Award for Diversity and Inclusion

The Award for Diversity and Inclusion represents a partnership formed by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the Minority Opportunities Athletics Association (MOAA) to recognize and celebrate the initiatives, policies and practices of institutions, athletics departments, and/or conference offices that embrace diversity and inclusion across the intercollegiate athletics community. This can be through community service, professional development, hiring practices and/or programming activities that enhance opportunities for people of diverse cultures, backgrounds and experiences.

Eligibility

NCAA or MOAA member institutions, athletics departments and conference offices are eligible to receive the award.

Criteria

Key characteristics of award winners may include: 

• Focusing on the importance and the benefits of managing diversity, equality and promoting a culture of inclusion. 
• Raising and deepening awareness of equality and diversity issues, from both an employment and service provision point of view. 
• Providing mentoring opportunities and/or programming internally or externally. 
• Supporting inclusive and/or diversity related educational/professional development opportunities. 
• Implementing creative and inclusive work policies to support the needs of a diverse staff. 
• Fostering an environment that celebrates differences. 
• Contributions in the last year for innovative initiatives that affect the organization internally or externally.

Nomination and Selection Process

Nomination forms will be made available via MOAA (www.moaaweb.com) and NCAA (www.ncaa.org/diversity_inclusion) websites beginning on May 15, 2012, with a nomination deadline of September 12, 2012. Two letters of support are required for all nominations and self-nominations are welcome. Nominations will describe how the nominee has fostered leadership and commitment to enhance diversity and inclusion and expanded opportunities for students, staff and/or faculty within the athletics community. Further, letters of support from self-nominated institutions, athletics departments or conference offices must come from members outside of the athletic department/conference office that have knowledge of their accomplishments or involvement with the programming.

The selection committee will consist of individuals from the MOAA membership, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics and the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee.

Recognition

The inaugural winner(s) will be recognized at the 2013 NCAA Convention and participate at the MOAA Symposium to be held in conjunction with the NACDA Convention in June 2013.