A landscape and status report on diversity and inclusion at the Harvard Chan School

October 28, 2015

Diversity is an essential element of our global commitment to public health…

Our school is strengthened by our diverse, cross-cultural community of

students, faculty, and staff, who bring a multiplicity of voices and viewpoints to

our shared endeavors.

Climate of inclusion

Diversity of Harvard

Chan School community

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion

• Meredith Rosenthal, Associate Dean for Diversity

• Kim Truong, Director of Inclusion Programs

• Felisa Nobles, Director of Recruitment and Special Assistant to the Dean

• Ra’Shaun Nalls, Associate Director of Community Engagement (joint position with Office of Education)

• Program manager/coordinator in ODI position posted (replacement)

• 16 Student Ambassadors

The Dean’s Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (DACDI)

• Committee of students, alumni, staff, faculty and research appointees

• Identifies opportunities and priorities for diversity and inclusion

• Advises the Dean and ODI on strategies and tactics for increasing diversity and inclusion

• Elicits community input on issues and design of diversity and inclusion programs, policies

• Send your ideas to: dacdi@hsph.harvard.edu

Major Issues in Harvard Chan Diversity and Inclusion Discussion Last Year

• School leadership on issues of racial, social justice and implications for public health

• Need for increased student, staff, and faculty diversity

• Training and educational opportunities to expand awareness of the dynamics of privilege and bias and develop tools to mitigate their effects

• Increased focus on social justice and community engagement as part of public health education and the School’s broader mission

• A coordinated approach to monitor, assess, engage in dialogue and improve diversity and inclusion at the Harvard Chan School

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Climate

Efforts to Increase Cultural Awareness and Inclusive Practices Across the Harvard Chan School

Students

Orientation

Opportunities throughout the year including dLOV, Power and Differences

Curriculum reforms as a platform for new competencies

Staff

Interactive workshops on topics such as identity, bias and

working in diverse teams

Diversity Dialogues offered through

Longwood Medical Area collaboration with HMS,

HSDM

Faculty and researchers

Workshops for inclusive teaching and mentoring

Expanded opportunities offered in partnership

with departments

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Building Social Justice Into the Fabric of Education at the Harvard Chan School

• Restructured orientation in 2015 to ground the experience in social justice and inclusion

• Common reading (Covering) and guest lecture by Kenji Yoshino on identity expression (students and staff) as a civil rights issue

• Birth outcomes in Boston case study: connection to local community and underpinnings of health inequities

• New core courses under development will be designed to deliver competencies related to equity and inclusion

Ongoing Programs and Workshops in ODI

Making Connections

Desserts and Dialogue

Community Conversations

Lectures

Yerby Diversity Lecture

60-second lectures

ODI-Student Partnerships

Different Lenses One Vision (dLOV)

Youth and Public Health

Health Equity and Leadership (HEAL)

Workshops

Robyn Ochs: Beyond Binaries –

Identity and Sexuality on

November 12th

Talia Fox: the science of inclusive

engagement --increasing cultural, leadership, and EQ

competencies

Community Engagement

• Community Engagement role connects the Office of Education, Office of Diversity and Inclusion

• Build and strengthen community connections for community benefit, service, field-based learning

• Focus community engagement efforts in Mission Hill

• One square mile neighborhood that includes the Harvard Chan School campus

• Racial, ethnic and economic diversity

• Rich in history, vibrant community

• Landscape and strategic planning underway

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Monitoring and Assessment

• School-wide climate assessment beginning this fall: results and recommendations by end of academic year

• Bias-related reporting mechanism: launch this fall using University compliance portal

• Staff and student exit surveys: feedback on climate

• Course evaluations: testing new questions on inclusiveness this fall

• Second Annual Dean’s Report on Diversity and Inclusion in Spring

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Student Recruitment

Student Diversity: Recruitment and Admissions

• The Dean’s Report (on ODI website) on student applications, admissions and yield generated discussions about how we can/must improve student diversity

• The Office of Admissions and Office of Diversity and Inclusion are actively engaged in this work already with many partners around the school

• Internal review of admissions committee practices to identify opportunities to test new approaches

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Academic Year 2015 Admissions Update: Percent of U.S. Students from Racial and Ethnic Groups that

are Underrepresented in Public Health

2012 2013 2014 20150%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

20%

Outreach Targeting Students from Diverse Backgrounds

• Annual conferences:• SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos & Native Americans in

Science)• ABRCMS (Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority

Students)• Midwest Pre-health Conference (Keynote Speaker, Harvard Chan alum,

Monik Jimenez, MS, SD)

•Information sessions at Colleges/Universities (e.g., Howard University, University of Maryland Baltimore County)

• Career Expo for People with Disabilities and Wounded Warriors

• Health and Justice Forum at John Jay College

• Teach for America 25th Anniversary Summit

Student Diversity: Pipeline Initiatives

• Harvard Chan School summer program (FACETS): expanded

• Health Career Connections

• Post-baccalaureate programs:

• Collaboration with GSAS for Health Economics students

• NIH R25 proposal scored and awaiting funding decision

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Looking Ahead

• Student Government and the Dean’s Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion as the main conduits for ideas and concerns: all community members can provide input through these entities, as well as directly to ODI

• Reaching out to departments to address local needs and concerns

• Collaboration, supporting grass-roots efforts

• Transparency of data and information: diversity dashboard in progress

• Periodic town halls

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