About ODEE
Academic Excellence through Diversity
The State University of New York (SUNY) Office of Diversity and Educational Equity (ODEE) was established in August of 2007. The office, which is headed by the Vice Provost for Diversity and Educational Equity and reports to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, provides leadership and strategic direction to all SUNY campuses for developing and implementing a portfolio of diversity programs.
In close collaboration with campuses, ODEE enhances academic excellence by promoting the integration of diversity-related instruction and policy-oriented research. The link between academic excellence and diversity is indispensable in the modern university. Recent studies show that diversity in thought increases organizational strength, creativity, innovation and productivity-and there is significant evidence that people's identity groups matter when it comes to diversity in thinking. Through the creative marshaling of resources, strategic investments and consultation with chief diversity officers system-wide, ODEE develops a focused approach to enhance access, success, diversity and academic excellence at SUNY. The fundamental academic mission of ODEE is to help SUNY fulfill its responsibility to create knowledge that will benefit society and prepare a new generation of public and corporate leaders, as well as a highly skilled and technically proficient workforce, that can work effectively in a culturally diverse environment.
ODEE administers four programs that were enacted by the state legislature almost twenty years ago to promote access, equity and diversity at SUNY: the Faculty Diversity Program, the Graduate Diversity Fellowship Program, the Empire State Diversity Honors Scholarship Program and the Native American Initiative. Additionally, ODEE has direct management and oversight responsibilities for the Office of Opportunity Programs and the University Center for Academic and Workforce Development. These programs were designed to help SUNY realize its mission of providing a quality education "with the broadest possible access, fully representative of all segments of the population."
View and Download the ODEE Brochure (PDF)