DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION

Belonging, Achievement, and Composition
MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
 


Tracie Jones, Assistant Dean for DEI; photo by Allegra Boverman, 2021

Advancing a respectful and caring community that embraces diversity and empowers everyone to learn and do their best at MIT



Welcome!

We're glad you're here. The MIT SHASS program for Belonging, Achievement, and Composition — led by Tracie Jones, Assistant Dean for DEI — is part of the MIT program coordinated by the Institute Community and Equity Office (ICEO).

Drawing on the strength and energy of the Institute's extraordinary diversity of experiences and backgrounds, the ICEO leads MIT to make practical progress toward cultivating a caring community focused on MIT’s shared values of excellence, belonging, openness, integrity, and mutual respect. 


Strategic Action Plan

In 2022, 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!
Strategic Action Plan | Story

 

What Are We Doing?

Explore the MIT SHASS Gallery

Research, Courses, and Programs to advance Belonging, Achievement, and Composition

Conference: October 6-8, 2022
Bearing Witness, Seeking Justice: Videography in the hands of the people

Envision

The Envision digest provides a platform for commentary, news, programs, and events that champion belonging, achievement, and composition in MIT SHASS and the Institute as a whole.

On Culture: Humanistic Perspectives from MIT
In this series, faculty and staff in MIT's humanistic fields share ideas, stories, and research-based commentary on the nature of culture and their experiences as part of the MIT community.

 


 

Funds and Fellowships

SHASS Diversity Fund

SHASS Diversity Travel Fund

SHASS Diversity Pre-doctoral Fellowships

 

Core Values

Diversity and inclusion are core values of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. These values strengthen our research and teaching, and are embodied in the backgrounds and perspectives of our faculty, staff, and students.

We believe that the mental and physical well-being of our students is an essential part of their MIT experience, and we strive to create an environment that is as inclusive as possible. Our instructors teach a large number of subjects that focus on issues related to diversity, including subjects on race and ethnicity, on cultures beyond the United States, on gender and sexuality, and on globalization or transnationalism.

The School is committed to increasing diversity amongst its faculty. As part of this commitment, each unit is asked to ensure that diversity plays a key role in its overall strategy, and to work with the School's Faculty Diversity Committee during job searches, to ensure that candidates from underrepresented groups are afforded as many opportunities as possible throughout the search process.  

The School is also committed to addressing pipeline issues. As part of this commitment we offer diversity pre-doctoral fellowships in each of our disciplines, and a diversity travel fund to our faculty.



Institute Community, Equity, and Diversity | Title IX

See MIT’s Institute Community, Equity, and Diversity and Title IX websites for more resources and information on these topics.
 

Community Resources

Where can I find MIT resources for belonging, achievement, and composition?

MIT Strategic Action Plan for Belonging, Achievement, and Composition

 Where can I find support for mental and physical health?

 

More suggested links

Institute Community and Equity Office

MIT’s Title IX website

Making A Just Society: MIT Humanistic Resources for Social Justice

SHASS Diversity Fund

SHASS Diversity Travel Fund

SHASS Diversity Pre-doctoral Fellowships

SHASS courses on diversity-related issues

Archive story: MIT graduate students organize summer institute to increase diversity in philosophy field

 

Statements from the MIT SHASS Academic Units 

Anthropology 
MIT Anthropology speaks out—and teaches—against racism.
MIT Anthropology is dedicated to diversity and inclusion.

Comparative Media Studies / Writing
Anti-Racism Statement

Economics
Faculty Statement on Student Well-being, Diversity, and Inclusion
Resources on Anti-Racism and Racial Equity from MIT Economics

Global Languages
Statement on Diversity

History
MIT History Faculty Statement on Student Well-Being, Diversity, and Inclusion
MIT Land Acknowledgement Statement

Linguistics
MIT Linguistics' Diversity Statement: "Seeking to create an atmosphere of inclusiveness and respect"

Literature
Literature’s Statement in Anti-Racist Solidarity
Resources: Black Writers and Anti-Racist Analysis

Music and Theater Arts
MIT Music and Theater Arts: Diversity Statement

Philosophy
Ethos, Diversity, & Outreach

Political Science
Statement on Diversity and Inclusion

Program in Science, Technology, and Society
Mission Statement: Addressing Real-World Questions

Women's & Gender Studies
WGS Statement on Equity, Inclusion & Diversity
Statement from the Director: "Heartsick. Anguished. Enraged."
My Sister's Keeper: Supporting the success of MIT's Black women students.

 

Related Stories

MIT releases Strategic Action Plan for belonging, achievement and composition
New initiatives will build on the Institute’s culture of excellence while enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the MIT community.
Story at MIT News, 1 September 2022

3 Questions: Provost Cynthia Barnhart on MIT's community of excellence 
Provost Barnhart talks about the connection between diversity and excellence.
Interview at MIT News, 19 May 2022

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

MIT welcomes six new assistant deans for diversity, equity, and inclusion
T
he Institute’s five schools and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing will have dedicated professional staff to advance initiatives locally and across the Institute.
Story at MIT News,