Ball State University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion has not gone without recognition.
The university has recently been honored with a 2016 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
The annual award recognizes diverse U.S. colleges and universities across the nation. The 83 recipients, including Ball State, will be featured in the November issue of the magazine, which is higher education’s oldest and largest diversity-focused publication.
According to the Ball State University Statement on the Importance of Diversity and Inclusion, the university is committed to the pursuit of excellence by being inclusive of individuals (faculty, staff and the student body) without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/gender expression, physical or mental disability, national origin, ancestry or age.
The university’s long-standing dedication to diversity and inclusion can be directly reflected by the values and actions of the Office of Institutional Diversity, said Charlene Alexander, associate provost for diversity and director of the office.
“At Ball State, diversity is not delegated to one area, but rather, everyone shares in the responsibility of promoting and achieving a diverse student, faculty and staff body and creating a culture where everyone feels welcomed and valued,” Alexander said. “This award demonstrated our continued efforts and commitment, and we look forward to future recognition of our efforts.”
Other initiatives that provide support and inclusion efforts on campus include the Council on Diversity and Inclusion, the University Diversity Committee and the Gender Equity Task Force.
Students like Olivia Snyder, a sophomore psychology major, said inclusion at the university was one of the major aspects of her decision to study here.
“I chose Ball State because of its diversity,” Snyder said. “I just wanted to go to a place where people didn’t always look like me and sound like me and think like me.”
Aliyah Mable, a junior psychology major, said she appreciates the attitude of acceptance at the university and was excited the university has been recognized with the award.
“When I got here, I was really surprised that it was so diverse,” she said. “It wasn’t just one type of race, gender or ethnicity. ... I really like how the school is so welcoming of different people.”
The award also recognized the university’s initiatives in several other areas, including student, faculty and staff recruitment and retention efforts, community outreach, pre-college programs and holistic admissions process, according to bsu.edu.
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