INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education, has awarded the University the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity award for the fifth year in a row. The University was one of 83 institutions to receive the award.
To be considered for this honor, an institution must demonstrate an institution-wide commitment to diversity and be subjected to a rigorous application process. INSIGHT looks for institutions where diversity and inclusion are woven into the work accomplished across a campus every day.
Vice Provost of Diversity Dereck Rovaris Sr. said once the University was considered, approximately 10-15 people came to campus to ask questions about diversity in a number of different areas. He said INSIGHT’s publishing group assesses and awards schools that meet the requirements and continue making progress.
“We’re not where we want to be, but we’re a lot further along than we were,” Rovaris said.
Rovaris said race, ethnicity, sexual identification and orientation, disability, veteran status, language origin and country of origin were a few elements of diversity to be considered.
“We want to make sure that our student body is diverse,” Rovaris said. “In addition to that, we have a commitment to making sure that the faculty and staff are diverse.”
Psychology sophomore Olivia Pottschmidt said the University’s student body is diverse, but inclusiveness is not quite where it should be.
“What you see on the surface is not what’s actually here,” Pottschmidt said.
Pottschmidt said the university should consider the idea of making the base-level Women’s and Gender Studies class a general education requirement to benefit a lot of students. She said a bigger and better LGBT Club could also help.
Rovaris said students should not be “sitting on the sidelines and watching,” but instead participating and actively engaging in all activities the University has to offer.
“Diversity is one part of the equation, and inclusive is the other part,” Rovaris said. “So we completely celebrate and receive the rich diversity we have invited to campus.”
Marketing senior Shatara Warner said she feels the University is diverse and inclusive for the most part, especially in the E.J. Ourso College of Business, where she studies. She said there is always more room for improvement, however, in making everyone feel welcomed.
Rovaris said the University still faces one challenge: increasing the diversity in the faculty and staff. He said it is a challenge because there is little diversity to choose from within the pool of potential faculty and staff members. He said the institution and all departments have to work together to strive for diversity in the faculty body.
“LSU has come a long way. Being able to receive this award five years in a row says we’re doing some things right,” Rovaris said. “It’s an encouraging award, but it’s also a challenge for us to continue to do good work.”