Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Board

The goals and focus of the Advisory Board will continue to evolve as their work gets underway. At the outset, the group was charged with the following goals:

• To create opportunities for GFS community members to share their experiences with us through listening sessions and other formats to be determined by the group. 
• Through listening sessions and feedback, determine what gaps and issues persist on our campus and within our community and assess our vision for diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Recommend both immediate and long-term action steps to address inequities and improve the experience of black students and other minorities on our campus.
• Provide input on curricular, policy and/or programmatic changes that need to be implemented.
• Report out to our community with updates and progress on a regular basis, providing transparency throughout this process

July 17, 2020

We expect to build out this list and provide specific updates as we receive more information from the listening sessions and continue meeting as a group to refine our areas of focus.

Currently, the Advisory Board is working in smaller groups to develop initiatives in such areas as hiring practices, crafting a broader vision statement around DEI work campus-wide, curriculum review and community engagement. Examples of the kinds of action steps and ideas we are currently working through include:

• Reserve time for our department heads and academic leaders to begin delving into this work before school starts and to develop measurable, actionable steps (to potentially include curriculum review or modifications) that can take place in each academic department in each division
• Develop faculty and staff training, to be started prior to the opening of school
• Launch a review of our student and faculty handbooks, with the goal of identifying areas of improvement or clarification around antiracist behavior and actions
• Reviewing hiring practices
• Developing clear policies toward appropriate use of language in the classroom and identifying specific and consistent consequences around racist or demeaning remarks

Update on the DEI Advisory Board -- 7.18.20

Building a Better Community: the GFS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Board -- 6.13.20

Lessons Learned and a Long Road to Travel -- 6.3.20

A Message to GFS Families -- 5.29.20