Belonging at Brooks
Building the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy on a strong foundation of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is one of our critical priorities. We envision equity as a cross-cutting theme that runs throughout our strategic priorities in research, education, and public engagement. We see the advancement of excellence and innovation in research on race, racism, and public policy, broadly defined to include intersections with global policy and comparative perspectives, as central to training the next generation of policy makers, scholars, and leaders with the tools to build an anti-racist future. Further, we see the advancement of public engagement with policy makers and community members as integral to connecting our research and teaching to the pressing social justice issues of our time.
The Belonging at Brooks Working Group includes students, staff, and faculty (see membership below). It is charged with developing concrete steps and metrics to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging throughout the core areas of Brooks. This includes changes to diversify and strengthen our community of belonging, enhance our educational programs, advance research and engagement in inequality and social justice, and create opportunities for deeper learning and discussion in these areas.
We have important work ahead and envision many opportunities for meaningful engagement within our community. Please join our efforts! Reach out to Kelly Musick, Chair of Belonging at Brooks, at brooks_belonging@cornell.edu or musick@cornell.edu with your ideas, suggestions, and concerns.
We encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses any act of bias or discrimination to report it here. You may also reach out at any time to Kelly Musick at musick@cornell.edu.
Belonging At Brooks Working Group
2024-25 Members
- Kelly Musick (Chair; Brooks faculty)
- Courtney Abdul-Aziz (Public Policy undergraduate)
- Alexandre Dufresne (Brooks faculty)
- Katherine Isaacs (Assistant Dean of Human Resources)
- Sadé Lindsay (Brooks faculty)
- Marini Marini (MPA student)
- Gavin Mosley (Brooks faculty)
- Mame Ndiaye (Associate Director of Inclusive Enrollment and Student Services)
- James Rogers (Brooks faculty)
- Jillian Royal (PhD student)
- Kaitlyn Z Varriale (Health Policy undergraduate)
- Maureen Waller (Brooks faculty)
- Hubert Zhou (MHA student)
Events & Highlights
Upcoming Events
Check back soon for upcoming events.
Brooks School Initiatives to Advance the Next Generation
NextGenPop: Recruiting the Next Generation of Population Scholars
NextGenPop is an undergraduate program in population research that aims to increase the diversity of the population field and nurture the next generation of population scientists. It includes a 2-week, in-person, on-campus summer experience and subsequent virtual components on research and professional development, as well as opportunities for mentorship and networking at the Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America (PAA).
NextGenPop activities are coordinated by PAA and supported by an expert Advisory Committee and consortium of population research centers from universities across the United States. Funding comes from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health (R25 HD105602, PIs Marcy Carlson and Kelly Musick).
The 2023 cohort of NextGenPop Fellows was hosted by the Cornell Population Center June 4-18. Read more in the Cornell Chronicle and see NextGenPop @ Cornell | Population and Public Policy.
Big Data for Big Policy Problems
Maria Fitzpatrick and Matt Hall developed the course “Big Data for Big Policy Problems” (PAM 2070) to teach students data analysis skills that complement a wide range of academic and professional fields and can be used to address pressing policy problems. In summer of 2023, a non-credit version of this class was offered at no cost to underserved students nominated by local high schools and other partners, as well as children of Cornell faculty and staff. This pre-college certificate program aims to bridge the gap in data science education and create a more inclusive field. It is a collaboration between eCornell, Brooks, and the School of Continuing Education. Read more in the Cornell Chronicle.
Past offerings of “Big Data for Big Policy Problems” have included a collaboration with the nonprofit National Education Equity Lab (NEEL) to give high school students in underserved communities the opportunity to develop skills in data science applications. Read more in the New York Times and Cornell Chronicle.
Resources
Supporting Belonging
All Students, Faculty & Staff
- President Martha Pollack’s statement on racial equity
University-wide initiatives to support diversity. - Belonging at Cornell
The University’s central diversity initiative hub. - Cornell Programs, Departments, Cultural, Resource, & Advising Centers
Provides a full list of university-wide organizations and groups that promote diversity and inclusion. - Cornell Anti-Racism Resources
Provides a full list of resources, including programs, webinars and readings. - Cornell Resources to Address Antisemitism
Provides a full list of resources, including programs, webinars and readings. - Cornell Resource to Address Islamophobia
Provides a full list of resources, including programs, webinars and readings.
