University of Iowa staff members Laurie Haag and Betsy Justis were recognized for their ability to foster a sense of community and inclusivity in the workplace, winning the Welcoming and Respectful Environment Award as a part of the 2025 Staff Council Awards.

When the Staff Council Awards were announced on April 3, the award criteria stated the recognition is given to a staff member who provides “outstanding efforts to support access, opportunity, and diversity initiatives.”

The award winners were announced less than a month after the university announced they will be closing the Division of Access, Opportunity, and Diversity, an action directed by the Iowa Board of Regents in an attempt to stay in compliance with recent changes in state and federal laws.

When contacted for comment, the university provided updated criteria — notably without the terms diversity, access, opportunity, and inclusion.

Haag, who works as a program developer for the Women’s Resource Action Center on campus, says she is dedicated more than ever to fostering an inclusive environment.

“I think that we are still dedicated, maybe more than ever, to helping to create a welcoming environment on campus for people who don’t feel entirely welcome here, for whatever reason,” she said.

She said learning about diverse experiences helps her become a better ally and support people in groups she may not identify with. Haag said she has involved herself in multiple organizations, such as the Trans Alliance Committee — which no longer exists on campus — and a community group celebrating those with disabilities, to learn more about individuals with different backgrounds.

“I do not currently have a disability, but I know any of us could at any time,” Haag said. “So, I kind of recognized that that wasn’t an experience I knew very much about, and so I actually joined that group to try to get a better sense of what it was like in this community for people with disabilities.”

Marissa Good, a violence prevention program coordinator at WRAC, nominated Haag for the award. She said Haag is an inspiration, and she commends her continued support for diverse communities following anti-DEI initiatives at the state and federal levels.

“All the things that she’s done previously and continues to do to empower people in our community has been really inspiring to me, and I’ve gotten to experience the impacts of her programming as well,” Good said.

Good emphasized the importance of DEI in the community and the workplace in creating a campus atmosphere that best allows people to thrive.

“I think DEI is super important for having more interesting conversations and events, first of all, for helping students to actually feel welcome in spaces, for providing opportunities that may not otherwise be provided, and really for making your campus an equitable place,” she said.

Justis is an educational licensure specialist in the College of Education who was nominated for the award for her efforts to bring her coworkers together and foster a friendly environment.

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She said her commitment to the “soft” aspects of the workplace — aspects that promote the overall atmosphere and workplace culture — started when she realized the social committee at the college had been previously disbanded post-COVID-19. She began to adopt some of those roles by ensuring every staff member received a birthday card, bringing treats to the office on Fridays, and bringing people together.

She now manages the agenda for the SoWell committee, which continues to foster an inclusive work environment by holding events and initiatives such as candy gram exchanges, March Madness brackets, plant swaps, and more.

She said inclusive initiatives are crucial, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives in the workplace.

“It’s nice to bring those other perspectives in, and without the diverse work world, that wouldn’t happen. You know, ideas wouldn’t happen. Things wouldn’t grow, things wouldn’t change that need to be changed,” Justis said.

Justis said while anti-DEI initiatives have not impacted her or her work directly, actions from the state on diversity, specifically in the K -12 setting, along with funding changes from the state and federal Department of Education, are affecting her coworkers professionally and personally.

She said her committee is of even more importance now to provide her coworkers support.

“I really hope that we continue to do things like this to make it a happier place for them,” Justis said.

Elizabeth Holm, an administrative assistant in the Office of the Dean at the College of Education and a colleague of Justis, wrote a letter of nomination on her behalf. She said Justis has consistently fostered an inclusive work environment and goes beyond the tasks in her job description to maintain her commitment to a welcoming workspace.

“She goes above and beyond to help anybody that’s in need, whether it’s a colleague or students,” Holm said.