Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is committed to fostering an environment where all members of our community have a sense of belonging. This commitment drives our pursuit of creating a space where every voice can be heard.
We seek to cultivate diverse populations and perspectives and promote equity and inclusion. Our devotion to these ideals springs from a core belief in the power of education to be a transformative and enriching force for every person, irrespective of their background, identity or life circumstances.
Inclusion and belonging are intricately interwoven into the very essence of our university, helping to shape our values, policies and practices. Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging are not only central to our ethos but also indispensable to our pursuit of academic excellence and innovation.
Let's continue on this journey together.
Messages from Leadership
"Since our founding, Carnegie Mellon University has been committed to promoting academic excellence and economic mobility through education. Succeeding on this front requires us to both expand access and remove barriers to opportunity in pursuit of a more inclusive and diverse learning environment. These efforts are ongoing and remain critical to our university's mission to advance learning, research, and creativity and make a positive impact on society more broadly."
Dr. Farnam Jahanian
President
Henry L. Hillman President's Chair
“As CMU continues to work together to create a more diverse, inclusive, equitable and multiculturally aware community, we are guided by our vision of a framework for inclusive excellence. Together, we can use this framework to reflect our shared goals, promote transparency and accountability, and align our strategies and everyday action to our core DEIB values.”
Dr. Wanda Heading-Grant
Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer
Diversity
A broad concept that includes differences in society’s opportunities, the shaping of social institutions by different social factors, the formation of group and individual identity, and the processes of social change. This includes race, class, age, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, disability, language, and region of residence, among others.
Equity
Equity occurs when all people or groups in a community are given access to the correct number and types of resources that enable them to achieve equal results. Equity differs from equality, which focuses on the equal distribution of resources, rather than on equal results.
Inclusion
The notion that an organization or system is welcoming to new populations and/or identities. Each new presence is not merely tolerated, but expected to contribute meaningfully to the system in a positive, mutually beneficial way. Inclusive processes and practices strive to bring groups together to make decisions in collaborative, mutual, and equitable ways.
Belonging
Mutual power, access, and opportunity among all groups and individuals within a shared community (such as a society, organization, club, etc). Operationalizing belonging requires that all groups and individuals can contribute to and impact the community to which they seek to belong. Their contributions and impact may entail a profound transformation of the community itself, beyond the mere inclusion of individuals within them.