■ Diversity , Equity & Inclusion
Continued From Page 16 ranked among the top LGTBQ-friendly campuses in the nation . Our Office for Social Justice and Diversity — which houses our LGBTQ Center , Multicultural Center and Women ’ s Center — also engineers student-focused education , advocacy and engagement to build and enhance an inclusive campus climate . At Montclair , we do not subscribe to the belief that it is impossible to build a diverse , inclusive university and also be excellent . We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing the highest-quality education and making it as affordable as possible for all , and to creating a community that is truly reflective of New Jersey , our country , and the world .
NJIT By Dr . Joel Bloom , President
One of NJIT ’ s greatest strengths is its diversity . In fact , we are ranked among the top 20 nationally for producing African American and Hispanic engineers , and 62 percent of all engineering degrees awarded to African American and Hispanic students by New Jersey public institutions have been awarded by NJIT . That ’ s not enough , though , and we are actively trying to enhance diversity , equity and inclusion on our campus . Some notable efforts include a recent campus climate survey , establishment of our Hispanic and Latinx Leadership Council and a national search for a Chief Diversity Officer . These steps complement the numerous programs already in place , including our Murray Center for Women in Technology , our pre-college program
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that serves more than 4,000 students who are predominantly from underrepresented groups each year , and the important work done by our Office of Diversity and Inclusion .
Ramapo College By Dr . Cindy R . Jebb , President
The late Desmond Tutu , who was a friend of Ramapo College , said , “ Instead of separation and division , all distinctions make for a rich diversity to be celebrated for the sake of the unity that underlies them . We are different so that we can know our need for one another .” As New Jersey ’ s premier public liberal arts college , Ramapo College is different — we are uniquely obligated to the State of New Jersey and truly honored to be responsible for developing the needed ethical leaders of tomorrow . By identifying and valuing diversity through an inclusive and equitable culture , we strengthen our ability to meet the challenges of today and those emerging in the future . We continue to cultivate our 300 + acres as an inclusive environment for study , work and personal growth . Our academic programs are interdisciplinary and uniquely focus on developing empathy , building trust-based relationships and deploying the critical thinking skills necessary for our students to create and lead diverse teams . Further , our co-curricular activities with community organizations , businesses and legislators provide our students with hands-on experiences to invest their energies and talents in ways that serve to more deeply understand and , in turn , elevate the human condition for all .
Collaborative educational opportunity results in a greater understanding of diverse cultures .
Photo : Getty Images / iStockphoto / monkeybusinessimages
Rider University By Dr , Gregory G . Dell ’ Omo , President
Rider University strives to be a leader in diversity , equity and inclusion . To achieve that , the university launched an Inclusive Excellence Plan in 2019 , which sets forth explicit goals around institutional inclusion , including improving the diversity of employees and enhancing the support for underrepresented students , among others . Some milestones achieved so far include hiring Rider ’ s first Chief Diversity Officer , building a new and prominent space for the university ’ s Center for Diversity and Inclusion and consistently scoring favorably on the Campus Pride Index , a national listing of LGBTQ + friendly colleges and universities . As the diversification of Rider ’ s student body continues ( approximately 41 percent of the entire student body is now made up of underrepresented students ), the university is committed to continuously evaluating ways in which it can better serve students , faculty , staff , alumni and the greater community .
Stockton University By Dr . Harvey Kesselman , President
Stockton University ’ s commitment to diversity , equity and inclusion has been an integral part of the university ’ s mission since its opening 50 years ago . In 2021 , Stockton was proud to have earned its fourth Higher Education Excellence in Diversity ( HEED ) Award in five years from INSIGHT into Diversity magazine . Our commitment to DEI initiatives includes all stakeholders . In fact , a recent Board of Trustees ’ resolution reaffirmed our priorities in these areas . For example , a new Race and Racism Education requirement embeds these critical issues within the curriculum . Our Office of Academic Achievement Programs , Stockton Cares initiatives , First Ospreys and other programs address student success and retention , with an emphasis on first-generation , LGBT , Black and Latinx students . Our Student Senate established a Senate Diversity and Inclusion Committee to assure that all student voices are heard . Finally , our more than 60,000 alumni were encouraged to participate in a yearlong Alumni Conference on Diversity , Equity and Inclusion .
Thomas Edison State University By Dr . Merodie A . Hancock , President
During our 50th Anniversary , TESU is celebrating what its academic model has symbolized to
New Jersey ’ s workforce since our institution ’ s Continued On Page 20