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Cleveland Institute of Art has been recognized by the Greater Cleveland Partnership as one of the 50 Northeast Ohio organizations making the most progress toward advancing diversity.

In acknowledgment of CIA’s efforts to improve inclusion in the make-up of its board, senior management, workforce, and suppliers, Greater Cleveland Partnership named CIA to its 2013 Commission 50. The designation is based on scores on the most recent Employers Survey on Diversity™, which is produced by the Commission on Economic Inclusion, a program of the Partnership.

“It’s very gratifying to have our efforts acknowledged by the Greater Cleveland Partnership,” said CIA President and CEO Grafton Nunes. “As a school, employer and customer, we continually strive to celebrate difference in both words and actions.”

One of the first organizational changes Nunes made after taking office at CIA in 2010 was to redefine the title and the role of then Human Resources Director Raymond Scragg, making him executive director of human resources and inclusion.

“President Nunes has made it clear that he wants diversity and inclusion to be high priorities at CIA,” said Scragg. “We are mindful of that priority in hiring faculty and staff and in the selection of suppliers and vendors.”

Nunes noted that CIA has made great strides in attracting students of color to enroll in this undergraduate college of art and design. At the start of the current academic year, 21 % of enrolled students were minorities, whereas in 2000, only 12% of CIA students were from minority groups.

The 50 employers recognized by the Greater Cleveland Partnership are listed alphabetically on the Commission on Economic Inclusion’s website, here.