Report of the Diversity & Inclusion Task Force: 
Recommendations to Dean Schmittlein 

Last year, a task force commissioned by Dean Schmittlein came together to explore if and how to appoint a “Senior Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)…who is dedicated to improving the diversity, inclusion, equity, and well-being of our community.” The formation of this task force came in response to a request by the MIT Sloan Student Senate, with the support of alumni, that the school appoint such a position. The task force, which conducted its work in the fall of 2019, was composed of faculty, staff, current students, and alumni. We are proud and excited to deliver a full report and recommendations to Dean Schmittlein and the MIT Sloan community.

Read the executive summary of our recommendationsRead the full report & recommendations

Not only do we believe we developed a valuable set of recommendations, we believe that the process by which we arrived at the recommendations serves as a model for what can be accomplished when individuals from diverse backgrounds work together. We have an audacious goal for MIT Sloan to be a leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion and hope the community shares our optimism and enthusiasm in pursuing that goal with us.

At MIT Sloan, we set forth to make meaningful progress on diversity, equity, and well-being. Why? Because a more inclusive community benefits us all and because it is the right thing to do.

MIT Sloan Statement on Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Well-being

The mission of the MIT Sloan School of Management is to develop principled, innovative leaders who improve the world and to generate ideas that advance management practice. We believe that a commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and well-being is a key component of both principled leadership and sound management practice.

MIT Sloan also shares MIT’s commitment to advancing a caring and respectful community that embraces diversity and empowers everyone to learn and do their best at MIT. We therefore seek to build an inclusive culture that supports the mental, emotional, and physical health of each member of our community. In doing so, we enable each person to fully express themselves, to thrive, and to make their maximum contribution to MIT Sloan and to society. 

We seek to create a community that encompasses all dimensions of diversity and fosters excellence within MIT Sloan. This includes diversity of identity, thought, role, and perspective. Every member of our community – student, faculty, and staff – adds a valuable contribution. We learn as individuals and benefit as a community when we seek out and thoughtfully consider divergent ideas and perspectives.

As a leader in management education, we also have a unique opportunity to make a broader impact on social and economic inequity. By supporting teaching and research on the impact of socially and economically sustainable management, we can foster diversity and equitable business practices far beyond the borders of our campus.

Holding Ourselves Accountable

We recognize that this statement is aspirational and that we are a work in progress, both as individuals and as an organization. 

In this spirit, we call on every member of our community to learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are each responsible for contributing to an environment characterized by mutual respect, trust, and intellectual curiosity. 

MIT Sloan will develop an annual action plan led by the MIT Sloan Diversity and Community Committee, with the support of MIT Sloan leadership, which will: 

  1. summarize our current state with regard to faculty, staff, and student demographics* 
  2. review current diversity and inclusion initiatives 
  3. review our current climate and culture
  4. establish clear goals and timelines

* This will include gathering data that reviews the extent to which we have met MIT’s 2004 goals to increase the percentage of faculty members and graduate students from underrepresented minority populations.

Each year, we will review this action plan, report to the community on our progress, and establish new goals for the following year.

By committing to diversity, inclusion, equity, and our community’s mental and physical well-being, we position ourselves for the full realization of our collective potential. Building on our unique strengths, we will nurture a community that embraces new perspectives and is primed to pursue ideas made to matter.