UHCL honors former professor with diversity award

TIFFANY SEXTON
THE SIGNAL

Hayes worked at UHCL from 1994 to 2013 in a variety of roles during his tenure. He served as vice president and provost from 1994 to 2007. When he retired as provost, he worked as a professor of counseling in the School of Education from 2007 to 2013.

Hayes will receive “The Dr. Edward James Hayes Award” honoring his accomplishments in increasing diversity and cultural awareness throughout UHCL as part of the university’s Black History Month celebration. The ceremony will be held Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 4 p.m. in the Garden Room. It is free for everyone to attend.

Hayes is the first person to receive this award created in his honor. His accomplishments to build a foundation for diversity are being recognized by this award.

“When I first started working at UHCL in 1994, the faculty consisted of at least 96 to 97 percent Caucasian employees, coupled with less than 10 full-time employees [of a different race],” Hayes said. “I was the only African-American faculty member.”

The student body at that time was slightly more diverse than the faculty.

“The student body in 1994 consisted of at least 75 to 80 percent Caucasian, 5 to 7 percent Latina and Asian, and less than 5 percent African-American,” Hayes said. “Although the campus always had a strong international population, and the administration was satisfied this was making up for the diversity on campus, I was concerned with the people of color.”

Hayes wanted to make a difference in the UHCL community, not just with the students, but with the faculty and administration as well. Hayes’ accomplishments through the years can be seen through the university’s changing demographics.

Our current stats in our student body stand at 47 percent white, 23 percent Hispanic, 10 percent black, 7 percent Asian, and 13 percent other.

Our currents stats among our faculty stand at 62.4 percent white, 16.8 percent international, 8 percent Asian, 6.4 percent Hispanic and 4.8 percent black. Statistics provided by UHCL’s Office of Institutional Research.

“When I left UHCL we were the most diverse school in the UH system,” Hayes said.

Hayes made a difference in both the UHCL student body and faculty throughout his time at UHCL, but he struggled with the senior-level administration.

“When I first started working at UHCL there was little or no diversification among the senior-level administration, now since I left, there’s none,” Hayes said.
Hayes worked with a group of people he said were very participatory in helping him with the agenda he had for the campus.

“We all make up the community at UHCL,” Hayes said. “The administration, faculty and custodial staff make that place comfortable.”

Hayes never wanted to make the changes toward diversity on his own, he knew he couldn’t. He needed people at the university to be behind him in making decisions.

“He was a driving force that the university was comfortable with,” said Linda Bullock, assistant dean of student diversity. “We all understood his advocacy, his need and desire for diversity.”

Growing up in both pre- and post-civil war America taught Hayes how to survive.

“You either do nothing about your circumstances and complain about them or you try to change them,” Hayes said.

Hayes said he fought many battles at UHCL, but the one battle he was the most proud of ‘winning’ was the change of the attitude on campus toward diversity. People no longer believe diversity to be a burden, Hayes said; people are now starting to believe more diversity in the pool is good thing for our society.

Hayes’ passion for diversity was recognized by the committee and others that worked closely with him.

“He is truly a wonderful man that had such passion for the students,” Bullock said. “When the committee sat down to decide who should be the first one to receive an award about increasing cultural diversity, it was a unanimous decision that it would be Hayes.”

Hayes said it was never about self-recognition. He was happy being the man behind the scenes anticipating what needed to be accomplished and then actually seeing it get accomplished. Hayes said he does not just stand for the people of color; he also stands for gender and all ethnicities and races.

“My main concern is if UHCL is going to continue to make progress now that I am gone,” Hayes continued, “Where are we going from here?”

Although Hayes is concerned about where the university is going, he is very moved by the award he is going to receive.

“When I found out about the award I was, and still am, surprised because things were so hard to accomplish during that time period,” Hayes said. “I am extremely honored to be remembered, but it is not an award for me, it is an award for perpetuity. It is an award for people down the road that will share my passion for diversity, and it is wonderful.

“I am never satisfied with what I think we can do in the area of diversity, but I am very mindful that the university approved of this award,” Hayes continued. “It is a commitment to increase diversity amongst this campus, and for that I am very proud.”

In the coming years the award will be titled the “Hayes Commitment to Diversity Award.” It will honor anyone who is an advocate for increasing cultural diversity within the UHCL community.

The guidelines for the award are still being decided upon, but we do know it will be an annual award, with a committee to establish nominees, and UHCL students, faculty and staff will be able to vote on who they believe should receive the award for increasing their diversity.

For more information about the award ceremony, contact the Office of Intercultural Student Services.