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Boston Globe
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
‘Show us it's not just words': 5 takeaways from Harvard's reports on antisemitism and Islamophobia
Both reports also task Harvard with taking action. Among the recommendations: expanding academic offerings on antisemitism, Jewish history and culture, as well as course offerings on Palestinian Studies and Arabic language and cultures; and providing training and resources, including legal support, to fight doxxing. The two reports — titled the " Here are five takeaways from the reports. Advertisement 1. Commonalities between the two reports Both groups found the administration failed to protect students. Both spoke of living amid a climate of fear on campus and online. Both felt targeted for their identities, with some going so far as to conceal physical markers. 'I don't wear the keffiyeh because I feel like I will be targeted,' said one staff member. 'I already wear a hijab and have faced verbal abuse just because of that before.' Advertisement In the antisemitism report, an undergraduate student reflected on the 'horrible' experiences post-Oct. 7 of friends who are 'more outwardly' Jewish and Israeli, saying, 'I feel lucky I don't look Jewish. I know if I do the 'wrong thing' I might get the antisemitism. So, put your headphones in, make sure you're not outwardly Jewish, and just walk to class.' Both groups cited a need for more educational offerings and inquiries around Israel-Palestine. 2. Campus shunning and external harassment Many Jewish and Israeli students described social shunning by their peers on campus, whereas the anti-Muslim/Arab/Palestinian bias report highlighted examples of outside harassment, especially doxxing. 'There's a good-Jew, bad-Jew dynamic,' particularly in progressive circles, one student told the antisemitism task force. 'A Jew who doesn't renounce Zionism and who is gay can't feel comfortable in a gay students' association,' noted an undergraduate. Others expressed concerns about the 'perceived indifference' toward Jewish students by Harvard's Office For Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. 'Jews are the only minority [against whom] people speak [but] enjoy maximalist First Amendment protections,' said one graduate student. 'Every other minority group is defended by the administration against hate speech. There's absolute freedom for antisemitic speech. I agree with the Supreme Court case about the neo-Nazi march in Skokie. It's right for the country but not for Harvard.' Participants in the anti-Muslim/Arab/Palestinian bias report recounted external threats and harassment. 'One student had their face put on a doxxing truck and their phone number and other details doxxed online. They received calls with death and rape threats,' reported a faculty member, who noted the incident was not isolated. Advertisement Pro-Palestinian advocates spoke of turning to each other when they should have had access to trained experts and institutional support. 'I felt like a student hotline, tasked with supporting my fellow students,' said one student. 'Where were the administrators? Where was our support system? I am 20 years old.' A faculty member described 'a profound failure of this institution to protect students at all levels.' Related : 3. The anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian bias report includes a range of allies . . . And not just those whose identities match the title. As a result, the report surfaces accounts of everyday racism against people of color more generally, along with a broader sense of anger and alienation. 'I hate this place. I hate being here,' said one student. 'The reason for that has been the administration — a complete erasure of Palestinian, brown students.' A major theme in this report is the erasure of the Palestinians, down to their name as a people. Some faculty 'hide their syllabi with references to Palestine because they're worried about not getting tenure,' reported one student, while a faculty member said, 'The Palestine exception is clear to us.' Some pro-Palestinian campus community members were so skeptical of the Harvard administration they felt the very creation of the task force — which originally focused explicitly on anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bias and didn't reflect Palestinians in its name — was nothing more than a performative gesture, a check in the box 'so Harvard can say it's doing something,' as one student said, urging the task force to 'prove us wrong. 'Show us it's not just words.' Related : 4. Many students and faculty were still hesitant to voice their views on campus An untenured Jewish faculty member spoke of being 'afraid' to publicly express support for a ceasefire and Palestinian human rights, while the antisemitism report noted that 'many Jewish students who identified as anti-Zionist reported to us that they felt the main source of hostile behavior against them was other Jewish students.' Advertisement 'I feel uncomfortable sharing any views that are not pro-Israel due to the caving to donors that [Harvard has] done over the past year,' wrote a survey respondent. 