Dec. 09--Northern Illinois earned an award for its efforts away from the field.
The Huskies were the recipient of the 2016 NCAA and Minority Opportunities Athletic Association Award for Diversity and Inclusion, the NCAA announced Tuesday.
NIU recently revised its athletic department vision statement and strategic plan to "specifically reflect a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and for its efforts to work more cohesively with diverse constituents. The department also dedicated one of its core values purposely to inclusion," according to a news release by NIU.
Athletic director Sean Frazier co-chaired a diversity and inclusion task force which recommended hiring the university's first chief diversity officer. He also appointed staff members to monitor diversity, inclusion and equity.
NIU was recognized for its training seminars on Title IX and its focus on diversity. The school's affirmative action staff has trained and explored issues such as gender and sexuality, methods to increase graduation rates and hosting seminars on violence prevention.
"We are absolutely humbled by this NCAA/MOAA recognition and firmly believe that diversity and inclusion is not a 'sometime thing,' but rather an 'all-the-time thing,' " Frazier said in a statement. "Diversity requires a top-down leadership approach rooted in bringing campus and community constituents together to promote civility, accountability and the creation of a shared agenda."
