Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Awards

Any current University employee may nominate an eligible candidate.

Nominee must have three years of cumulative service at the University by the nomination date to be considered for this award.

Leadership Award: The candidate must be a current, full-time University academic/administrative faculty or classified staff member who has not previously received this award.

Excellence in Practice Award: The candidate must be a current, full-time University academic or administrative faculty member or classified staff member whose job description explicitly includes diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility responsibilities and who has not previously been awarded the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Leadership Award.

The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will send a campus announcement calling for nominations in early spring.

Nominations are due to the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by March 13.

Each nomination should include the following information, which will be submitted through the nomination form:

• Nominator Information: The nominator should indicate how they know the nominee, the length of time they have known them, and their familiarity with the nominee’s contributions to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
• Nominee Information: The nominee’s current role within the university and their department/unit.
• Nomination Criteria: Responses to the following questions should highlight the ways in which the nominee’s work in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility is exceptional:
  • For the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Leadership Award, responses should address diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility-related work that occurs outside of the nominee’s formal role responsibilities.
  • For the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Excellence in Practice Award, responses should address diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility-related work that exceeds formal role responsibilities.
• Areas of Focus
  • Educational and Programming Efforts: How has the nominee advanced the understanding and practice of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the context of designing and implementing educational events and programs that engage faculty, staff, students, and/or community members?
  • Advocacy and Policy Impact: How has the nominee advocated for the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility and engaged in work to create/revise policies, procedures and practices in ways that make the University’s commitment to these values apparent to campus and community members?
  • Innovation and Sustainable Change: How has the nominee designed and implemented innovative and sustainable strategies to improve the climate of the University and the larger northern Nevada community?

Nominations are collected through the nomination form.

Two letters of support are required. Up to three letters of support may be submitted by individuals familiar with the nominee’s work, including students, faculty, and staff. Letters of support must be submitted separately through the designated Letter of Support submission process.

Nominees will be evaluated by a selection committee composed of previous recipients of the awards and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion staff members.

The award recipient will be notified in early April and receive the award in early May.