Dear Deans and Directors:

We invite you to participate with leaders of schools of built environments (architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, planning, and related fields) to tackle the challenges of spatial justice, equity, and inclusion as core values and practices in our professions and disciplines. This project, the Deans Equity and Inclusion Initiative, now includes 40 deans and directors of schools across the nation. We would be honored if you would join us to contribute to this significant effort. 

As leaders of Design and Built Environment Schools, we seek to nurture a diverse community of emerging scholars teaching and researching the built environment to advance socio-ecological and spatial justice, equity, and inclusion. As a leaders, we are finding ways to collectively act beyond what any one school can do alone.  Our first project has been to establish an Early Career Fellows program that brings BIPOC and underrepresented early career faculty members together to share in learning, being mentored, and developing professionally as scholars, teachers, and leaders. Our first cohort of Fellows included 8 faculty members from different schools, disciplines, and backgrounds. These Fellows participated in a Summer Institute in 2021 and professional development throughout the Academic Year 2022. We are currently taking nominations for a second cohort. We expect this program to contribute to the success of the Fellows as well as to expand and enrich the community of designers, planners, and built environment scholars and practitioners interested in academic careers. 

While developing our early career BIPOC and underrepresented faculty is our first priority, we are also committed to more fully understanding how we as leaders can change and improve the cultures and practices within our schools, institutions and professions to more fully realize our vision for more diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities where everyone and anyone belongs.  

We require participating schools or programs to commit to:

  • Supporting the development of early career fellows (BIPOC and/or underrepresented faculty) through sponsorship, mentoring, and/or leadership;

  • Identifying potential mentors among your faculty and provide a $500 mentor stipend or equivalent; and

  • Appointing an associate dean or faculty leader to participate in the Advisory Committee 

If this aligns with your thinking, we would be honored to have you join us. Please reach out to Thaïsa at wayt01@doaks.org to talk about your commitment and our collective work.  On behalf of CELA, ACSP, and ASLA as well as our partner schools, thank you for your consideration.

Best,

Thaïsa Way, PhD, FAAR, FASLA
Director | Garden & Landscape Studies
Dumbarton Oaks | Trustees for Harvard University
202.339.6461
www.doaks.org

Adrian Parr Ph.D

Dean College of Design

Senior Fellow, Design Futures Council

University of Oregon

Eugene, OR