THE NOMINATION PERIOD IS CLOSED; PLEASE WATCH THIS SITE FOR 2013 AWARD INFORMATION.

Presidential Diversity Award Recipients

The University of Rochester Diversity Awards recognize the accomplishments of faculty, staff, students, units, departments, or other functional teams of the University or graduates of the University that contribute to diversity and inclusion through exemplary leadership. Recipients should demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion through recruitment and retention efforts, teaching, research, multi-cultural programming, cultural competency, community outreach activities, or other initiatives

Success in leading and enhancing diversity and inclusion efforts can be demonstrated in many ways. Nominations should be based on demonstrated leadership in one or more of the following areas:

• Activities to recruit, retain, and professionally develop individuals who increase the diversity of our faculty or staff
• Activities to attract or recruit students who increase the diversity of our schools, or to help ensure the success of those students
• Activities to create leadership teams and organizations that promote a diverse and inclusive culture
• Sponsorship or active promotion of programs, initiatives, or projects in the area of diversity and inclusion
• Collaboration with campus or community groups in the creation, sponsorship, and implementation of programs, initiatives, or projects in the area of diversity and inclusion
• Recognition and celebration of exemplary individual and team behaviors that promote diversity and inclusion

Nominees should be current faculty, staff, students, units, departments, or other functional teams of the University. Nominations can be submitted by individual employees (including supervisors, direct reports and peers of the nominees), students, University organizations, employee networks and diversity councils. Applications will be judged on the following criteria.

• Demonstration of emerging or sustained commitment to the values of diversity, inclusion, and multiculturalism by documented efforts that are above and beyond the routine expectations of the job or project.
• Evidence of exceptional efforts to promote a University environment that is free from bias and discrimination.
• Substantiation of the contribution that the individual, team, or unit has made towards advancing diversity and inclusion.

The Diversity Awards Selection Committee will choose a maximum of two award recipients per year. Award recipients will be honored during the University's Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Address or other appropriate occasion. Their names will be added to an awards plaque, which will be posted alongside the plaque recognizing the winners of the Witmer and Meliora Awards. Each Presidential Diversity Award includes a $2,500 prize. Individual award winners will receive half and will designate half to support the budget of a program or department of the winner's choice. Team award winners will designate the entire $2,500 prize to the program or department of the team's choice. In designating the prize money to a program or department, the individual or team should choose from those programs and departments that are doing work in the area of diversity or inclusion. Award winners may choose their own program or department. Award recipients will be recognized in a University publication such as Currents or @Rochester.

• The nomination deadline is November 11, 2011.
• Use a separate Nomination Form for each nominee. Make sure that the contact information is accurate and complete.
• Nomination form
  • PDF (Printable only format)
  • Microsoft Word Document (Type in; can be saved to computer)
• A nomination statement should be attached to this form and should not exceed two pages. The nomination statement should specifically identify the individual or team's contributions and accomplishments.
• Submit three letters of support for the nomination. One of the letters of support should be from the supervisor, department chair, center director, or dean (in the case of an individual nominee) or from a supervisory individual representing the lead office or lead sponsor (in the case of a unit/organization/team nominee).