Key results

Diversifying what and how we teach

• We updated the core courses in the MPP curriculum to have a greater focus on racial justice. We added three new courses that explicitly address important issues of structural racism and institutional discrimination: Racial Foundations of Public Policy; U.S./Latinx Policy Perspectives; and Sexuality & Public Policy.
• We updated our BA curriculum to require that all seniors take a course in program evaluation methods, which includes course content related to social inequality, structural racism, discrimination, and other DEI-related content.
• The Ford School continued to expand and leverage the anti-racism clearinghouse, which provides faculty with scholarly materials, multimedia content, and teaching guides to better foster anti-racism in the classroom. The Clearinghouse is full of resources teaching about structural racism, colonization, anti-racism, and public policy. In November 2022, the DEI Officer and DEI RAs offered confidential consultation services to support the teaching and learning needs of faculty who wished to incorporate anti-racism content into their courses.

  

• With student input, we hosted a diverse, topical slate of speakers with attention to tensions in public policy, equity, and inclusion. Events featured topics grounded in an intersectional approach and focused on issues of social inequality, structural racism, and institutional discrimination. Highlights included the Center for Racial Justice’s Masterclass in Activism featuring the aunt of George Floyd, author and activist Angela Harrelson, and Dr. Ruha Benjamin’s discussion of her latest book, Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want.
• We expanded support and resources for Ford School student organizations whose programming advances DEI efforts. As a result, students advanced the conversation on decolonization through student-led programming and invited speakers to discuss topics on Decolonizing International Policy, racial disparities in Voting and Electoral Politics and Criminal Justice, and How Colonial Policies attempt to make Indigenous Kinship into American Family. They also attended the Association of American Colleges & Universities Conference on Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and the International Economic Development Program (IEDP)’s Indigenous cultural experience, which featured a chef who revives Indigenous agricultural techniques and decolonizes cuisines.

Promoting an equitable and inclusive climate

• We made some notable improvements to Weill Hall, including a renovated student lounge, gender inclusive restrooms, new study nooks, and a personal care space for nursing mothers. The updates make Weill Hall a more inclusive and welcoming space for our community.
• We established avenues for students to confidentially report issues of concern, including discrimination and unlawful bias through an anonymous feedback form that is sent to Ford School leadership.
• We placed special emphasis on our international students, providing customized support such as a free, non-credit summer program to help students learn about the U.S. political system.

Diversifying ‘our research and policy engagement’

Our faculty demonstrate a strong commitment to research questions related to DEI, particularly with regard to issues of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, nationality, and gender. This includes studies of the effects of poverty and inequality on educational performance, the effects of immigration policy on outcomes for immigrants, and the ways in which those with limited resources engage in innovation. We make a concerted effort to lift up their findings and connect them with the public and policymakers.