Today, Rockland Community College received the 2022 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. As a recipient of the annual HEED Award — a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion — Rockland Community College will be featured, along with 102 other recipients, in the November 2022 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. This is the second year RCC has been named as a HEED Award recipient.
Rockland Community College is proud to be a HEED Award Recipient for a second year in a row. RCC Officer in Charge Dr. Susan Deer stated that “we take pride in our diversity, which is a collaboration between the college and the community, where we provide resources and opportunities for all. Diverse college campuses bring a variety of perspectives that open our minds and innovative ideas that expand our horizons. This creates an atmosphere of respect, where we value our differences, build trust and understanding across cultures. We will continue to work together to increase diversity initiatives across the campus community.”
INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected Rockland Community College in part due to the college’s collaborative approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Recognizing that effective diversity, equity and inclusion work cannot be undertaken by one small office, the college established the Steps Beyond Statements committee. The committee has representation from students, administrators and faculty, reports to the Chief Diversity Officer and the President (currently the Officer in Charge), and is responsible for moving the diversity, equity, and inclusion/inclusive excellence agenda. According to RCC Chief Diversity Officer Melissa L. Roy, JD, “the committee’s work will be critical to the success of the College’s Inclusive Excellence Plan, which was established during the 2021-2022 academic year and includes more than 200 action items to be undertaken through the 2025-2026 academic year.”
“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 — leadership support for diversity, campus culture and climate, supplier diversity, and many other aspects of campus diversity and inclusion,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “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.”
RCC is one of five campuses and the only community college of the State University of New York (SUNY) to be recognized this year with the HEED Award. Other recipients of the 2022 HEED Award are:
- Adelphi University
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- Arkansas State University
- Augustana College (IL)
- Ball State University
- Berklee College of Music
- Binghamton University
- Broward College
- California State University Los Angeles
- California State University San Marcos
- California State University, Fresno
- Case Western Reserve University
- Clemson University
- Colorado School of Mines
- Columbia University in the City of New York
- Cuyahoga Community College
- Davenport University
- East Carolina University
- El Paso County Community College District
- Emory University
- Farmingdale State College
- Florida Atlantic University
- Florida State University
- Franklin & Marshall College
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Greeneville Technical College
- Hope College
- Hudson County Community College
- Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis
- Indiana University Bloomington
- James Madison University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Kansas State University
- Kent State University
- Lehigh University
- Miami University
- Millersville University
- Mississippi State University
- Mount Holyoke College
- Northern Illinois University
- Northwestern University
- Ohio University
- Oklahoma State University
- Oregon State University
- Portland State University
- Princeton University
- Regis College
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- Rowan University
- Saginaw Valley State University
- San Diego State University
- Santa Clara University
- Smith College
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
- Southern Illinois University System
- Southwestern Law School
- Stetson University College of Law
- Suffolk University
- SUNY Old Westbury
- Swarthmore College
- Temple University
- Texas A & M University
- Texas A & M University – San Antonio
- Texas Christian University
- Texas Tech University
- The University of Alabama
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham
- The University of Texas at Arlington
- The University of Texas at Austin
- The University of Texas at San Antonio
- The University of Tulsa
- Towson University
- Tulane University
- University at Albany
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of Central Florida
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Houston
- University of Houston Law Center
- University of Illinois Chicago
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- University of Kentucky
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- University of Louisville
- University of Massachusetts Lowell
- University of Missouri – St. Louis
- University of North Carolina Charlotte
- University of North Carolina Greensboro
- University of North Florida
- University of North Texas
- University of Oklahoma
- University of Oregon
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of South Florida
- University of West Florida
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania
- Widener University
- William & Mary
For more information about the 2022 HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com.
For more information about Rockland Community College, visit www.sunyrockland.edu.
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