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A set of priorities is designed to infuse the campus culture with an anti-racist ethos.
Dartmouth is taking concrete steps to diversify its faculty; create a pipeline to elevate Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) to leadership positions; make higher education more affordable to a greater number of students; and infuse its campus culture with an anti-racist ethos, says President Philip J. Hanlon '77, on the holiday celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
President Hanlon, his senior leadership team, and Matt Delmont, the Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Professor of History who in July was named special advisor to the president on matters of faculty equity, diversity, and inclusivity, have been working to set priorities for the next five years and to pursue new diversity and inclusivity initiatives that will complement the ongoing work of Moving Dartmouth Forward, Inclusive Excellence and the Campus Climate and Culture initiative, all of which are having a measurable effect.
In an email yesterday, Hanlon emphasized the importance of the diversity and inclusion initiatives.
"Despite the historic challenges of this past year, this is a moment of exceptional opportunity for Dartmouth. I look forward to harnessing the extraordinary intellect and resolve of our community as we continue to take action toward a better and more just society for all," he wrote.
In addition, he urged community members to participate in Dartmouth's slate of King Day events, which can help people understand the issues and systemic barriers faced by BIPOC students, faculty, and staff.
The initiatives underway follow a pledge made in July by Hanlon, members of the board of trustees, and senior leaders to implement a series of changes at Dartmouth in the wake of police violence against Blacks nationally and protests in cities across the country. Faculty and staff responded, penning a letter endorsed by more than 1,000 faculty, staff, students, and alumni calling on Dartmouth leaders to implement widespread change.
The communications have led to meetings in the months that followed, ongoing dialogue on long-lasting and meaningful actions to demonstrate a shared commitment to racial justice and an anti-racist Dartmouth culture.
"This work is fundamentally about what kind of institution we want Dartmouth to be today and in the future," says Delmont. "These initiatives and investments are an important part of the ongoing effort to ensure faculty, staff, and students of color have the necessary support and community to thrive."
The initiatives lay out a five-year vision to increase the number of BIPOC faculty at Dartmouth, expand their representation in leadership roles, and enhance the existing infrastructure to support their work. The plans also seek to expand financial aid—making it the top priority of the Call to Lead capital campaign—so that Dartmouth can assist a greater number of students.
What follows are details about the initiatives.
Commit 15 faculty lines—three per year for the next five years—to a cohort hiring initiative for BIPOC faculty and faculty who study racial injustice, systemic racism, and institutional equity. These scholars would bring diverse perspectives to campus and help ease a mentoring burden that falls disproportionately on current BIPOC faculty. In addition, the faculty would support Dartmouth's drive to achieve 25% faculty of color by 2027, a primary goal of Inclusive Excellence. The current percentage is almost 20%. In addition:
Expand the representation of BIPOC faculty and staff in leadership positions and achieve a greater understanding of the obstacles faced by BIPOC students, faculty, and staff in seeking leadership posts and how best to address them. This work includes:
Enhance the infrastructure to support the work done by the BIPOC community.