George Floyd’s murder on May 20, 2020 was an act of police brutality. Importantly, the ensuing movement for racial equity also focused on the economic and other brutality Black Americans have endured for over 400 years, often at the hands of business. In conversations on race in mid-June 2020 and beyond, community members made it resoundingly clear that they felt the School had failed to do all it could and should have done to welcome and advance Black talent, advance knowledge related to race, educate students about racism and anti-racism, and engage the business community in change efforts. The School needed a new action plan.

Toward this end, former Dean Nitin Nohria invited a group faculty, staff, students, and alumni to form the Dean’s Anti-Racism Task Force. Task Force members identified work required in seven domains: curriculum, research & dissemination, faculty & doctoral, students & participants, staff, business engagement, and organization & culture. Teams that focused on these seven areas engaged additional members of the community and these teams formulated recommendations in their areas. Compilation and reconciliation of the recommendations yielded a draft action plan by the end of August 2020.

In September 2020, the Task Force sought feedback on the draft plan from groups of faculty, staff, students, and alumni. The additional input shaped this final action plan, which was released on September 23, 2020. As of September 2021, administration of the initiatives and activities associated with the REP has been transferred to the team within the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion under the leadership of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Terrill L. Drake and in partnership with the Senior Associate Dean for Culture and Community Janice H. Hammond.