'I do not think [former] President [Claudine] Gay should have been forced out and if that happened to the most powerful position how can anyone else feel comfortable knowing their job could be on the line?' While one student pointed to Gay as a specific example of the 'avoidance of difficult conversations,' another in the antisemitism report drew attention to a larger problem. 'One of my suitemates knew nothing about the Israel/Palestine conflict and the student tried to talk about it without going too deep, because they didn't feel comfortable talking about it with non-Jews,' they said. 'There's a fear of having conversations about anything related to Israel/Palestine because people don't know enough to participate and don't want to say the wrong thing. But they can listen.' 5. Others fear potential repercussions beyond 'Abandoned and silenced. These two words go a long way towards capturing what many Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, and pro-Palestinian members of the Harvard community reported experiencing in the 2023-24 academic year, and what many continue to feel,' the authors of that report wrote. They note that 92% of Muslim respondents believed they were likely to encounter academic or professional consequences for voicing their opinions, and that 'freedom of expression is one of the most critical issues facing the entire Harvard campus community.' Brooke Hauser can be reached at
Int'l Business Times
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Harvard Renames DEI Office to "Community and Campus Life" Amid Federal Pressure
People gather to take photos with the John Harvard Statue at Harvard University on April 17, 2025 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard University announced on April 28, 2025, that it will immediately rename its Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (OEDIB) to the Office of Community and Campus Life. The decision comes as the Trump administration escalates its efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programming at universities, threatening billions in federal funding. The move has sparked debate about whether Harvard is conceding to political pressure or strategically adapting to a shifting landscape. The renaming was detailed in an email from Sherri A. Charleston, previously Harvard's chief diversity officer and now the chief Community and Campus Life officer. Charleston wrote, "In the weeks and months ahead, we will take steps to make this change concrete and to work with all of Harvard's schools and units to implement these vital objectives, including shared efforts to reexamine and reshape the missions and programs of offices across the university." The announcement followed two April letters from federal agencies demanding that Harvard dismantle its DEI initiatives or face a $2.2 billion federal funding freeze, which the university is now challenging through a lawsuit. The rebranded office will prioritize expanding cross-cultural engagement, supporting first-generation and low-income students, and fostering dialogue across ideological differences. Charleston cited a 2024 campus-wide Pulse Survey, noting that while many at Harvard feel a strong sense of belonging, fewer feel comfortable expressing divergent viewpoints. This, she argued, underscores the need to reimagine how Harvard builds community with a focus on free expression. The decision has drawn mixed reactions. Some see it as a pragmatic response to federal pressure, while others view it as a retreat from Harvard's commitment to DEI. Posts on X reflect this divide, with one user stating, "Harvard has renamed its Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging to 'Community and Campus Life'. The explanatory text is quite strong, and we will see what programmatic changes follow. Regardless of influence of federal pressure, seems like a positive development." Another user remarked sarcastically, "Wow they just be like 'whatever you say daddy' #DEI," highlighting skepticism about Harvard's motives. NEW: Harvard renamed its DEI office on Monday as it faces a surge of federal pressure. Effective immediately, Harvard's Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging will be renamed to "Community and Campus Life." More in @thecrimsonhttps:// — Dhruv Patel (@dhruvtkpatel) April 28, 2025 Harvard's legal battle against the Trump administration intensified this month, with the university suing over the $2.2 billion funding freeze, which it calls an "unconstitutional campaign" to punish its resistance to federal demands. The administration's push includes additional threats, such as a potential $1 billion cut in health research funding and investigations into Harvard's programs, like the Harvard Law Review, for alleged discrimination. The renaming also coincides with Harvard's decision to end funding and support for affinity group celebrations during commencement, a move attributed to federal warnings against