Read an update on progress of the UNC School of Medicine’s DEI Path Forward plan.
Dear faculty, staff, and trainees,
Over the last several weeks at the School of Medicine, we have recommitted ourselves to diversity, equality, and fostering an inclusive environment. Individuals across the School of Medicine and UNC Health are having difficult conversation about race and structural racism.
During this time period we’ve challenged ourselves to create safe spaces to listen, care, and begin to acknowledge that the structures of institutional racism are all around us. Nevertheless, as many people have shared their guilt, pain, anger, and not knowing, we have not put our heads in the sand and tried to ignore the challenges, but become unified around the issues.
Our DEI Path forward is now in the final stages of reviewing action items and posting them on the Office of Inclusive Excellence (OIE) website for transparency and accountability. This has been a large undertaking and OIE appreciates the many people involved with advancing this work. We separated action items into two groups 1) SOM leadership and 2) SOM Basic Science and Clinical departments. Our first update features action items associated with SOM leadership. These action items are based on conversations with multiple groups of students, trainees, faculty, and SOM Leaders. The action items are categorized by the DEI Framework. Please find information about the action items at this link: https://www.med.unc.edu/inclusion/path-forward/strategy/
Sincerely,
Nate Thomas III, PhD
Vice Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion