Respect, Tolerance, and Inclusiveness in the School of Dentistry – Reprise and More
Dear School of Dentistry Community,
Just steps away from your school, crowds of people converge daily to memorialize, commemorate and remember George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Marquez Arbery. At the same time, these crowds express their frustration and vent their anger as citizens of a world where all people are not respected, valued and treated with dignity.
Intolerance, racism and violence have no place at the VCU School of Dentistry. I have stated this multiple times in similar blog posts (last was September, 2019). As an academic and health care community, our expectation is that everyone who learns, works, and receives care here is treated equally and that freedom of expression is encouraged. This is my expectation as dean. And I ask that you join me in meeting that expectation.
Join in our commitment to patient care without prejudice for all, our dedication to academic excellence for students of all walks of life and ways of living, and to upholding the pillars of our mission:
Education of highly qualified dental professionals – no matter the color of their skin
Research that advances the understanding of oral health, disease and effective rtreatment – for people of all walks of life
Service to members of all communities
Improved oral and general health of our patients and the general population – regardless of circumstance
We have heard that members of our School of Dentistry community are struggling. If it was not enough to have your lives altered by COVID-19, you are now having to cope with another national crisis. COVID-19 is the silent enemy. Lack of respect and value for all people demands the opposite of silence. Non-violent public protests and honest discourse is required. We have work to do. And miles to go. Let’s do it together. As a community.
The establishment and maintenance of a humanistic environment is everyone’s responsibility and each and every person must take ownership of ensuring a school culture of inclusiveness and diversity.
According to the VCU Creed: Philosophy for a University Community
“Academic institutions exist, among other reasons, to discover, advance and transmit knowledge and to develop in their students, faculty and staff the capacity for creative and critical thought. At Virginia Commonwealth University, members of the community should strive to exemplify the following specific ideals in addition to other worthy ideals:
- To demonstrate academic and personal integrity.
- To respect the rights and property of others.
- To be open to others’ opinions.
- To uphold academic freedom and freedom of intellectual inquiry.
- To appreciate diversity and to value and learn from the uniqueness of each person.
- To uphold the right of all persons to be treated with dignity and respect and to refrain from all forms of intimidation, harassment and illegal discrimination.
- To demonstrate and respect intellectual courage in situations that demand it.”
The VCU Code of Conduct is explicit and defines Real Expectations of all employees. Similarly, the VCU Student Code of Conduct sets expectations for students. All members of the VCU Community are required to engage in responsible social conduct that reflects credit upon the University community and to model good citizenship in any community.
The deans in the dean’s office are there to help any student who feels they need to discuss any problem, including those related to respect and inclusion. Employees can obtain help from the School of Dentistry Human Resources Office and/or VCU Employee Relations.
In addition, the following resources are available to all students, staff, and faculty at VCU:
Division of Inclusive Excellence (http://www.inclusive.vcu.edu/)
University Counseling Services (http://www.students.vcu.edu/counseling/)
Wellness Resource Center (http://thewell.vcu.edu/
The VCU Dean of Students, Dr. Reuban Rodriguez (vcudean@vcu.edu)
Equity and Access Services and Title IX Compliance (http://equity.vcu.edu/)
VCU Employee Relations (emprel@vcu.edu or 804-828-1510)
VCU Dental Care Employee Relations (800-386-7055)
VCU Ombudsperson (http://ombudsperson.vcu.edu/)
VCU Helpline (www.vcuhelpline.com)
VCU Employee Assistance Program (http:// www.anthemeap.com)
VCU Dental Care Employee Assistance Program (1-800-327 2255)
I welcome your thoughts on this message and the accompanying expectations.