DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION | MIT SHASS PROGRAM
Timeline
This timeline makes it easy to see and follow developments, projects, highlights, and plans in our DEI program.
SPRING 2021
INSTITUTE PLANNING
Call to share input on diversity, equity, and inclusion proposal
MIT shares the first draft of its Five-year Strategic Action Plan for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Draft for comment, 31 March 2021
SUMMER 2021
PROGRAM LAUNCH
MIT welcomes six new assistant deans for diversity, equity, and inclusion
The Institute's five schools and the College of Computing will have dedicated professional staff to advance initiatives locally and across the Institute.
Story
3 Questions: Martin Schmidt on MIT’s Strategic Action Plan for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
MIT's provost discusses how community building, collaboration, accountability, and critical investments will build a more impactful MIT.
Interview at MIT News, 17 August 2021
SUMMER TO EARLY FALL 2021
SHASS LISTENING TOUR + DISCOVERY
Tracie Jones, the MIT SHASS Assistant Dean for DEI has been conducting extensive outreach to meet the MIT and MIT SHASS community. She has been engaging in conversations with the SHASS Dean, Dean's Office staff, department heads, faculty, and School staff to learn about current DEI initatives and areas of opportunities to enhance DEI efforts. Dean Jones also attends bi-weekly meetings with the ICEO team and other ADeans for DEI. Her immediate goal is to listen and learn about MIT and MIT's humanities, arts, and social science disciplines. She welcomes new ideas and new thinking to build community and identify areas of interest and concern in the SHASS community.
DEVELOP INITIAL SHASS DEI COMMUNICATIONS
SHASS DEI Websection
Landing Page: Overview, Resources
Gallery: Stories, Events, Commentaries
Timeline
Events Pages
SHASS DEI Identity Materials
Emblem, poster, information cards
Regular Communication Updates
Entry in the monthly Said and Done digest
Social media and email cadence established
FALL TERM 2021
PLANNING FOR INITIAL SHASS PROJECTS
Conduct + Analyze Survey
survey conducted; analysis in progress
Develop/send survey on DEI concepts and issues to SHASS faculty and staff
There have been 277 responses to the survey from staff and faculty, representing all the SHASS academic units.
Dean Jones is currently analyzing the sruvey data
Goals: To understand the range of views/opinions in SHASS; to discern where best to focus the School's DEI efforts
Planning for a new Publication Series: "On Culture"
Series explores culture and culture change.
Work on the series is now underway; Launch planned for March 2022
Goals: Call on the collective intelligence of the SHASS community to better articulate the nature, complexity, pace, opportunities, and challenges of culture change; develop insight (for SHASS, MIT, and beyond) into culture change from different lenses, disciplines, and demographic experiences; develop potential tactics and approaches that can lead to successful culture change.
Planning for a Lunchtime Series: Discussions, Dilemmas, and Debates
planning in progress
Participants will read a case before the gathering, and discuss it over lunch
Primarily designed for members of the SHASS staff
Exploring events
Exploring a range of events, including
MITAA webinar for the MITAA Forum on Equity
Collaboration with the MIT STARR Forum on Culture Change
SPRING TERM 2022
New SHASS publication series launched: "On Culture"
Series explores culture and culture change.
Goals: Call on the collective intelligence of the SHASS community to better articulate the nature, complexity, pace, opportunities, and challenges of culture change; develop insight (for SHASS, MIT, and beyond) on culture and culture change from different lenses, disciplines, and demographic experiences; develop potential tactics and approaches that can lead to successful culture change.
Culture is a meaning-making practice
Heather Paxson, Wm. Kenan Jr. Professor of Anthropology
"Anthropologists originated the modern understanding of 'culture,' as describing a shared field of beliefs, values, and habituated ways of behaving that give meaning to daily life. What does anthropology have to say about “MIT culture”?
SUMMER 2022
SHASS PUBLICATIONS
Envision digest launched
Envision provides a platform for commentary, news, programs, and events that champion belonging, achievement, and composition in MIT SHASS and the Institute as a whole.
Envision Digest
Story: Community is invited to the "Bearing Witness/Seeking Justice Conference: Videography in the Hands of the People"
We’re encouraging people in the Greater Boston area to attend, including young people, concerned citizens, community-based organizations — everyone who cares about democracy, media, justice, and truth-telling."
FALL 2022
INSITUTE PLANNING
Strategic Action Plan released
In September, MIT released a strategic action plan for belonging, achievement, and composition. Initiatives outlined in the plan build on the Institute's culture of excellence and enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion within the MIT community. Learn more!
Plan | Story at MIT News
SHASS EVENT
CONFERENCE, OCTOBER 5-7
Bearing Witness/Seeking Justice Conference: Videography in the Hands of the People
Community is invited! “We’re encouraging people in the Greater Boston area to attend, including young people, concerned citizens, community-based organizations — everyone who cares about democracy, media, justice, and truth-telling."