A Message from the Dean

Diversity and inclusion are core values of the University of Chicago Law School. A major part of our mission is to train well-rounded, critical, and socially conscious lawyers and leaders. By necessity and design, we do this by grappling with some of the most complex and controversial issues affecting the world today. These discussions can only be truly successful if they take place in a community which includes and values people of diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, and when all people within our community feel welcomed and enabled to bring their view and experience to these discussions.

This ideal cannot be accomplished merely by bringing together people of different backgrounds and ideologies, though that is a necessary starting point. We must also make sure that we bring people into a true community, one in which every person feels welcome, one that values every voice and contribution, and thrives on both passion and respect. Development and maintenance of such a community at the Law School is not a one-time goal to be reached and then set aside; rather it is something we actively create together every day, in every discussion, with every person.

The Law School has long been committed to diversity and inclusion, but we entered a new chapter in our work with the creation of our Diversity Committee in Fall 2016. This Committee is now a standing committee of the Law School as a result of the excellent work they did in preparing a set of recommendations for the improvement of our campus climate. These recommendations, released in March, 2018, are now being implemented, with some already completed.

In these pages, you will find, among other things, information on our past work on diversity and inclusion; the March 2018 recommendations of the Diversity Committee and other diversity and inclusion-related reports from around the University of Chicago community; information on how to get involved in our efforts and participate in diversity programming; resources available to our community; and directions on how to communicate with the Diversity Committee or file a report on diversity or inclusion related issues. This section of our website will be a resource for the community as we continue down our path to provide information and opportunities for everyone.

We would not have gotten to where we are now without the passionate contributions of so many in our community; we will only get where we wish to go with the dedicated involvement of community members both present and future. I look forward to getting to know you and working with you.
 

Thomas J. Miles
Dean
Clifton R. Musser Professor of Law and Economics