The new Chancellor’s Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity and Chancellor’s Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility are among five Chancellor’s Awards introduced in 2010. These awards are intended to recognize excellence in the strategic mission areas of the institution.

The unique perspectives that the diverse faculty, students and staff bring to UMass Medical School are fundamental to what makes this institution a leading academic health sciences center. Two new institutional awards will recognize individuals who have supported diversity as a driver of the Medical School’s excellence and demonstrated civility as a core institutional value, in recognition of the importance of diversity and civility to the strategic mission. Chancellor Michael F. Collins, in collaboration with the Council on Equal Opportunity and Diversity (CEOD) and the Civility Committee, will present the inaugural Chancellor’s Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Diversity and Chancellor’s Award for Advancing Institutional Excellence in Civility at the annual UMMS Martin Luther King Day Celebration on Monday, Jan. 24, in the Faculty Conference Room.

“As an institution, we are as deeply committed to fostering diversity and civility as we are to promoting excellence in teaching, research and service,” said Chancellor Collins. “All of these elements are intrinsically connected to our success as an academic health sciences center. It is, therefore, important, appropriate and fitting to recognize individuals and groups who embody such core values and to do so at our annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.”

The diversity award will recognize an individual or group that exemplifies characteristics embodied in the institution’s diversity statement as outlined on the nomination form. Similarly, the civility award will recognize an individual or group that exemplifies the values described in the UMMS civility statement and outlined on the nomination form. Nominations for both awards are due to the Diversity and Equal Opportunity Office by Friday, Dec. 10. A selection committee assembled by the CEOD and Civility Committee will review all of the nominations and choose candidates to forward to the chancellor, who will choose the award recipients.

For additional information, contact the Diversity and Equal Opportunity Office at 508-856-2179 or diversity@umassmed.edu.