May 19, 2008

ORONO, Maine--The University of Maine athletic department has been honored in the area of diversity with a Diversity in Athletics Award for Gender Diversity. Maine was one of 12 schools nationally honored for Gender Diversity. The award is given on an annual basis by the Laboratory for Diversity in Sport at Texas A&M University, in collaboration with the NCAA.

The Diversity in Athletics Award recognizes the NCAA Division I athletics departments that excel in the area of diversity. Through independent research conducted by the Laboratory for Diversity in Sport, the award winners are those that have achieved the highest total combined scores in the area of diversity strategy, gender diversity of departmental employees, racial diversity of departmental employees, value and attitudinal diversity of departmental employees, graduation of African-American female and male student-athletes, and gender equity compliance.

Data was collected from all NCAA Division I university athletic departments. Data was also collected via questionnaires and through archival data sources. Consistent with the mission of the Lab, this Award is aimed at recognizing the athleitc departments that excel in the area of diversity.

For more information on the 2007-08 Diversity in Athletics awards, please visit the Laboratory for Diversity in Sport website at http://lds.tamu.edu.

-U-M-