New Initiatives for Achieving Inclusive Excellence
UNH is broadening the role of the Office of Diversity Initiatives and
advancing the commitment expressed in its Strategic Plan by introducing
The Office of Faculty Development and Inclusive Excellence Initiatives.
Provost Aber says, “The name change and initiatives mirror the national
focus on inclusive excellence, which requires strategic, ongoing
interactions across campus and in all aspects of university life.”
Campus leaders have been promoting minorities, low-income families;
first-generation college students; persons with disabilities,
nontraditional students, as well as other diverse citizens of the state
and beyond. Read more about the name change »
Commitment to Excellence through Diversity
We welcome you to view the video, Many Faces, One Mission: Inclusion, produced in April 2006.
We are grateful to all involved in the advancement of inclusion and
equity. Dedicated individuals and groups across campus have worked on
initiatives critical to improving the academic and social experiences
of living, studying, and working at UNH. This video is a tribute to
that work and to our full potential as a learning community.
Progress of Diversity at UNH
Fall 2012 - UNH receives an NSF ADVANCE Institutional Transformation grant to strengthen policies and implement practices to address gender imbalance, primarily but not solely in the STEM disciplines.
Fall 2011 - The
Diversity Council along with campus stakeholders engaged in a 21-month process
to develop the 2010-2020 Inclusive Excellence Plan, Making Excellence
Inclusive: Advancing Access, Diversity and Equity in an effort to
renew UNH’s commitment to diversity and equity while advancing the key
initiatives championed in the 2004-2009 Diversity Plan.
The
four President’s Commissions participated in an eight-month review process to
identify opportunities for more integrated operations to advance diversity and
equity. The commission review re-affirmed their agency in exposing and confronting inequities as they promote initiatives to create a safer, more welcoming UNH community for members of their
under-represented groups. The creation of the University Council for Inclusive Excellence and Equity was also an outcome of the review process.
Spring 2010 - UNH initiates and hosts the first statewide conversation on Inclusive Excellence
Spring 2009 - President Huddleston announces the establishment of a Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities
Fall 2008 - UNH acquires Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail and Rock Rest Papers for the Milne Collection at Dimond Library
April 2008 - The University celebrates first student-sponsored black family weekend.
January 2007 - The Campus Safe Zones program is re-designed and re-instituted.
Fall 2006 - Administered the first University-wide campus climate
survey for students, faculty and staff. May 2006, First Diversity
Celebration Banquet for an inclusive community of alumni, students,
faculty, staff, and members of the external community
September 2005 - UNH’s Diversity Plan endorsed and implemented to advance goals of previous diversity proposals developed
in 1994, 1991, and 1989
January 2005 - First Vice Provost for Diversity, Dr. Wanda Mitchell, appointed
April and June, 2004 - Faculty Senate Diversity Statement and the
University’s Commitment to Diversity Statement endorsed and developed
2001 - The President’s Commission on the Status of GLBT Issues established, originating from the GL Task Force in 1992
1999 - Common Purposes, a floor in Devine Hall, developed to promote diversity among students
1999 - Domestic Partner Benefits instituted at UNH
1997 - The President’s Commission on the Status of People of Color established
1991 - Departments develop their first action plan for establishing
five-year affirmative action goals to increase the representation of
women and minority faculty and staff
1990 - The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs Office (OMSA) created
1989 - First African American commencement speaker, Alex Haley
1985 - First high-ranking African American administrator, Dr. Carmen Buford, Associate Dean of Students, appointed
1980 - First woman president, Dr. Evelyn Handler, appointed
1978 - First African American honorary doctorate recipient, Clark Terry
1972 - The President’s Commission on the Status of Women established
1968 - First African American administrator appointed, Myrna Adams, Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs
1968 - First African American faculty, Dr. Lester Fisher, appointed
1927 - First woman faculty member, Naomi Ekdahl, appointed
1926 - First African American graduate, Elizabeth Ann Virgil
1890 - First women, Lucy Swallow and Delia Brown, accepted as students
