Redding Award to recognize campus diversity efforts

The University of Delaware Commission to Promote Racial and Cultural Diversity is seeking nominations for the annual Louis Lorenzo Redding Diversity Award.

The award recognizes the promotion, enhancement and implementation of diversity by individuals, units, departments or organizations resulting in a significant change in the campus climate and/or composition within the University community.

The Redding Diversity Award honors the late outstanding civil rights attorney, a graduate of Howard High School in Wilmington, Brown University and Harvard Law School and the first African American to be admitted to the Delaware bar. Mr. Redding was a tireless fighter for civil rights within the legal system and was instrumental in the desegregation of the University of Delaware in 1949 and in other landmark events. Mr. Redding also is known for his arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court as part of his work with the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.

This award, which recognizes Mr. Redding's contributions to racial and cultural diversity, consists of a plaque and a $1,000 gift to the Morris Library in the recipient's honor. The recipient may help select educational materials for the library in conjunction with library staff members.

Last year's recipient was the University Library. Previous recipients include the College of Engineering's RISE (Resources to Insure Successful Engineers) Program and the Office of Residence Life.

This year's award recipient will be announced at 4 p.m., Monday, April 2, at a public lecture in the Trabant University Center Theatre. Leland Ware, Louis L. Redding Professor of Law and Public Policy, will be the speaker.

Nominations for the award must be received by March 19. Nomination forms and accompanying documentation (no more than two pages) should be sent to Gloria Davis, 124 Hullihen Hall.

Current members of the Commission to Promote Racial and Cultural Diversity and employees of the Office of Affirmative Action and Multicultural Programs may not be considered for the award.

For information, contact Judith Gibson, affirmative action and multicultural programs, at 831-8735 or via e-mail at [jygibson@udel. edu].