Harvard's Latino students approached the school's president demanding reform and expressing frustrations over perceived inequalities, desired inclusivity of students of color. and the visible absence of staff and faculty members of color.

University President Drew G. Faust received a visit from Latino students on the morning of Thursday Nov. 17, demanding the school be more inclusive of students of color. Within their list of demands, they insisted one floor of the Smith Campus Center is purposed as a space for students of color following restoration. Also, they requested that the school allocate more funds to cultural and ethnic student groups. They insisted that Harvard double the number of proctors and tutors coming from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, faculty, administrators and police should be required to undergo cultural sensitivity training.

The institution released a 37-page report last month, which included points asserted by Latino student groups in a letter. The report focused on making recommendations on inclusion and diversity issues. A separate letter composed by Latino students asked for increased funding for affinity groups, the creation a multicultural centers to house cultural and ethnic groups and provide services, and changing the title of College House masters. Students belonging to the undergraduate cultural group Concilio Latino and Harvard's Latinx Ivy League Conference delegation released the letter publicly to encourage accountability among administration.

In response to that letter and an invitation to attend a planned town hall meeting in February, an annual event organized by Latino students, Faust wrote in a statement, "I welcome the opportunity to work with them to combat these injustices and to foster the culture of belonging to which Harvard is committed."

Last month, black tape appeared on the pictures of some black professors at Harvard Law School. The action was promptly viewed as an act of racism, a tactical form of defacement and anti-black contempt. However, many others regarded the incident a hoax or actions orchestrated by black activists to gain leverage. Nonetheless, the taping incident was just a small share of controversial race-related incidents that's rattled the Harvard campus and other campuses within recent weeks. The tape incident came after Harvard students marched in solidarity with black student activists at Yale and the University of Missouri at Columbia, where racial offenses and atrocities occurred earlier in the month.

The diversity report, which was sanctioned by Faust, stated, "Harvard College is neither a finishing school nor a luxury good for America's elites. Its primary work does not end with the admissions process but, rather, begins the moment its students enter its gates." Also, the report stressed the need to "convey the institution's commitment to cultures of inclusion and appreciation of diversity...[which] is particularly true in the college/house systems that are randomized, lest the historical and cultural defaults of the institution prevail." Put simply, Harvard aspires to be a domain of inclusivity, but there's much work to be done.

The report on student life diversity detailed a need to boost training around student life diversity issues, ensure accessibility and diversity of departmental support and, guarantee the promotion of diverse staff and faculty. Also, it called for the creation of task force that would perpetuate diversity at Harvard. After viewing the report, Faust stated in an email that she would create a University-wide task force, which she believes will be instrumental for building a "more truly inclusive community."

Diverse student groups continue to push for culturally varied course offerings and diverse faculty and staff members to match its undergraduate newcomers, who are increasingly racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse. According to data, approximately 11.9 percent of students admitted to the class Class of 2018 were African-American and 13 percent were Latino.