Statement on Racial Justice
Dartmouth Department of Chemistry
June 25, 2020
The faculty, staff and students of the Dartmouth Chemistry Department are shocked and outraged by the brutal killing of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd. We recognize that these are just the latest in a pattern of violence against Black/African Americans and a long history of systemic racism. We stand in support of those who suffer from this violence on an ongoing basis.
As a department, we are committed to educating ourselves about systemic and structural racism and understanding the ways that it permeates the practices and traditions within our department, our institution and academia in general. We will strive to a) recognize our own implicit biases, b) create a culture of inclusion that provides a welcome space for students of color and c) foster diversity and inclusiveness in all aspects of our professional responsibilities. Furthermore, we are committed to working towards a more just system that values the lives and aspirations of its people equally.
Statements such as these, however, are not enough. Therefore, we commit ourselves to the following concrete actions.
In faculty hiring, we will strive to recruit excellent colleagues who are Black/African American chemists, as well as chemists from other underrepresented and marginalized groups.
We commit to making our classrooms and laboratories as welcoming and inclusive as possible to Black/African American students and those from other underrepresented and marginalized groups.
We commit to supporting and engaging with the E. E. Just program , which provides opportunities for intellectual and professional growth and mentoring for a diverse and inclusive community of Dartmouth scientists and students.
We commit the faculty and staff to professional development that includes training on implicit bias, inclusive hiring practices and bystander intervention.
We commit to acknowledging and celebrating the work done by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) scientists and students, including service beyond their academic achievements, which is often a heavier burden for them and fails to receive the recognition that it deserves.
We commit to recruiting, training and mentoring graduate students regardless of their racial or ethnic identity and will engage with all of our graduate students in addressing systemic racism.
We commit to highlighting the work of BIPOC scientists in our departmental activities, including collaborations, colloquia and seminars.
Finally, we commit to annually discussing these issues, evaluating our progress and affirming our commitment to these goals, which will become the responsibility of our departmental committees.
We realize that eliminating systemic racism in our field of chemistry, and in society at large, will require concerted and sustained efforts. We view these specific initiatives as just the beginning of our efforts. We will continue to seek feedback and ideas to increase inclusivity by our Department. Black lives matter and we are resolved to fight against anti-Blackness and systemic racism.
