Excelsior College to Host Webinars on Diversity

ALBANY, NY (04/02/2008)(readMedia)-- Excelsior College will be hosting a series of webinars in April and June on a variety of topics related to issues of diversity and inclusion in education and the professions. Entitled Transforming the Institutions of a Diverse Nation: An Imperative for the Twenty-first Century, the webinars are intended to provide a forum for discussion of best practices nationally and internationally on the integration of diversity and multiculturalism into the mainstream of organizations.

The webinars will be held from 1:00-2:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the following dates:

April 16, 2008 – From Catalyst to Transformation: A Chief Diversity Officer's Vision for Driving Diversity to the Core of the Academy. Dr. Nancy “Rusty” Barcelo, vice president and vice provost in the Office for Equity & Diversity at the University of Minnesota, will discuss the integration of diversity throughout educational institutions and the role of the chief diversity officer on college and university campuses in achieving this transformation.

April 30, 2008 – Transforming the Education Pipeline for Diverse Students: Results that Affect the Twenty-first Century. Stanley Hansen, executive coordinator, New York State Education Department, Office of K-16 Initiatives & Access Programs, will present on successful programs in operation within the state.

June 12, 2008 – Advocating for a More Inclusive Legal Profession. The Hon. Helena Heath-Roland, Albany City Court Judge and Lillian Moy, executive director of the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York will identify some of the obstacles to inclusion and strategies for increasing academic success for diverse populations pursuing a career in the legal profession.

Participation in the webinars is open to and encouraged among professionals that have an interest in the promotion of diversity and multiculturalism in their respective organizations. All sessions are free and pre-registration is recommended. To register, interested parties should go to http://excelsior.edu/diversitywebinar.

Recognizing the need for greater dialog and action related to issues of diversity and multiculturalism, the Leadership Council on Inclusion was formed in early 2007 under the sponsorship of Excelsior College. Initially comprised of the chief diversity officers at higher education institutions in the Albany region, it presently also includes representation from business enterprises, government, and the legal profession. Its purpose is to promote a positive transformation of organizations through the advocacy of diversity and multiculturalism as a mainstream aspect of society.

Excelsior College (www.excelsior.edu) is a private, nonprofit institution of higher learning and a recognized world leader in the field of online education. Founded in 1971 and located in Albany, N.Y., it is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Excelsior College Examinations are recognized by the American Council on Education (ACE), Center for Adult Learning and Educational Credentials, for the award of college-level credit.

U.S. News & World Report’s “America's Best Colleges” report has repeatedly recognized Excelsior College with top rankings for number of transfer students in the nation and the highest percentage of students over 25 years old.

(Top 100 Lists http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankwebex_brief.php)