IUPUI campus wins Indianapolis mayor’s award for diversity

More than 900 people attended a luncheon Jan. 28 to salute IUPUI and the other award winners. The mayor created the awards to honor businesses and organizations that support workforce diversity, diversity education within the organization, community activities that encourage diversity and other diversity strategies throughout the organization. IUPUI was selected as a winner in the leadership category because it works closely with faculty, staff, students and the Indianapolis community to address diversity needs.

The mayor’s award noted IUPUI created the Office for Multicultural Professional Development, not only to ensure best practices in teaching, but also to provide faculty with a resource on multicultural issues, from career development to publications.

Further, IUPUI’s commitment to diversity is evident from the top down, the award notes. Three of the six vice chancellors are women, and the university recently established a “vision for diversity” that is posted on its Web site. An active participant in neighborhood and community volunteer initiatives, IUPUI regularly partners with the Westside Cooperative Organization to assist residents in nearby neighborhoods. Faculty, staff and students can be found volunteering for America Reads, United Way Day of Caring, and Jam the Jaguar’s Bus Food Drive, to name a few.