Belonging and Social Safety

This conversation is centered around the experiences that promote or detract from sense of belonging on campus. Belonging, as defined by the OEDIB Foundational Concepts and Affirming Language Guide, connotes full membership in the Harvard community. This entails success in achieving not merely formal participation but also rewarding participation for all members of a diverse campus community in the opportunities, resources, and decision-making structures of the campus.

Accountability to one another is important and essential to creating a sense of belonging. This conversation will explore concepts such as: expectation setting around academic safety; what do we or should we promise/provide in terms of safety or recourse related to microaggressions, triggers, controversial topics, polarizing speakers, etc.; freedom of expression and ideological safety; residential support; inclusive pedagogy; academic support and resources; Title IX and gender equity resources.