Past and Ongoing Work

Efforts to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and access (DEIJA) have long been an active component of individual, community, and institutional activities at Tufts University. Groups across the university have provided opportunities for passionate community members to engage in dialogue, develop training and educational materials, advance scholarship, conduct climate assessments, and inspire change.

At the university level, Tufts has united around shared goals, built cross-school infrastructure, and developed an understanding of the differentiated experiences of individuals and populations across the institution. These efforts include the 2013 launch of the Council on Diversity, the 2019 introduction of Assistant/Associate Deans for Diversity and Inclusion (ADDIs), the 2020 workstreams for Racial Equity (formerly Tufts as an Anti-Racist Institution), the 2021 antisemitism study, the 2022 C-Change Survey (for Faculty), as well as the 2022 Campus Climate Survey and the resulting 2024 Campus Climate Report.

In 2022, Tufts established the Office of the Vice Provost for DEIJ to provide vision, leadership, and oversight of the faculty, staff, and student experience and to inform and implement the institution’s strategy, processes, and infrastructure related to building a more diverse and inclusive community. In the time since, the Office has changed its name to the Office of the Vice Provost for Institutional Inclusive Excellence (IIE) to represent an evolution of the approach to advancing Tufts’ commitments to DEIJA. This newly reimagined office has grown to encompass a team of professionals specialized in key functions for inclusive excellence. Informed by the Campus Climate Survey, and in consistent collaboration with the community, the work of IIE is to build relationships and develop an understanding of the successes and challenges that have contributed to current conditions.

In launching ELEVATE in Fall 2024, IIE is providing a venue for the Tufts community to continue to demonstrate its commitment, passion, and expertise for bringing about institutional inclusive excellence by focusing attention on shared goals for collective action. The successes and achievements of past and ongoing efforts in partnership with those who have already been meaningful contributors, and those new to the journey, positions Tufts as a university capable of advancing our mission. Our past work, often fueled by the passion of our Tufts community members, has led us to this moment. Our next steps forward empower us to fuel the existing passion in a cohesive way - threading our individual initiatives into a shared approach increasing our impact and our drive forward.