Task Force on Racial Equity and Social Justice

The Rice Business Task Force on Racial Equity and Social Justice is charged with researching, evaluating and recommending actions to be taken by Rice Business to promote racial equity and social justice. The actions recommended by the task force will be advanced through our teaching mission, the use of our convening power for discussions among members of our community and with leaders of organizations, the delivery of educational experiences that acknowledge and address issues of injustice in society and the support and promotion of research on matters of diversity and inclusion.

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Particular recommendations from the task force are neither prescribed nor proscribed by this charge, but may include topics such as the following:

• Programmatic additions and changes, such as the establishment of new courses or co-curricular seminars and activities
• Providing resources to promote anti-racism teaching, self-education and personal development
• Providing resources for scholarship and the development of teaching materials directed at issues of racial justice, equity and inclusion
• Recommending organizational changes that will advance task force goals
• Developing best practices for the recruitment of faculty, staff and students

To fulfill its charge, the task force must engage broadly with the Rice Business community and is encouraged to coordinate its efforts with and seek the assistance of the many leaders, committees and organizations within the community, comprising students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Task Force Composition:

The Task Force shall include up to 18 members drawn from each of the following groups and meant to represent a broad sample of our community: graduate students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the Council of Overseers. The task force will include at least five currently enrolled Rice Business students and at least three faculty members. The dean, in consultation with leaders across the school, will solicit and appoint members of the task force and will select two members to serve as co-chairs.

Timing:

The task force shall hold their first meeting on or before July 10, 2020 and will remain in operation until December 18, 2020. At that time, the task force, with the approval of the dean, will either transition its charge and the execution of its recommendations to other groups or offices at Rice Business, or have been replaced by a yet-to-be-constituted task force or steering committee. 
 
The task force is asked to submit an initial set of recommendations to the dean on or before October 2, 2020. It is required to communicate its final recommendations on or before December 18, 2020, in writing and via presentation to the dean and other constituencies of Rice Business. The task force may also share interim recommendations that may require that actions be taken before October 2, as soon as its members recommend doing so. These recommendations will be reviewed by the dean.