race-based programming. Last year, Harvard hosted celebrations for groups including Black, Latinx, and first-generation graduates, but these events will no longer receive university resources, leaving student organizers uncertain about their future. Critics argue that the rebranding may dilute the focus on equity and inclusion, which Charleston herself emphasized in a 2021 interview with The Harvard Crimson. Reflecting on OEDIB's work, she said, "We saw in various spaces that there was a clarion call to make sure that we were not forgetting the equity component." That commitment now appears to be reframed under a broader mission, raising questions about how Harvard will balance its stated values with external pressures. As Harvard navigates this contentious period, the university's actions are being closely watched. Its lawsuit against the Trump administration and the rebranding of OEDIB signal a complex strategy: publicly resisting federal overreach while making concessions that could reshape its approach to diversity and inclusion. Whether the Office of Community and Campus Life will maintain the spirit of its predecessor remains to be seen, but for now, Harvard is charting a new course in a polarized climate. Originally published on University Herald
The Print
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Indian students at Harvard protest Pakistani delegates' visit post Pahalgam, ask Rubio to revoke visas
The letter, signed by Harvard Kennedy School students Surabhi Tomar and Abhishek Chaudhari on behalf of concerned students, alleged that the attack—carried out by militants linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—targeted Hindu civilians based on their faith. The students described it as a 'faith-based massacre' as survivors reported being interrogated about their religion before the killings. In a letter addressed to Harvard President Dr Alan Garber, Provost John F. Manning, Harvard Kennedy School Dean Jeremy Weinstein, and the Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Indian students urged the academic institution to publicly condemn the 22 April attack and reconsider hosting Pakistani officials at the Pakistan Conference 2025. New Delhi: The aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack has now spilled over to other parts of the world. Indian students at Harvard University in the United States are protesting the upcoming visit of Pakistani delegates to the campus, accusing Pakistan's government of supporting religiously motivated terrorism against Hindus in India. 'These acts of violence were not indiscriminate—they were calculated attacks based solely on religious identity,' the letter read. 'Harvard must ensure its campus does not become a platform for whitewashing state-enabled religious terrorism.' The Indian students expressed particular concern that Pakistani delegates, including the country's finance minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, are slated to speak at the conference, despite Pakistan's Senate's new resolution reaffirming its support for Kashmir's so-called 'freedom struggle', which they argued is often used to justify violence against Indian civilians. 'Welcoming representatives of a government that not only denies accountability for, but also ideologically supports such religion-based terrorism, risks Harvard being complicit in legitimising those who enable or justify these crimes,' the letter added. The concerned students further asked Garber to issue a public statement condemning the Pahalgam attack, and affirming the university's support for victims of religion-based violence, reconsider the participation of Pakistani officials at the upcoming Pakistan Conference 2025 and provide emotional and institutional support to affected students through the Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. In a parallel move, the students also wrote to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging the Trump administration to revoke the visas of Pakistani officials travelling for the event. They called on the US government to 'stand with victims and uphold America's moral clarity in the face of terrorism'. 'Welcoming representatives of a government that enables or justifies terrorism risks Harvard being complicit,' the joint letter to Rubio read. 'The United States must not host representatives of a state that protects and promotes organisations targeting civilians based on faith.' (Edited by Mannat Chugh) Also Read: In touch with both India & Pakistan, US calls for 'responsible' solution after Pahalgam attack
Bloomberg
28-02-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Meltzer Center: Corporate America is Rebranding DEI
David Glasgow, Executive Director at the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, discusses the impact of President Trump's executive order aimed at pressuring corporations and the federal government to end DEI initiatives. He speaks with Shery Ahn and Haidi Stroud-Watts on "The Asia Trade". (Source: Bloomberg)
Associated Press
