The Insight Into Diversity HEED Award is an esteemed award bestowed on colleges and universities of all types and sizes across the U.S. The HEED Award committee evaluates an institution’s commitment to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through data, programs, and initiatives as they relate to many aspects of DEI across campuses.
Preparation
The application period for the HEED Award typically opens in early March each year and runs for nearly four months. This allows time for diversity offices to reach across campus to other offices to assist in preparing the application. The goal is to promote a sense of ownership and participation among colleagues and to ease the burden of simply one office doing all the work.
The complexity and length of the application can make it a challenge to gather team members and allocate adequate time to complete it, especially for smaller schools with fewer resources.
Despite the hundreds of schools that submit applications each year, many don’t win. The reasons can vary, from not meeting the committee’s high standards for dedication and success to a lack of demonstrated growth from previous years, or even presenting the appearance of a commitment without offering substance. Offering a robust narrative is vital, and institutions are asked to share information about their DEI programs, efforts, and strategies so that the HEED committee can gain a true understanding of what is happening at a college. In essence, tell us your story.
Methodology
During the review process, each application is evaluated, with schools earning points for both marking checkboxes and the quality of their written responses. “We feel it’s important to use a holistic approach in determining who will be named a HEED Award winner. We look at size and type of school, geographic location, budgets, available resources, and much more. For example, many applicants reported no change in graduation rates over the past years. Most told us the reason was because of COVID and the effects on students’ ability to succeed. Many schools also faced recent anti- DEI legislation, which cut budgets, people, and programs. We also know that schools with open access admissions policies will always have lower graduation rates than an Ivy League school. Things that are out of the control of the applicant, we feel we just should not consider,” says Pearlstein.
Why Schools Apply
Winning the HEED Award is a coveted and highly regarded achievement for any campus. But the application process itself also serves a practical purpose.
Many schools report that they use this time as an opportunity to reach out to other offices and find new ways to collaborate with other employees. They also, more often than not, use the application as a tool or guide for self-assessment to find their strengths and weaknesses and where progress should be made. “Because there is no fee to apply for the HEED Award, it’s a great opportunity to actually audit yourself,” says Pearlstein.
“For the schools that don’t win the award, many contact us to learn why. We always offer constructive feedback, which everyone is always grateful for. They can take the list of what they need to do to their leadership and say ‘I need more resources in order to make us an award-winning institution in the future,’” she says.
For the schools that do win the HEED Award, the marketing opportunities are endless. The value of receiving such an accolade can be immeasurable and is always worth the effort of the application.
