Messages From University Leadership

With focus and determination, the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences continues its journey to create a more inclusive University environment for all faculty, students and staff. The University Chief Executive Officer and President reconstituted the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Committee for action – to facilitate policies, guidelines, and programs that support the University’s commitment to developing exceptional practitioners where all students, faculty, and staff have a sense of belonging.

Click here for an update on the Committee’s progress and priorities Competency and Curriculum:  Identify IDEA competencies to develop and identify existing content and recommend education strategies to foster an inclusive culture and prepare our students to deliver culturally competent services.

• Talent Management and Faculty/Student Recruitment: Review existing processes, demographics and best practices to develop recommendations to embed equity-driven processes and establish community partnerships to continue to grow talent pool and student enrollment.
• Culture, Communications, and Work Environment: To recommend assessments to identify current state of the University culture and develop IDEA long-term strategy to build an inclusive, safe work environment, academic learning space and implement a communications strategy.
• Learning and Development: To design and implement IDEA awareness and education training to develop capacity in staff, faculty and students to build an inclusive work and academic learning environment.

The IDEA Committee would like to hear from you!  Contact the committee at IDEA@usa.edu with your ideas and ways you would like to get involved.

Advancing racial equity and building a long-term strategy for Inclusion-Diversity-Equity-Access to foster belonging and respectful encounters for all students, faculty and staff can only be accomplished if you get involved.

Dr. Keisa Boykin and Dr. Ryan Davis

Co-Chairs, IDEA Committee

June 5, 2020

Dear University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences Community,

We continue to be appalled and saddened by the blatant and systemic racism that permeates our society. University leadership across all campuses and all programs reiterates our unequivocal commitment to protecting the dignity of all human beings. Feelings of frustration, anger, fear and stress pervade throughout the University over the horrific killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others. Amid these emotions we must assume our societal role and health care leadership responsibility to address inequalities and relentlessly advance social justice.

It is time to act. Sparked by our first communication on Sunday, the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences community began to reflect on our own individual and collective behaviors, attitudes and practices.  We must heighten our resolve to protect the dignity and rights of every patient we serve, every student we educate, and every staff and faculty member we employ.  To support productive dialog amongst our extremely diverse community and the constructive exchange of opinions and ideas, we are taking the following initial steps:

• Townhall Forums:  Campus Directors at each of our five campuses will host a townhall next week starting on June 9^th, to hear our students, listen to concerns, and engage in ideas for collaborative action ranging from increased student support during this difficult time to addressing inherent inequality in our hallways and throughout our professions.
• Student Association Partnership: We encourage our student associations to hold meetings to start engaging, listening, and understanding the feelings and experiences of their peers in order to generate ideas on precise ways they can change the University, the profession they will join, and the lives of the patients they will serve.  Campus Directors and members of the University Inclusion, Diversity, Equality and Access Committee will be available to participate and to help.
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equality and Access Committee (IDEA):  IDEA has received a clear mandate from me to develop a comprehensive action plan that will result in meaningful transformation. Today, Friday June 5^th, IDEA initiates this process and will begin understanding University-wide sentiments and gathering suggestions and proposals for reforming our organization and professions.

We at USAHS have continuously demonstrated the moral courage and human spirit to address disparities in this country.  We have the fortitude and determination to continue building a more just society.

Vivian A. Sanchez
University Chief Executive Officer and Interim President

May 31, 2020

Dear University Community,

Our society experienced even greater levels of pain this last week. The pandemic reached more than 100,000 deaths, the 10-week unemployment rate surpassed 40 million workers, and protests ensued with the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota police. The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences joins the voices of those working peacefully toward fundamental changes required in our national, state and local systems that would allow every single man, woman and child to be valued, protected and served.

We at USAHS, have demonstrated the moral courage and human spirit to address disparities in this country.  Our mission to graduate exceptional clinicians directly addresses health care inequality and the increasing needs of all populations.  This quest has resulted in more than 55% of our students representing ethnic minority groups, our campuses located in cities and states with the greatest health care demand, and our pro-bono clinics serving those with limited options.  Our academic approach purposefully incorporates compassion, professionalism, collaboration and cultural sensitivity which is taught by diverse faculty who respect the dignity and right of every patient to have a more fulfilling life.

Though we take great pride and comfort in the community we have created, our advances must continue.  The world around us will take time to change, yet each of us can control our University environment. Our opportunity is to take a moment and reflect on our own individual and collective behaviors, attitudes and practices to actively strengthen our institution. It is our societal responsibility to further demonstrate the inclusive and united community at USAHS while continuing to address inequalities one student at a time.

I find great hope and excitement in being part of this University community and in the even greater impact we are destined to have on our society. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do in creating a more just world.

Vivian A. Sanchez
University Chief Executive Officer and Interim President