Diversity, inclusion, belonging, and social justice are important goals of the Society for Music Theory. These goals cannot simply be proclaimed; we must all work toward them. There is no better starting point than in our undergraduate classrooms. It is for this reason that the SMT introduces the Award for Diversity Course Design.
This annual award will honor an outstanding undergraduate syllabus that promotes diversity in music theory. An entry should be original work, with ideas or approaches drawn from others indicated generally in footnotes to maintain anonymity (these references can be made more specific at a later stage for winning entries). The award underscores our commitment to these goals in practical ways: the winning entry (as well as any honorable mentions chosen by the committee) will be posted on the SMT website to serve as a model. Over the years, a range of best practices will emerge that can change what we teach and how we teach it.