The University of Toledo has received the 2014 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.

As a recipient of the annual award — a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion— UT will be featured along with 82 other recipients in INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s November issue.

This is the second year UT has been named as a Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award recipient.

“INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected UT based on our institution’s exemplary diversity and inclusion initiatives, and ability to embrace a broad definition of diversity on our campus, including gender, race, ethnicity, veterans, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community,” said Dr. Shanda Gore, chief diversity officer and associate vice president for equity, diversity and community engagement.

“Specifically, our Campus Climate Survey, administered every other year since 2010 to students, faculty and staff, has directly resulted in more than 30 initiatives to address needs on campus, such as a safety campaign, support for the Anti-Bullying Campaign, and diversity programming — and has received attention on a national scale from other universities who want to use our data and our survey,” Gore said.

In addition, the Campus Climate Survey responses led to the installation of diversity training such as the Culture Building Institute’s Diversity Certificate, which is entering its fourth cohort semester and has successfully graduated 49 UT employees. Diversity training for credit also is available for the first time to graduate-level students starting this fall. Both programs equip participants with specialized understanding of varying cultures and how to promote a culture of diversity, on campus and off.

“We hope the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award serves as a way to honor those institutions of higher education that recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion as part of their everyday campus culture,” said Lenore Pearlstein, publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.