Department of Global Health and Population

Committee on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

 

In October 2020, the Department of Global Health and Population launched a new task force on equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB). The task force has since become a standing committee, comprised of five members, including students, staff, and faculty, who have committed to help improve EDIB across our community. Working with Department Chair, Dr. Marcia Castro, the standing committee members are Yunfei Li, Margaret McConnell, Elizabeth Osborn, Nanki Singh, and Dr. Aisha Yousafzai.

Three goals guide our work:

  1. Creating an agenda to for EDIB in the department
  2. Work together with the HSPH Office of Diversity & Inclusion (ODI) Chief Officer to implement actions and engage in an ongoing dialogue on improving EDIB in the Department.
  3. Serve as a resource for issues relating to EDIB for members of the GHP community.

We are committed to taking the time needed to gain a nuanced understanding of experiences and views on EDIB issues among members of the GHP community. We believe this involves understanding both the experience of working in and learning within the Department and thinking about how research and teaching can better incorporate EDIB goals.

As part of our effort to understand the current state of EDIB in the Department, we launched a series of focus group discussions at the beginning of 2021. These discussions were an opportunity for community members to partake in a conversation about EDIB in the Department and to share thoughts and ideas on concrete actions and areas for improvement. The focus group discussions have guided the development of a set of actions for improving EDIB across the Department, with the goal to identify both short-term changes that can be implemented within the current academic year as well as efforts to be rolled out over a longer timeline. In all of these efforts, the Department will have input and guidance from the HSPH ODI office.

We wish to emphasize that we see this as a team effort. We hope that you will join us on this journey as we work to strengthen our community.

EDIB Standing Committee Summary and Action Plan

The EDIB focus group discussion and individual interview summary report (April 2021) and action plan (April 2021 – April 2022) are available to download from this password-protected page.

EDIB Standing Committee Members

  • Yunfei Li, Postdoctoral Research Fellow (co-chair)
  • Margaret McConnell, Associate Professor of Global Health Economics
  • Elizabeth “Betsy” Osborn, Project Director, India Health System Project & Harvard China Health Partnership 
  • Nanki Singh, Master of Science Student (co-chair)
  • Aisha Yousafzai, Professor of Child Development and Health
  • ex officio member, Marcia Castro, Chair of the Department of Global Health and Population and Andelot Professor of Demography
  • ex officio member, Paul N. Martin, Director of Administration of the Department of Global Health and Population

Support Resources at Harvard University

For all Harvard Chan School community members:

  • Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Officer, Amarildo “Lilu” Barbosa, lbarbosa@hsph.harvard.edu
  • The Ombuds Office: Provides a highly confidential, impartial and informal forum in which to discuss concerns, goals and options. Confidential line (office) Phone: 617-432-4041
  • Whistleblowing Policy: Members of the Harvard community are encouraged to report suspected violations of law or University policy to their supervisor, to a local tub finance officer, to a local or central human resources officer, or to the Anonymous Reporting Hotline (877.694.2275). The University will protect from retaliation members of the Harvard community who make good faith reports of suspected violations of law or University policy.
  • Harvard University Anonymous Reporting Hotline: Any concerns may be raised through the Hotline including, but not limited to:
    • Academic/research misconduct
    • Bias-related incidents
    • Conflicts of interest
    • Environmental health and safety concerns
    • Fraud/theft
    • Human resources concerns
    • Inappropriate patient care
    • Medical, safety, and security concerns
    • Misuse of University resources/assets
    • Philanthropy and Donor Relations
    • Violations of law, regulation, contract, or University policy
    • Suspected abuse or neglect or other inappropriate activity involving minors in Harvard programs (Please note: the preferred reporting method is direct via the Harvard University Police Department at (617) 495-1212; additional resources can be found at harvard.edu)
  • For anonymous bias-related incident reporting: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/diversity/bias/
  • Title IX Resource Coordinators: Title IX Resource Coordinators serve in a neutral role and support all members of the Harvard community. Resource Coordinators have specialized experience in responding to disclosures of sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct in the Harvard community. They are also aware that your concerns may be of a sensitive nature and can offer supports to help you continue with your work or studies while maintaining appropriate discretion. To file a formal Title IX complaint:
  • Discrimination Policy and Review Procedure: Any employee who feels that they are a victim of discrimination is encouraged to seek assistance through the internal Informal Problem-Solving or the Formal Complaint processes described below. It should be noted that these processes may not be appropriate in every circumstance. Therefore, the processes should be considered flexible and modified as appropriate to the situation.

    For students:

For staff:

  • Employee Assistance Program: Harvard’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers free, confidential help for all Harvard employees and their adult household members. You can reach the EAP any time for personal or work-related concerns at 877-EAP-HARV (877-327-4278). Explore this section for specific ways in which the EAP can help. You can also visit the EAP online.

Contact

If you have any comments/questions, please email us at GHP_EDIB@hsph.harvard.edu

To submit an anonymous comment/concern, please complete the following Qualtrics survey: https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2tvXK1mxtPsRdXg