Inclusive Excellence at Dartmouth

To the Dartmouth community:

Dartmouth's mission of education and research drives all that we do. At the heart of that mission is a strong community of faculty, staff, and students who are dedicated to the work of learning at all levels of the institution. Our engagement with the full human diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences is critical--to both the strength of the Dartmouth community and the effectiveness of Dartmouth's learning and leadership.

The full realization of this community's diversity cannot take the form of isolated initiatives; it must inform all of our work at Dartmouth. Today, people and programs across campus dedicate themselves to making Dartmouth an inclusive institution in which differences--of race and ethnicity, gender and sexual identity, socioeconomic status, and thought, among others--are recognized, valued, and celebrated. While these efforts are crucial to our success, we must make sure that they are fully aligned, well coordinated, clearly communicated, and understood by all. As a concrete step, we turn now to address gaps in action, accountability, coordination, and communication across the institution.

To that end, we are announcing the creation of three linked working groups to study existing data and initiatives in these areas at Dartmouth, as well as best practices in higher education across the nation. (For more information, see www.dartmouth.edu/diversity.) Each group--one for faculty, one for students, and one for staff--will be charged with four objectives:

1. Develop a process to better document current efforts to create a more diverse and inclusive community and enhance coordination throughout the institution.
2. Define clear goals, with metrics for monitoring progress.
3. Establish explicit standards of accountability, including mechanisms for transparency that track and communicate progress.
4. Propose short- and long-term institutional initiatives based on the evaluation of existing efforts and best practices.

The working groups will include faculty, students, and staff, including the administrative leaders primarily responsible for recruitment and retention in each area. Each working group will have a chair. They are:

* Faculty working group: Denise Anthony, Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives
* Student working group: Rebecca Biron, Dean of the College, and Inge-Lise Ameer, Vice Provost for Student Affairs, co-chairs
* Staff working group: Ahmed Mohammed, Director of Talent Acquisition, Human Resources

Students, faculty, and staff who would like to nominate themselves or others to serve on one of the working groups should do so by email by Friday, Feb. 5:

* Students:  diversity.students@dartmouth.edu
* Faculty:  diversity.faculty@dartmouth.edu
* Staff:  diversity.staff@dartmouth.edu

Working group appointments will be made by the chairs in consultation with the academic deans and the Executive Committee.

In May 2016, the working groups will make recommendations to an Executive Committee whose members are Executive Vice President Rick Mills, Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity Evelynn Ellis, and both of us. The Executive Committee will seek input from alumni, in partnership with Advancement (Chief Operating Officer for Advancement Ann Root Keith and Assistant Director for Alumni Relations Derikka Mobley '10). The Executive Committee will be responsible for carrying the recommendations forward and reporting to the community by the end of the 2016 spring term with the identified next steps.

The engagement of the entire Dartmouth community is vital to the working groups' success and to Dartmouth's ability to reach the full potential of its mission. On behalf of the Executive Committee, we thank you in advance for your support in this important work.

Sincerely,

Phil Hanlon '77
President

Carolyn Dever
Provost