Texas Christian University has received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity for the third consecutive year. The award measures an institution’s level of commitment to broadening diversity and inclusion on campus through initiatives, programs and outreach; student recruitment, retention and completion; and hiring practices for faculty and staff. TCU is one of 90 institutions across the United States to earn recognition this year.
“I am pleased that TCU has been recognized for its continued commitment to diversity and inclusion,” Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. said. “This award acknowledges our significant work and commitment to the efforts underway in the DEI space. It does not represent a destination in our DEI work—rather it will push us to go deeper into our study, actions and efforts.”
Actions taken this year by TCU include the following:
- TCU established a Student Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award in 2019 to honor a student who leads initiatives addressing inequality, discrimination and exclusion in localized and/or institutional ways.
- Twenty students participated in the recently established STEM Scholars Program, which covers 100% of the cost of attendance for four years.
- The Neeley School of Business launched a TCU chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants in 2019.
- A $10 million gift establishing the endowed Brenda and Mike Harrison Scholarship program; the funds from the endowment will be used to provide permanent need- and merit-based financial aid to students from middle-income families.
- The Office of Admission created an Access Initiatives Committee, adding a layer of accountability in its review of historically underrepresented students to mitigate bias.
- The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid provide numerous scholarships for underrepresented college students.
“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,” Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, said. “We take a detailed approach to reviewing each application in deciding who will be named a HEED Award recipient. Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work being done every day across their campus.”
Other recipients of the 2020 HEED Award include:
Adelphi University
Arkansas State University
Augustana College (Illinois)
Ball State University
Brown University
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Northridge
California State University San Marcos
Case Western Reserve University
Central Washington University
Clemson University
Columbia University in the City of New York
Cuyahoga Community College
Davenport University
East Carolina University
El Paso County Community College District
Florida State University
Framingham State University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia State University
Grand Valley State University
Greenville Technical College
Hillsborough Community College
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Kansas State University
Kent State University
Lawrence University
Lehigh University
Louisiana State University
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Miami University
Millersville University
Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver
Ohio University
Oklahoma State University
Oregon State University
Pikes Peak Community College
Regis College
Rochester Institute of Technology
Santa Rosa Junior College
Seminole State College of Florida
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Stetson University College of Law
SUNY Buffalo State College
SUNY Old Westbury
Swarthmore College
Texas A&M University
Texas Tech University
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Missouri-Saint Louis
The University of Texas at Austin
The University of Tulsa
Towson University
Union College (New York)
University at Albany, State University of New York
University of Central Florida
University of Cincinnati
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Dayton
University of Georgia
University of Houston
University of Houston Law Center
University of Houston-Downtown
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Kentucky
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisville
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of North Florida
University of North Texas
University of Oregon
University of Pittsburgh of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
University of Rochester
University of South Carolina
University of South Florida
University of West Florida
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Virginia University
Western Michigan University
Whitworth University
William & Mary
William Marsh Rice University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)
Xavier University