Statement of Shared Values

The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) and the program in Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE) constitute a vibrant academic, professional, and social environment for those interested in the study of Earth and Earth systems. Having a diverse and inclusive community, where every member is valued and treated with respect, is a central goal and we want all participants to have a rewarding experience with equal opportunity for their success. Accordingly, we expect everyone in our community to behave in a manner consistent with, and in support of, an environment where we can work and learn together in an atmosphere free of all forms of discrimination and harassment. Below, we clarify these expectations.

Harvard University Policies:

Harvard University, in accordance with State and Federal law, prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, veteran status, disability unrelated to job requirements, genetic information, military service, or other protected status. As part of Harvard University, EPS/ESE endorses and adheres to these university wide non-discrimination polices for students and employees, as well as Harvard University’s policy on sexual and gender based harassment summarized here: Harvard University is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and work environment in which no member of the University community is, on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity, excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in any University program or activity. Every member of the community should be aware that the University prohibits sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and retaliation, and that such behavior violates both law and University policy.

EPS/ESE Shared Values:

The EPS/ESE community agrees upon the following principles and practices. All members – faculty, staff, and students – have a role to play in upholding the following:

Creating and sustaining a safe, open and professional environment wherein all members feel empowered to perform their best
Supporting diversity and inclusiveness within the community
Practicing excellence, integrity, and honesty in all aspects of professional work
Respecting all members of our community and the spaces we share
Observing courtesy, equity, and fairness in our interactions and work with others
Behaving professionally in all EPS/ESE spaces and at all EPS/ESE sponsored events, whether on or off campus

These principles apply to all aspects of the EPS/ESE community experience, and every member should feel empowered to address concerns regarding actions inconsistent with the values enumerated above.

Unacceptable Behaviors:

As a statement of principle, the EPS/ESE community rejects discrimination and harassment by any means, based on any aspect of a person’s or group’s race, color, ethnic or national origin, ancestry, citizenship, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, service in the uniformed services, veteran status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information (including family medical history), marital status, pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions, economic status, political or other opinion, appearance or age. In addition, EPS/ESE opposes all forms of bullying including threatening, humiliating, coercive, or intimidating conduct that causes harm to, interferes with, or sabotages member’s opportunities to achieve their full potential. Initiating or encouraging discrimination, harassment (in any form), and bullying create a hostile environment that reduces the quality, integrity, and value of EPS/ESE by marginalizing individuals and communities. This applies to all EPS/ESE professional, research, and teaching environments, as well as EPS/ESE sponsored community gatherings or social events.

Definitions:

Discrimination – Discrimination refers to the unequal or unfair treatment of a person or group in professional opportunities, education, benefits, evaluation, and employment (such as hiring, termination, promotion, compensation) and can include various types of harassment, as well as retaliation. Discriminatory practices can be explicit or implicit, intentional, or arise from unconscious biases.
Harassment – Harassment is a type of discrimination that consists of a single intense and severe act, or of multiple persistent or pervasive acts, which are unwanted, unwelcome, demeaning, abusive, or offensive. Offensive conduct constitutes harassment when 1) it becomes a condition of an opportunity, education, benefit, evaluation, or employment or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work or educational environment that most people would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive. These acts may include physical acts, as well as expressed epithets, slurs, or negative stereotyping based on gender, race, sexual identity, or other categories, as protected by U.S. federal law. Also included are threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts; denigrating jokes and displays; circulation of printed or online text or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or a group.
Sexual Harassment & Assault – Sexual harassment includes any acts involving discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. These include sexual misconduct or assault, deliberate intimidation or stalking, and any unwanted and/or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature, such as harassing photography, or recording, and the use of sexual language and images in public spaces or on social media.
Bullying – Bullying is the use of force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively dominate others in the professional environment that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. These actions can include abusive criticism, humiliation, the spreading of rumors, physical and verbal attacks, isolation, undermining, and professional exclusion of individuals through any means.

EPS/ESE recognizes that the relationship between students and those in advisory roles is a unique one in the academic environment, and that the power imbalance inherent in the student-adviser relationship carries extra demands for ethical behavior. Both advisers and students (undergraduate and graduate) are encouraged to be aware of the responsibilities of the adviser, the student, and the institution with regard to this relationship. Thank you for helping make EPS/ESE a welcoming, safe, inclusive, supportive, and productive community.

Land Acknowledgement:

The Harvard University Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences is situated on the original and ancestral homelands of the Massachusett people, who still occupy this land. The people of the Massachusett tribe are the descendants of the original people that English Invaders first encountered during the colonization of what is now the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this territory and honor, respect, and celebrate the many Indigenous peoples connected to this land and this community. As geoscientists, our scholarship and research is inextricably tied to Earth and Indigenous lands. We acknowledge and understand the history of the Indigenous lands where we live, work, conduct research, collect data, and gather, and celebrate, support, and credit Indigenous peoples in our scientific community - both at home and in the field - to dismantle colonialist structures now and in the future.

Please learn about the Massachusett tribe & the Indigenous history of these lands here: http://massachusetttribe.org/