DEI Committee of the Board of Trustees - The Hotchkiss School | An independent boarding school for grades 9 through 12.

Diversity & Inclusion | DEI Committee of the Board of Trustees

“Now is the time for us to enact changes that ensure equity and accountability across our programs and policies, and establishing this committee is an important step as we seek to turn ideas into action.”

– Elizabeth G. Hines ’93, Board of Trustees Co-President

In June of 2020, following the global outcry over police brutality against Black Americans and the outpouring of stories from alumni who have experienced racism at Hotchkiss, the Board of Trustees established a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Board.

The DEI Committee includes trustees, administrators, faculty, staff and alumni. It is charged with supporting the work of the School in devising and implementing ongoing changes to create a fundamentally inclusive institution at all levels, and to fully realize the mission of The Hotchkiss School, which is to inspire a diverse range of students who are committed to the betterment of self and society. As such, the DEI Committee supports the school in the areas of admissions and financial aid, faculty hiring and training, curriculum and pedagogy, alumni engagement, parent engagement, community life and student experience.

The Hotchkiss mission statement opens with the words, ‘The Hotchkiss School seeks to inspire a diverse range of students who are committed to the betterment of self and society.’ We cannot claim to have loved up to that mission unless we take action to ensure that every student in our care learns and grows in a community that is fair and equitable. Such a community benefits every one of its members.

Board Resolution on DEI
Communications to the Community

Board Resolution on DEI

The Following Resolution was Passed by the Board of the Trustees in June of 2020.

WHEREAS The School wishes to recruit, support, and retain faculty and staff members who identify with groups historically under-represented at Hotchkiss, with an initial focus on those who identify as Black.

WHEREAS The School wishes to ensure cultural competence and anti-racist culture among our trustees, all employees on campus, and students through continued, mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion and anti-racism training for all members of these groups.

WHEREAS The School wishes to comprehensively assess the curriculum and pedagogical approaches to ensure they are anti-racist and cultivate belonging for all members of the community.

WHEREAS The School wishes to evaluate the state of its ability to provide meaningful, intentional, and authentic support for students who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, including an honest assessment of Hotchkiss’s failures in this regard.

WHEREAS The School wishes to identify ways to continuously honor and celebrate Black alumni to ensure that their impact both on campus and in the world is recognized and serves to inspire current students.

IT IS THEREFORE RESOLVED To approve the formation of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Board, which will rank equally with other Board committees and whose charge is to provide purposeful support and guidance to School leaders as they work to devise and implement on-going diversity, equity, and inclusion plans.