Accepting the
Opportunity Award on behalf of Texas A&M University
were (holding award) James Fletcher, A&M System vice chancellor for
administration, and (second from left) John White, chairman of the A&M
System Board of Regents. Representing the Department of Labor were (left
to right) Charles James, Sr., deputy assistant secretary of labor for the
employment standards administration and director of the office of federal
contract compliance programs; Elaine Chao, secretary of labor; and Victoria
Lipnic, assistant secretary of labor for employment standards.
(Washington, D.C.)—Texas A&M University recently became the first institution of higher education to be honored with the U.S. Secretary of Labor’s prestigious Opportunity Award. The university received the award Nov. 15, during the U.S. Department of Labor’s annual Exemplary Voluntary Efforts (EVE) ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Texas A&M received the award in recognition of its outstanding efforts in recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce. U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao said the award “represents the highest level of voluntary commitment to equal employment opportunity endeavors.”
“The innovative and exemplary programs developed and implemented by Texas A&M University set an example for the entire federal contractor community,” Chao said in a letter informing Texas A&M President Robert Gates of the university’s selection for the prestigious award.
It was an award that Texas A&M officials didn’t expect to receive. The university was nominated for and applied for a Labor Department EVE Award. However, after reviewing Texas A&M’s outstanding programs, judges instead opted to award the university its top award. The Opportunity Award is awarded annually to just one federal contractor nationwide that has established and instituted comprehensive workforce strategies ensuring equal employment opportunity. Past recipients include Dell, QualComm, Westinghouse Electric and Procter & Gamble.
A large delegation
from the A&M System traveled to Washington,
D.C. to participate in the Department of Labor’s awards festivities
and celebrate Texas A&M University receiving the Opportunity Award.
Texas A&M University System Board of Regents Chairman John White led a university/system delegation that attended the ceremony. James Fletcher, vice chancellor for administration for the A&M System, formally accepted the award on the university’s behalf.
Fletcher cited 14 programs that the university conducts in support of equal employment opportunities and diversity, among other initiatives. One of the cited programs notes the minority and female representation that Texas A&M has among its top administrative and academic officers, particularly at the levels of vice president and dean.
“The university has a multitude of programs and initiatives specifically designed to increase and improve diversity across campus, including diversity workshops and training, affinity groups for faculty and staff, and the faculty reinvestment initiative,” Fletcher said. “Receiving the award reflects well on the A&M System’s commitment to creating an environment that respects and nurtures all members of our faculty, staff and student communities.”
At the awards ceremony, White said, “We have always understood that our students—the next generation of leaders—are best served when their professors and mentors embody not just the intellectual diversity one expects to find in the marketplace of ideas, but also the racial diversity of our great state.”
A summary of the nomination document, including overviews of all 14 cited
programs and related information, can be viewed at the
System's website. 