All Students
- ALANA Intercultural Board
Provides programming and funding for programming related to diversity and intercultural efforts. - American Indian & Indigenous Studies Program
Provides support to students who identify as American Indian or Indigenous, including internship, funding, scholarship, residential life, and other opportunities. - Cornell Identity Resources
Resources on identity and cultural centers and groups, to engage with individuals of similar background or connect with identities other than your own. - LGBT Resource Center
A wide variety of resources, information about the LGBT community at Cornell, and ways to get involved. - Women’s Resource Center
While this is open to all female students, the group expresses a specific commitment to women of color.
Undergraduate Students
- BOSS (Building Ourselves Through Sisterhood and Service)
Mentorship program for women of color at Cornell. - Multicultural Programs
Includes CHE’s Association for Students of Color and the Peer Partnership Program. - Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives (OADI)
A centralized hub that provides support and resources for undergraduate students who are traditionally underrepresented and/or underserved in higher education. - SWAG (Scholars Working Ambitiously to Graduate)
Mentorship group for Black men at Cornell.
Graduate Students
- Office of Inclusion & Student Engagement
Graduate school’s diversity webpage. - Graduate Student Diversity Council
A student-led organization to promote diversity. - Graduate School Student Organizations
Provides a full list of graduate student organizations that promote diversity and inclusion. - OISE Summer Symposium
Summer event aimed to build diversity. - Multicultural Academic Council
Mentoring opportunities for graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Faculty, Post Docs, TAs & Staff
- Office of Faculty Development and Diversity
Provides a range of resources to support faculty development and diversity, including training and support for deans, department chairs, and individual faculty members. - Colleague Network Groups
University-sponsored groups to support traditionally underrepresented minorities and their allies.
Student Services, Mentoring, and Professional Development
All Students
- Learning Strategies Center
- Student Disability Services
- Undocumented/DACA Student Resources
- The Sadie Collective
Addresses the pipeline and pathway problem for economics and related fields.
Undergraduate Students
- Latinx Student Success Office (LSSO)
Academic program and campus hub for the Latinx community. - McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program
Research program to prepare students from disadvantaged backgrounds for doctoral studies. - OADI Pre-professional Programs
Provides funding and support for underrepresented students who are interested in a professional career (e.g., law, medicine, education). Brooks Academic Counseling
Brooks students connect here for help with academic and career advising.
Graduate Students
- NextGen Professors Program
Career development program for Cornell graduate students and postdocs from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the professoriate. - Career and Professional Development
Academic, career, professional, and personal development programs for all stages of graduate school. - Dean’s Scholars Initiative
Funding for students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Reporting Racism, Bias, or Harassment
All Students, Faculty & Staff
- Bias Reporting
Cornell’s tool for reporting bias. - Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX
Promotes equity and ensures civil rights compliance for all members of the university community.
Graduate Students
- Graduate Student Reporting of Unacceptable Behaviors
Avenues for graduate students to report bias, sexual misconduct, and hazing.
Educational Resources on Anti-Discrimination and Allyship
All Students, Faculty & Staff
- Belonging at Cornell – Anti-Discrimination Resources
Includes webinars, trainings, books and videos on how to address racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia. - Office of Faculty Development and Diversity – Anti-racism Resources
Includes podcasts, articles, books, documentaries, movies and short films. - Intergroup Dialogue Project
Offers educational opportunities for the entire Cornell community aimed to foster communication across differences.
Faculty, Post Docs, TAs & Staff
- Center for Teaching Innovation
Offers a range of programs to support teaching, including programs on how to create and sustain inclusive classrooms. - Inclusive Excellence Network
Includes podcasts, coursework, and networking opportunities.
Health & Wellbeing
All Students, Faculty & Staff
- Cornell Health Counseling Services
- Cornell Health’s Victim Advocacy
Provides assistance to members of the Cornell community who are victims of harmful, threatening, or violent incidents. - EARS (Empathy, Assistance, and Referral Service)
Cornell peer-led counseling services. - BEAM Collective (Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective)
Organization dedicated to the healing, wellness, and liberation of Black and marginalized communities. The website offers a Black Virtual Wellness Directory. - GirlTrek: Healthy Black Women and Girls
National health movement that promotes walks for healing.
University Policies
All Students, Faculty & Staff
Graduate Students
Demographic & Belonging Data
Demographic Profiles
The following data offer a benchmark for tracking the Brooks School’s efforts to increase the diversity of our community. We follow university practices for collecting and reporting data, which are determined in large part by federal mandates.
