Harvard University

Companies

A University-wide task force on diversity and inclusion released its final report Tuesday, calling on central administrators to coordinate efforts across Harvard’s schools to “fully integrate all members of the University into academic, professional, and social contexts.” The report, which is the final product of the 55-member Presidential Task Force on Inclusion and Belonging, asks Harvard to “become its best self” through a framework of “Four Goals” and “Four Tools” and a set of eight concrete recommendations. The task force discussed “many dimensions of diversity,” according to the report, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, and ideology. Its recommendations aim to achieve “mutually reinforcing” goals of inclusion and academic freedom, the report says, calling both of these ideals “core to Harvard’s mission.” Faust highlighted the parts of the report she will implement before leaving office, including designating $10 million in presidential funds to new faculty hires and requiring deans and administrators to produce plans to advance inclusion and belonging in their schools or units. The final iteration of the report still contains many of the recommendations in its draft version, including its first recommendation, which focuses on evaluating the University’s symbols, revising its values statement and alma mater, and creating inclusive spaces. Like the earlier draft, the final task force report emphasizes staff inclusion—particularly in a recommendation calling for University Human Resources to “enable staff talent and improve organizational culture.” In addition to the “school-specific” discrepancies in recruitment and promotion of diverse faculty, the report also raised issues surrounding interpersonal relations and the culture of the University. The task force also recommended that Harvard build two University-wide centers designed by faculty, with one center focusing on “identity, politics, and culture” and the second on “higher education, inclusion and belonging. In order to measure progress moving forward, the report lays out recommendations for improving data collection on diversity and inclusion metrics across schools.