Belonging

Facilitate and enable the creation of localized programs and plans for action in academic, research, and administrative units.

Broadly disseminate the MIT values statement.

Expand categories of identity data formally collected from MIT community members to include characteristics such as religion, disability, first-generation, veteran status, gender beyond the binary, disaggregation of ethnic/racial categories, etc. 

Develop and execute a communications strategy that supports belonging, achievement, and composition to reach all MIT stakeholders (internal and external). These strategies should include amplifying underrepresented groups and voices, especially during times of the year that commemorate particular identities within our diverse community; and bolstering visibility of existing awards programs for students, staff, and faculty (MLK awards, RISE awards, etc.).

Develop and maintain a set of internally available online resources to track prioritization and progress toward each commitment in this plan, to be updated annually in alignment with existing reporting practices at the Institute.

Develop coordinated and consistent staff, faculty, postdoc, and student onboarding and orientation processes that reinforce MIT’s commitments to community and belonging.

Develop, maintain, and utilize a repository of diversity, equity, and inclusion resources designed to amplify the role of engagement, empathy, social analysis, civil discourse, mentoring, advising, and inclusion as institutional values.

Recognize students, staff, postdocs, and faculty who participate in specific, project-based roles related to advancing Institute goals for belonging, achievement, and composition that fall outside of their job descriptions, service commitments, or other assigned responsibilities.

Improve collaboration, knowledge management, and sharing of best practices from departments and community-led programs that encourage the examination of issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Working in collaboration with existing departmental curriculum development and planning efforts, create a program and incentive structure for department heads and individual faculty members to develop curricular innovations and academic programming that incorporates diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and ethics concepts into current subject matter and research topics across programs and departments. 

Develop an Institute-wide model and rubric for assessing the success of mentoring efforts across the Institute. The intention is to leverage effective existing practices, offer best-practice standards and models for inclusionary practices that will promote a sense of belonging, and innovate new measures for instilling a culture of excellence in advising and mentoring (to include, for example, formal recommendations advanced by the Ad Hoc Committee on Graduate Advising and Mentoring).

In collaboration with school, college, department, and unit leaders, implement ongoing feedback processes (e.g., surveys, 360-degree reviews, reverse mentorship, etc.) that allow staff, students, postdocs, and faculty to provide feedback to department, school, and senior leadership relating to creating and sustaining collegial and respectful environments.

Expand visibility of and create opportunities for employee engagement, such as Employee Resource Groups and other engagement mechanisms

Support faculty and supervisors through coordinated training programs that emphasize how to build trusting relationships, manage across differences, employ coaching strategies, facilitate difficult conversations, and provide effective feedback. Make all advisors and supervisors aware of key Institute resources. Encourage postdocs to access this program as part of their training to be future faculty leaders.

The president will ensure the MIT community is informed annually regarding our discrimination and harassment policies and practices for redressing violations.

Develop a Well-Being Lab for students to emphasize and coordinate health-promotion efforts across campus; strengthen the Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation’s formal academic wellness offerings; and develop campus-wide messaging about self-care, self-compassion, respect, relationships, and resiliency.

Assess and report the usage, satisfaction, and availability of mental health resources provided by MIT. Based on findings, work to improve communication and outreach about mental health resources and increase representation among mental health practitioners to reflect the needs of specific identity groups (e.g., women, racially underrepresented groups, LGBTQ+, persons with disabilities, etc.). 

Adapt campus space planning processes to identify community spaces for shared use by student groups and organizations. Work with the Graduate Student Council and the Undergraduate Association to assess space utilization and assignment and consider strategies for sharing or realigning.

Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of resources designed to meet students’ urgent financial needs, including addressing food insecurity and crisis-related support. Make appropriate updates to these resource allocations as needed.

Review the findings and recommendations contained in the final report of MIT's review of public safety operations and inform the MIT community of what will be implemented.

Review the findings and recommendations contained in the final report of MIT's Digital Accessibility Working Group and inform the MIT community of what will be implemented.

Review the findings and recommendations contained in the final report of MIT's inclusive restrooms study and inform the MIT community of what will be implemented.

Facilitate compliance with both the letter and spirit of federal and local codes regarding physical accessibility so that our buildings and spaces convey a sense of belonging to all community members, including those with disabilities.

As noted in President Reif’s letter to the community in July 2020, make new investments of $1 million in research that draws on the MIT community’s strengths of intellectual inquiry and problem-solving to achieve progress on racial justice and equality at MIT and beyond.

Develop and promote a central repository of information to support diversity and inclusion in procurement decisions regarding suppliers that serve MIT.