President's Statement on Diversity

Diversity is one of the top priorities of Carnegie Mellon's strategic plan. Because this issue is so important to me, I took it as my personal responsibility to lead our efforts in this area.

Many people believe that diversity is just about numbers and quotas and gender and race. But it is about much more than that. It's about the culture of this institution. It's about whether people feel like they are a part of this community. It's about differences in religious beliefs, ethnicity, sexual orientation, as well as gender, race and anything and everything else that makes each one of us unique. I want Carnegie Mellon to be a place that celebrates these diversities rather than merely tolerating them, because being a more diverse institution will make us a better institution. In the classroom, studio, laboratory, office and residence hall, a multitude of experiences, perspectives and beliefs will enrich all that we do. Carnegie Mellon's highest goals will be well-served by raising the consciousness of the entire university community about the inherent benefits of creating a more diverse institution and educational environment.

We will continue to work diligently to move from tolerance and inclusion to a sincere understanding and appreciation of the diverse and unique contributions that all underrepresented groups and perspectives can bring to this institution. As individuals and as a university, we must recognize that we have both a unique opportunity and an institutional responsibility to establish and promote a set of campus values that reflect a fundamental respect for one another, because of our differences, not in spite of them. And I firmly believe that by doing so, we will take the university to a higher level.

If we are to make progress, it will take the efforts of each and every member of the campus community. Meeting the challenge of diversity will require each of us to recognize our own biases and limitations, to see Carnegie Mellon through the eyes of others, and to create an environment of mutual respect. If each of us is willing to do this, Carnegie Mellon will be a better place.

Dr. Jared Cohon
President, Carnegie Mellon University

Excerpted from the Carnegie Mellon Diversity Resource Guide