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Leadership & Accountability

Align and hold leaders accountable to a shared vision and commitment towards building a community where all individuals feel supported and empowered to reach their fullest potential.

Leaders are defined as staff and faculty in the organization chart as well as committee chairs, managers, department leaders, and student leaders.

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Communicate & Amplify

Years 1–4

Develop communication processes and opportunities for leadership to engage with the broader Thayer School of Engineering community to amplify our commitment to diversity in all its forms and inclusion and promote the objectives of the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, along with progress, gaps, and successes.

  • Outcomes
    • Thayer community is aware of ongoing diversity and inclusion activities, goals, and metrics.
    • Faculty, staff, and students feel comfortable providing feedback, as it relates to diversity and inclusion efforts, and believe feedback will be taken seriously.
    • Increased opportunities to create and engage in initiatives and programs that value diversity and help build a more inclusive community.

  • Actions
    • Identify a confidential reporting mechanism for disclosing and addressing student, faculty, and staff culture and climate concerns (in addition to the formal mechanisms in place). Develop and communicate processes for reviewing and addressing concerns.
    • Document the Diversity & Inclusion​ Committee and working group structure, governance, roles, and responsibilities.
    • Conduct an initial survey with students, faculty, and staff about their communication preferences and needs. Develop a plan for how best to focus our efforts, including training for faculty and staff.
    • Develop a communication plan that addresses how to better integrate and embed Thayer’s commitment to and ongoing diversity and inclusion on public-facing digital and print channels. Develop a plan to assess effectiveness.
    • Offer financial support and resources for diversity and inclusion-focused community-initiated workshops and training aligned with institution's strategic goals.

  • Metrics
    • Progress towards completion of action steps and key strategic diversity and inclusion milestones.
    • Pulse Survey results designed to track and measure stakeholder engagement, inclusive leadership, feedback, belonging, and other metrics.

Align Leaders

​Years 1–4

Align leaders at all levels to articulate, champion, and model practices that further our shared commitment throughout Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth.

  • Outcomes
    • Leaders have increased accountability for efforts and contributions in their areas that value diversity in all its forms and help build a more inclusive community.
    • Thayer community has increased trust in leadership and belief that diversity and inclusion is valued by school leaders.
    • Leaders actively participate in and support Thayer's diversity and inclusion mission.

  • Actions
    • Ensure the Diversity and Inclusion​ Strategic Plan guides the committee's work through 2027. Utilize focus group sentiments and strategy lab experience to further inform leadership priorities and actions.
    • Partner with Dartmouth’s Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity to offer training opportunities aligned with Dartmouth-wide diversity and inclusion strategic goals.
    • Embed diversity and inclusion work in Thayer senior leadership meetings on an ongoing basis.
    • Regularly collect feedback on diversity and inclusion learning activities to inform future work.

  • Metrics
    • Number of completed diversity and inclusion sessions across school.​
    • Leader participation rates in diversity and inclusion sessions across school.
    • Assessment of changed behavior after one year.

Continuous Improvement

Years 2–4

Strengthen policies and processes, develop feedback and reporting mechanisms, and establish metrics to empower continuous improvement in our diversity and inclusion efforts and practices.

  • Outcomes
    • Clear and inclusive feedback mechanisms are established and publicized.
    • Progress is tracked, measured, communicated clearly, and is publicly available.
    • Thayer's policies and procedures reflect the community's diversity and inclusion values.

  • Actions
    • Analyze and assess barriers and points of resistance that may impede diversity and inclusion strategy implementation. Define a mitigation plan.
    • Review policies, procedures, and best practices for inclusion and accessibility on an ongoing basis to identify issues that require immediate attention and ensure we remove unnecessary barriers and offer proper support and financial resources.

  • Metrics
    • Student, faculty, and staff satisfaction rates as reflected in climate surveys, pulse checks, and/or engagement surveys.
    • Feedback from documents submitted in relation to Thayer's diversity and inclusion reporting mechanisms.

Integrate into School Culture

Year 4+

Embed and integrate diversity and inclusion into Thayer culture, strategy, and everyday practice to enhance and support a culture of professionalism, self-improvement, and accountability.

  • Outcomes
    • Shared language, values, and best practices.
    • Increased sense of belonging and community as well as an elevated trust in leadership.
    • Improved access to resources and information for all members of our community.
    • Increased community knowledge, awareness, and support for community-building diversity and inclusion efforts.
    • A high standard of respect for and commitment to diversity in all its forms and that all members of our community feel welcome and included in our policies and practices, regardless of position or title.

  • Actions
    • Finalize and formally adopt Thayer Professionalism Document.
    • Synthesize Diversity and Inclusion Annual Reports and Strategic Plan into user-friendly and easily digestible format to showcase values, commitments, and completed and planned actions.
    • Integrate a “Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit” at new student, staff, and faculty orientations. This may include information about: the vision, definitions, purpose, messages/talking points, strategic priorities, FAQs, and inclusive leadership tips.
    • Create a culture where community-building efforts and inclusive practices part of leadership, faculty, and staff roles at work (eg. serve on committees or working groups, serve as an advisor, etc.)
    • Define Thayer inclusive leadership competencies and learning outcomes to equip faculty and staff with skill development opportunities to equip them with tools and support to build a more inclusive spaces to learn and work.

  • Metrics
    • Leadership engagement (ie. staff and student perceptions/scores of leader's commitment to diversity and inclusion and understanding of the value proposition).​
      • Build into the review process for leadership
      • Survey data
    • Consolidated location of identified pathways to transparently address suggestions and concerns (a one stop shop).