, and cultural skill development among campus and/or community members;
- Address key areas for recruitment, retention, campus/department climate, research, clinical practice, or community outreach;
- Lead initiatives in capturing outcomes of increased cultural awareness, sensitivity, understanding, or promoting a welcoming and respectful campus and/or community;
- Implement steps toward fostering an inclusive workplace with programs that maximize the potential of all people;
- Creating partnerships between people to address inclusive, communication, culture, and/or common ground with workplace issues;
- Improving workplace or community-based culture through educational initiatives and/or innovative programming.
When is the award conferred?
The award will be conferred annually during the spring/summer academic semester.
Questions?
Please email, Rosie Ver Steegh