About the Task Force
The Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion assembled by Dean Daley, is comprised of faculty, students, trainees, fellows, staff and administrators from across the Harvard Medical School community. The HMS Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion will focus on developing a vision and policy that are consistent with our mission and values. More
The unique perspectives, experiences, and contributions of Harvard Medical School students, trainees, faculty, and staff are the foundation of our success as a world leader in education, biomedical research and clinical care. As a community, we embrace a culture of diversity and inclusion, one that is a beacon for those seeking an environment where everyone is free to explore, to speak out, to question, and to learn. This diversity of thought and perspective have contributed to some of the greatest medical advances in history and to the improvement of human health for people throughout the world.
One of my leading priorities as dean is to advance our collective commitment to diversity and inclusion and to bring together individuals from throughout our community to create new avenues for discussion that will advance our shared mission. I call upon you to contribute your ideas so that we can collectively ensure that our front door is open and welcoming to all. We want to continue to attract and embrace individuals who will continue our long tradition of excellence and achievement.
The Charge
I am charging the members of the HMS Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, to listen thoughtfully to our community and to evaluate the many challenges we face in achieving our finest aspirations. I hope you will deliver recommendations for how we can better support and advance diversity and inclusion at HMS. I invite you to create a statement of values that reflects our shared commitment to this issue and to establish goals and mechanisms for tracking our progress. Please be mindful that while I wish we had infinite resources to support these goals, it will be most helpful to propose interventions that are practical and achievable in a setting of considerable resource constraint. Thank you for your heartfelt commitment to this effort.
With input from our faculty, students, trainees, fellows, staff and administrators from across the Harvard Medical School community, The HMS Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion will focus on four areas:
- Developing a Harvard Medical School diversity and inclusion vision and policy that are consistent with our mission and values; foster excellence in teaching, research and service; support the multiple dimensions of diversity reflected in our community; and are responsive to regulatory requirements;
- Identifying measures of accountability to assess the achievement of diversity and inclusion goals and expectations, including mechanisms for promoting evidence-based decision making;
- Understanding the landscape of current HMS, HMS-affiliates and Harvard University diversity and inclusion resources and offerings; and
- Prioritizing and exploring areas of diversity and inclusion for deeper investigation, goal-setting and recommendations for action.