“Stay safe, and stay committed to a better and more just future.”
That’s how I ended my June 2 message on racial injustice and the recent killings of George Floyd and James Scurlock.
As part of our commitment to a better and more just future, the UNMC College of Medicine has initiated the search for a new college leadership position, the associate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion.
This new position is one step the UNMC College of Medicine is making as we recommit to efforts to address the racial and social inequities that permeate our society. It is a small step but a critical one to pave the way for the many changes and new initiatives needed for the college to become a more active and effective participant in the drive to achieve racial and social justice. I expect that this individual will quickly develop a working team and develop collaborations with other leaders throughout the college, UNMC, our clinical partners and the community to address these issues. Among the goals is to develop improved approaches for admission and selection processes for medical students, residents/fellows, staff and faculty that support and welcome diversity in our college.
There will be other initiatives discussed and implemented. For example, over the last two weeks, many of the college’s leadership in education have been participating in a virtual retreat to review and evaluate the current curriculum. The group will make recommendations for changes to the college’s curriculum committee, who have responsibility for oversite of the curriculum. Among the many things that they are exploring are ways to better educate our students on the existence of racism and other inequities in our society and how these have major impact on health and disease. I want to express my appreciation for this group of faculty and staff who are committing large amounts of their time outside of regular work hours to undertake this very important and timely curriculum review.
The College of Medicine is uniquely positioned to address disparities in health care, and we are committed to exploring ways to do that. We will be working to increase diversity in the college at all levels, with the goal of a student body and a workforce that is reflective of the communities in our state. We will aim to be, and to educate, physicians committed to meeting the health care needs of all the communities that comprise our society. We will work with other UNMC colleges, our health system partners and community organizations to address the inequities of healthcare in our region.
One new position cannot accomplish all that. So I again call on each of you to reflect on what you can do personally and what we can do as an institution. I ask you to communicate your ideas to me, and I pledge that I am open to them.
We have seen too many instances of racial injustice. The Black community and other communities of color are threatened with broad social, economic, political and health inequities, as the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people of color across our country and community makes clear.
We also need to recognize that discrimination and injustice is not just limited to that based on race, but extends as well other areas, including but not limited to gender, religion, sexual orientation/identification, and country of origin. These inequities must also be identified and addressed.
We must do better. We will do better.