Brooks Student Demographics by Race and Ethnicity
UG | MHA/EMHA | MPA/EMPA | PhD | Total | ||||||
2022 | 2024 | 2022 | 2024 | 2022 | 2024 | 2022 | 2024 | 2022 | 2024 | |
Asian or Asian/White (U.S.) | 30.2 | 28.7 | 21.4 | 25.4 | 6.0 | 5.2 | 9.5 | 3.3 | 17.8 | 18.6 |
Black, Hispanic, and/or Indigenous (U.S.) | 18.6 | 23.5 | 24.3 | 26.2 | 9.7 | 19.9 | 14.3 | 30.0 | 16.1 | 23.1 |
White/Unknown (U.S.) | 44.6 | 44.5 | 40.7 | 32.8 | 24.7 | 27.3 | 45.2 | 40.0 | 36.2 | 36.0 |
International (any race/ethnicity) | 6.6 | 3.3 | 13.6 | 15.6 | 59.6 | 47.6 | 31.0 | 26.7 | 30.0 | 23.3 |
Notes: Data from Fall 2022 (N = 691) and Fall 2024 (N= 655). Few students report “unknown.” “International” includes non-U.S. citizens and those with a non-permanent resident status. UG = undergraduate, MHA = Master of Health Administration, MPA = Master of Public Administration.
Brooks Faculty and Staff Demographics by Race and Ethnicity
TTT Faculty | RTE Faculty | Staff | Other Titles | Total | ||||||
2022 | 2024 | 2022 | 2024 | 2022 | 2024 | 2022 | 2024 | 2022 | 2024 | |
Asian or Asian/White | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 8.5 | 2.9 | 6.5 | 23.5 | 14.0 | 7.8 | 8.6 |
Black, Hispanic, and/or Indigenous | 17.4 | 22.0 | 20.5 | 21.3 | 11.8 | 17.4 | 17.6 | 18.6 | 17.0 | 19.9 |
White/Unknown | 76.1 | 72.0 | 72.7 | 70.2 | 85.3 | 76.1 | 58.8 | 67.4 | 75.2 | 71.5 |
Notes: 2022 (N = 141) and Fall 2024 (N= 186). Few faculty and staff report “unknown,” and few fit the definition of international, thus we do not tabulate this separately. “TTT faculty” includes Assistant, Associate, and Full tenured or tenure-track faculty; “RTE” includes research, teaching, and extension faculty; “staff” include administrative and student services roles; and “other titles” include acting, adjunct, courtesy, emeritus/a, and visiting faculty; postdocs; and temporary staff.
University-Wide Demographic Data
Cornell University Diversity Dashboard
National Data
Faculty pipeline PhD Production by Program, Race and Gender
An online tool, which provides the total number of PhD students by race, gender, and course of study at the top 50 institutions.
Brooks Belonging Survey Results
The Belonging at Brooks Working Group designed a short survey that asks just 10 questions about belonging in Brooks, including a few open-ended items that allow respondents to share experiences and perspectives in their own words. The goal is to help us gain a better understanding of our community’s experiences—and to improve inclusion and belonging in Brooks.
A pilot version of the survey was first fielded in May of 2023 (N=154), and baseline data were collected in May of 2024 (N=326), with a response rate of 46% overall (42% among students, 55% among staff and faculty). Quantitative data are summarized below. Rich open-ended responses help provide context and direction for programmatic change to improve belonging in Brooks.
Sense of Belonging, All Respondents, 2024
Notes: 2023 (N=154) and 2024 (N=325) Brooks Belonging Survey. Responses to question: I feel a sense of belonging in Brooks.
Share Reporting Positively on 5 Items, Students and Staff/Faculty, 2024
Sense of belonging (% agree or strongly agree) | Fair treatment (% agree or strongly agree) | Recommend Brooks (% agree or strongly agree) | Felt marginalized (% rarely or never) | Discriminatory comments (% rarely or never) | ||
Students (N=241) | 68% | 80% | 75% | 73% | 70% | |
Staff and faculty (N=81) | 79% | 90% | 86% | 86% | 93% | |
All (N=322) | 71% | 83% | 78% | 76% | 76% |
Notes: 2024 Brooks Belonging Survey. Question wording is: I feel a sense of belonging in Brooks (strongly disagree to strongly agree); I am treated fairly in Brooks by my peers/colleagues (strongly disagree to strongly agree); I would recommend Brooks as a good place to work or study (strongly disagree to strongly agree); How often have you felt marginalized in Brooks due to an any element of your personal identity? (very often to never); How often have you heard someone in Brooks make an insensitive, disparaging, or discriminatory comment? (very often to never).