Binghamton receives 2022 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award

For the second year in a row, Binghamton University received the 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 — Binghamton will be featured, along with 102 other recipients, in the November 2022 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

“Receipt of the HEED Award further highlights the work, dedication and commitment of the Binghamton University campus community,” said Karen Jones, vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion. “Our work toward realizing a campus community that not only values diversity, but one that fully embraces all aspects of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging continues daily; this recognition confirms our commitment to this realization.”

INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine selected Binghamton for its comprehensive efforts to become a more diverse and equitable campus.

The University reestablished the Affirmative Action Office and adopted the Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) model to address bias on campus. Composed of campus partners representing a diversity of voices and expertise, BIRT serves in an advisory capacity to provide direction in helping to resolve and prevent bias incidents through campus outreach, education awareness and policy consultation.

Binghamton is proud of its investment in innovative student programming like the 2022 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award-winning Watson College Scholars Program. This academic and professional development initiative encourages and assists students from underrepresented groups to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

And the University remains committed to intentional efforts to foster an inclusive campus environment as outlined in the Road Map to Premier strategic plan, unveiled in 2013, and updated since then.

“We continue to strive to make Binghamton University a campus that is welcoming to every member of our campus community and every person who visits us,” said President Harvey Stenger. “It’s gratifying to receive this award for a second consecutive year because it underscores that diversity, inclusion and being a welcoming community are foundational to who we are and what we do here.”

“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.”

Binghamton joins other SUNY institutions as 2022 HEED Award winners: Farmingdale State College, University at Albany, SUNY Old Westbury and Rockland Community College.

For more information about the 2022 HEED Award, visit insightintodiversity.com.