As Harvard University engages in the issues of an increasingly globalized society, we recognize the important ongoing work that remains to be done to advance the scholarship of faculty who bring diverse perspectives to the academy. As Harvard University President Drew Faust has said, “We are committed to attracting the most able and creative community of scholars in the world, and pursuing new knowledge and ideas with all the imagination and rigor we can summon.”

As a research university with this mission, we remain mindful that our faculty development and diversity efforts at Harvard must encompass policies and practices aimed at addressing the very real needs of 21st century scholars. While we have made some progress in attracting a much broader talent pool that reflects the diversity of our students, we need to continue to broaden our understanding of how we recruit and retain the best faculty. We must also leverage institutional resources to ensure that we provide faculty with the necessary tools to thrive in a highly complex and decentralized environment.

Harvard University is committed to pursuing the benefits of diversity among its faculty because these brilliant scholars are absolutely essential in keeping the institution become productive,  creative, competitive, and successful in its mission to train the next generation of leaders in all fields of endeavor.