Office of the Provost

ODEI's Work

Diverse people and perspectives enrich the university and civic communities immensely. In collaboration with SUNY campuses, ODEI works to infuse diversity throughout all we do; in return, this fosters an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcomed. Diversity and inclusion go hand-in-hand, and ODEI understands that one cannot function without the other. ODEI works to create a campus climate that is not only diverse but also inclusive of all members of our University. ODEI programs and initiatives accomplish this by enhancing equitable access to educational opportunities, fostering educational and research success for students and faculty, and preparing citizens that are equipped with the intellectual and applied skills to respond creatively to local, regional and state needs in a changing society. ODEI works to cultivate a pipeline of diverse undergraduates, graduate students and faculty to promote academic excellence, vocational proficiency and civic responsibility.

Access: ODEI aspires to fulfill SUNY’s mission to “provide to the people of New York educational services of the highest quality, with the broadest possible access, fully representative of all segments of the population.” ODEI is committed to creating an academic community that reflects the diversity of New York State by supporting underrepresented groups.

Success: The relationship between academic excellence and faculty diversity is widely recognized among the world’s great universities. Enrolling students from diverse backgrounds to SUNY campuses is only one of ODEI’s goals. ODEI also strives to improve student retention and graduation rates by building inclusive learning environments and offering academic support to help diversify SUNY’s academic human resources and integrate diversity-related instruction and research into system-wide initiatives to enhance academic excellence.

Service: New York is undergoing an economic and demographic transformation that is unprecedented. New York is the third most populous state in the nation and one of the most racially and culturally diverse. SUNY, the largest and most comprehensive public higher education system in the nation, prepares new generations of leaders and decision makers who can work effectively in a culturally diverse environment and in an increasingly globalized economy. Success in our fast paced, internationally competitive world depends on developing the knowledge, cognitive skills and cultural competence to respond to new opportunities and challenges.

For more information contact ODEI by email or phone: (518) 320-1189