Diversity and Inclusion

Introduction

The Economics Department is committed to building an inclusive culture and positive climate for all at Cornell University, as well as the economics profession more broadly. Here we provide information on resources available at Cornell University and elsewhere to address issues related to diversity and inclusion. We also summarize the actions we have taken designed to achieve these goals.

The Economics Department endorses the American Economic Association (AEA) Code of Professional Conduct and encourages all members of the Economics Department and the wider economics community to abide by it.

Economics Department Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC)

In the spring of 2021, the Economics Department established the Economics Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC). The Department charged the committee with improving the experiences of groups historically underrepresented or facing barriers in economics education, research, and economics-related career paths both in and out of academia.

To meet this charge, the committee will, among other things, gather information, develop strategies, and offer policy and process recommendations to help:

foster a positive, welcoming and affirming academic climate and experience in Economics,
improve racial and gender diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Economics department and in the broader Cornell Economics community,
promote inclusive faculty hiring practices; graduate student admissions and recruiting; mentoring and retention programs,
provide information and guidance to campus resources that support individuals from underrepresented groups, as well as work-life balance and/or dual-career related challenges,
develop research, teaching and advising practices and programs that broaden the coverage of traditionally underrepresented topics in the Economics curriculum, as well as the pipeline of students and scholars in the Economics profession.

Learn more about the committee here.

Guiding Documents

Bayer, Amanda, Şebnem Kalemli-Özcan, Rohini Pande, Cecilia Elena Rouse, Anthony A. Smith Jr., Juan Carlos Suárez Serrato, and David W. Wilcox. 2019. Best Practices for Economists: Building a More Diverse, Inclusive, and Productive Profession. American Economic Association.

Bayer, Amanda, Gary A. Hoover, Ebonya Washington. 2020. How You Can Work to Increase the Presence and Improve the Experience of Black, Latinx, and Native American People in the Economics Profession. Journal of Economic Perspectives.

Diversity and Inclusion Activities at Cornell

The efforts of the Economics Department to enhance diversity and inclusion are part of a broader Cornell effort.

Learn more about Cornell's policies here.

Find out about upcoming D&I events here.

Report a bias incident here.

Community Support Resources at Cornell

Cornell University provides resources that support the diversity and well-being of the community. You may find the following list helpful:

Mental Health

Financial Difficulty

Visa and Immigration

Two Careers

Cornell Community

Organizations and Initiatives outside Cornell promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Economics

The economics profession has increasingly recognized the importance of diversity and inclusion to the field. A number of organizations and initiatives are working to promote it, including the following:

AEA's Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Professional Conduct

AEA Ombudsperson

AEA’s Committee on Status of Minority Groups in Economics Profession

AEA’s Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession

AEA’s Committee on the Status of LGBTQ+ Individuals in the Economics Profession

AEA Initiatives for Diversity and Inclusion

AMIE Association for Mentoring & Inclusion in Economics

Columbia University's Bridge to the PhD Program in STEM

Becker Friedman Institute Expanding Diversity in Economics

Northwestern Kellogg Research Fellow

Adopt a Paper

AEA Summer Program