29-01-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Areté Living Wins Exemplary Awards for DEIB Program
Areté Living won two Prism Awards from WTWH Healthcare for their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) program. 'Leaders like Kenny are instrumental in advancing this mission, and we are so fortunate to have such dedicated champions driving this vital work forward.' — Sarah Silva, President and Co-Founder of Areté Living TIGARD, OR, UNITED STATES, January 29, 2025 / / -- Areté Living, a senior living management and development organization, won two Prism Awards from WTWH Healthcare for their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) program. Kenny Dew, Area Finance Manager and Chair of the DEIB Council with Areté Living, earned the DEIB Champion Award. This designation honors individuals who have championed DEIB within their companies. Areté Living earned the Social Stewardship Award, recognizing companies that have made significant achievements in social responsibility initiatives related to community engagement. 'I am deeply proud to have our organization recognized for DEIB and social stewardship,' stated Sarah Silva, President and Co-Founder of Areté Living. 'This recognition marks neither the beginning nor the end of our work. While there is a national effort to dismantle progress that prioritizes fundamental human needs, we at Areté remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering and accelerating a culture of belonging for everyone. Leaders like Kenny are instrumental in advancing this mission, and we are so fortunate to have such dedicated champions driving this vital work forward.' DEIB Champion Dew has been involved with DEIB at Areté Living since 2020 and assumed his role as Chair of the DEIB Council in 2022. He was instrumental in adding the company's new core value: 'a culture of respect, belonging, and celebration of diversity.' In 2024, Dew played a crucial role in establishing Juneteenth as a company holiday, an awaited moment for many of our employees. Dew's latest update to the DEIB program is the introduction of Inclusion Advocates leading four pillars: people, education, talent, and community. He and the DEIB Council determined goals and projects for each pillar, as well as generated excitement among employees to participate in this great work. Dew is heavily involved in all Areté Living's DEIB campaigns honoring observances and holidays through the year, ensuring they are authentic, valuable, and accessible to employees and the public. 'I'm honored to be named a DEIB Champion,' Dew stated. 'While I am enormously proud to have been selected, this accomplishment is really a testament to our DEIB team members and collaborators. I've had the good fortune of partnering with people who work every day to further our organization's dedication to celebrating our residents and team members, and to cultivate an environment they see themselves represented in. I have been so impressed with the enthusiasm and ideas they bring to the table as we continue to expand our efforts, and I can't wait to have our biggest year yet in 2025!' The company's DEIB program has thrived due to the dedication and contributions of Dew and Zanele Mutepfa-Rhone, Culture and Diversity Strategist of Brand Zanele Collective. Both have supported the program since 2020. With Dew as Chair, the DEIB Council integrated a strategy that included culture and people assessments, cultural moments programming, inclusive education, and community partnerships. 'Kenny is someone who doesn't just lead programs; he leads with heart, and he does so with a brilliance that is felt across the organization,' Mutepfa-Rhone shared. 'His unwavering commitment to creating an inclusive, respectful, and compassionate culture, combined with his thoughtful leadership, makes him truly deserving of the DEIB Champion Award. We need more leaders like him, now more than ever.' Social Stewardship Award Areté Living's social stewardship and philanthropic efforts are supported by its strong DEIB program. Areté Living has sponsored Pride Northwest at Portland Pride for the past four years. This event demonstrates that everyone is welcome and included in Areté Living's senior communities. The company is also a proud long-time sponsor of the Alzheimer's Association's annual Walk to End Alzheimer's, and their teams fundraise for this important cause throughout the year. Areté Living also sponsors Gifted Wishes, supporting their work in granting final wishes of individuals in hospice care. Areté Living's owner Rick Miller and his wife Erika Miller are passionate about Self Enhancement Institute's (SEI) mission to support youth in their personal and academic success. Areté Living has supported SEI for two years, including sponsoring their biggest community fundraiser, Soul of the City. Areté Living's leadership team and DEIB Council are honored to accept the Social Stewardship Award and Dew's DEIB Champion Award as they advance their work in promoting a culture of equity and inclusion. Arete Living Facebook LinkedIn YouTube TikTok Legal Disclaimer:
