Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Our Department is a community dedicated to the study and appreciation of French and Italian languages, literatures, and their associated cultures across the world. We value the diversity of our students, faculty, and staff, and are committed to fostering equity and inclusion. We endeavor to respect our differences of race and ethnicity, nationality and immigration status, socio-economic backgrounds, gender and sexual orientation, ability and disability, intellectual, religious, cultural, and political perspectives. Acknowledging these differences is essential to our intellectual and academic mission.

Princeton University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. To maximize excellence, we seek talent from all segments of American society and the world, and we take steps to ensure everyone at Princeton can thrive while they are here. That is the sole rationale and purpose of our diversity and inclusion programs, all of which are voluntary and open to all, and which comply with federal and state non-discrimination laws. Princeton does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, disability, or any other protected characteristic, and Princeton does not provide special benefits or preferential treatment on the basis of a protected characteristic.

Climate and Inclusion Committee

Goals

The mission of the Climate and Inclusion Committee is to support the department’s commitment to serve its entire community and to guarantee the respect of all of its members. It seeks out ways of developing best practices for promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in classrooms, meetings, and events.

Its objectives include:

  • Appraising the ways that diversity and inclusion are respected within the department.
  • Assessing departmental climate, and recommending ways to ensure that the department is supportive of all its members. It does so in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity who administers an anonymous climate survey to evaluate information about the academic environment and general climate in the Department of French and Italian.
  • Providing resources for addressing equity, diversity and inclusion within the curriculum.
  • Suggesting initiatives whose goal is to assess, and, if necessary, remedy systemic bias and to promote diversity in the department through events, outreach activities, and community building.

Composition

The committee is composed of faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and staff, nominated by the Chair in consultation with the Associate Chair, the DGS, and the DUS. It meets at least three times a year. It serves as advisory to the Chair, to whom it reports. An annual public report will also be circulated to the whole department.

Members (AY 2023-24)

  • André Benhaïm (Professor), Chair.
  • Sena Hill (Dept. Manager)
  • Johnny Laforêt (Lecturer)
  • Cecelia Ramsey (Ph.D. Candidate)
  • Effie Rentzou (Professor)
  • Mackenzie Slagle ’26
  • Josie Smart ’25
  • Sara Teardo (Senior Lecturer)
  • Adrian Trust (Ph.D. Candidate)

Length of appointment: 3 years, except Graduate students (2 years), and Undergraduate Majors (1-2 years).

University Resources on DEI