top of page

OUR 2021 PLATFORM:

LEADERSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY

Our 2021 platform grew out of Harvard Forward's 2020 platform and the thousands of conversations we've had with Harvard affiliates about what they want to see from our University.

​

Consistently, alumni have told us that they want leadership and accountability. In order for Harvard to maintain its status as the world's premier higher education institution, we need to demonstrate bold leadership not only in scholarship, but also in addressing the biggest challenges of the 21st century, such as climate change and racial inequity. And in order to succeed, the University must be accountable to the community members that make Harvard what it is, starting by being more transparent and inclusive in its governance.

CLIMATE ACTION

INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE

  • Divestment of all University Assets from Fossil Fuels

​

  • Increased Support for Climate-Focused Research & Education

​

  • Fossil-Free Campus by 2030 & Cutting-Edge Green Campus Initiatives

  • Reserving Six Seats on the Board for Recent Alumni Overseers 

​

  • New Avenues for Student, Union, Faculty, and Staff Input

​

  • Increased Transparency around the Activities of the Board and Corporation

RACIAL JUSTICE

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTING

  • Divestment of all University Assets from the Prison Industrial Complex 

​

  • Creation of an Ethnic Studies Department & Concentration

​

  • Development and Implementation of University-wide Anti-Racism Initiatives

  • New Overseers Committee for Socially Responsible Investing

​

  • Robust and Transparent Processes for Handling Future Divestment Calls

​

  • Promoting Sustainable and Socially Responsible Reinvestment

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Throughout their careers, all of our candidates have been tireless champions for diversity, equity, and inclusion. You can learn more about how they would ensure Harvard's commitment to these values by reading their responses to the candidate questionnaire from the Coalition for a Diverse Harvard:

HOW ARE THESE THINGS RELATED?

The Harvard Forward platform covers four areas that might seem disconnected at first glance. However, we firmly believe that all of these topics are inherently related. If we want to truly fix these issues at the root, we have to tackle them together. For more on how climate action, racial justice, good governance, and Harvard's money intersect with each other (and with everything else), we suggesting reading the following pieces by various Harvard alumni:

Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson '02: "Racism Derails our Efforts to Save the Planet"

​

Anand Giridharadas, GSAS '16: "To Solve Everything, Solve Climate"

​

Vice President Al Gore '69: "Fixing Democracy to Combat Climate Change"

​

Gina McCarthy, HSPH: "Climate Change is an Intersectional Issue" (Video)

​

Geoffrey Supran, GSAS: "How Fossil Fuel Divestment Can Rewrite the Climate Narrative"

bottom of page