Commitment to Cultural Equity and Belonging
New England Conservatory is committed to providing a safe environment for learning, working, and performing where all members of the community are valued and respected and can reach their personal and artistic potential. At a minimum, everyone in the NEC community commits to refraining from discrimination, harassment or retaliation, which is not only against NEC policy but is also illegal under federal and state law. See NEC’s Equal Opportunity & Anti-Discrimination Policy (https://necmusic.edu/employee-policies), Diversity & Respect Policy (https://necmusic.edu/employee-policies), Title IX Sexual Misconduct Policy (https://necmusic.edu/title-ix), and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy (https://necmusic.edu/gender-based-misconduct-policy). But eliminating discrimination is just the beginning; NEC strives for a diverse, respectful community and is committed to cultural equity and belonging.
Believing that a vital and diverse community is built on the respect of individuals, NEC fosters an atmosphere of intellectual and artistic freedom, and encourages the open exchange of ideas and creative initiatives. Learning at NEC is an active process that is encouraged and supported by common respect for the talents and potential of each member of the community. An essential part of an NEC education is gaining a deep appreciation of the traditions and cultures from which music originates.
Systemic racism, unconscious bias, and white supremacy generate countless imbalances of equity, equality, and access. It doesn’t matter whether these imbalances are unintentional; what does matter is that we as an institution take action to identify them, understand their impact, and intentionally dismantle and reset them.
We must examine ourselves, and systematically advance respect, equity, and justice—within NEC first, throughout our field more broadly, and ultimately across society.