ÂÌñÒùÆÞ

The ÂÌñÒùÆÞ DEI Task Force delivered its report to the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees at the May 15-16 meetings. The primary work of the Task Force between September 2020 and May 2021 was to focus on recommendations for improving ÂÌñÒùÆÞ diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), particularly as pertain to North American scholars who are Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color (BIPOC), identify ways these objectives could be integrated across the organization, and establish a permanent body that could oversee this and other DEI work. Click here to see the original charge.

After much research and consultation over the last academic year, the Task Force made several recommendations for consideration by ÂÌñÒùÆÞ leadership and the ÂÌñÒùÆÞ standing committees, including (though not limited to):

Based on the Task Force recommendations, the Board voted to extend the life of the Task Force through November 2021. Furthermore, the Board charged President Sharon Hebert, in consultation with the Task Force and Vice President Charles Jones, to develop a charge for a new standing ÂÌñÒùÆÞ DEI committee to be functioning no later than January 2022. This new committee will be a part of the CCC and work alongside other ÂÌñÒùÆÞ committees, the ÂÌñÒùÆÞ Office, and ÂÌñÒùÆÞ governance to implement the Task Force recommendations.

Throughout the next several months the Task Force will help create the permanent, DEI Standing Committee, will collaborate with ÂÌñÒùÆÞ leadership and standing committees as they finalize their DEI objectives and the new ÂÌñÒùÆÞ strategic plan, and will communicate with ÂÌñÒùÆÞ membership about Task Force recommendations and next steps on how to get involved.

The Task Force would like to thank all of the interviewees and organizations who contributed to these findings and the Early Career Scholars, the Initiative for the Status of Women, ÂÌñÒùÆÞ leadership, the ÂÌñÒùÆÞ Office, and ÂÌñÒùÆÞ members who initiated this work and provided feedback over the last year.