ED100 – UTHSC DIVERSITY STATEMENT	Resp. Office: OED Approval Body: CASA	Effective Date: 02/23/2007
Category: EQUITY & DIVERSITY	Last Review: 05/15/2018	Next Review: 05/15/2021
Contact: Michael Alston, Assistant Vice Chancellor Equity & Diversity	🕿 901.448.2112	🖂 malston1@uthsc.edu
Related Policies:	UT’s Diversity Statement

POLICY

One of the principal missions of The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is to provide quality educational opportunities for the people of this state and beyond. One measure of the quality of an educational experience is the extent to which it enables the recipient to compete and be productive in society and contribute to the quality of life. UTHSC recognizes that diversity in the educational environment, including an outstanding and diverse student body, faculty, and staff, and an environment conducive to learning, adds value to the educational experience and the degree earned. Interacting with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives augments the curricular experience and affords every student the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be a productive and contributing citizen of this state and nation, capable of competing in a global society. Thus, diversity is fundamental to a sound twenty-first century education.

UTHSC affirms the educational value of a diverse and fully inclusive campus community, one that is enriched by persons of different backgrounds, points of view, cultures, socioeconomic status, and other diverse characteristics. UTHSC is committed to engaging in a variety of initiatives to advance diversity in all aspects of University life.

Guidelines for Faculty Hires

Recruitment of new faculty provides opportunities for UTHSC to broaden and enrich the academic community. Such recruitment offers an opportunity to increase campus diversity, adding colleagues from different backgrounds to offer alternative perspectives in campus discussions. Thus, there is an expectation that faculty recruitment be inclusive and widely advertised to attract the broadest possible array of applicants with the necessary expertise as well as the requisite level of prior academic achievement/accomplishment. Specific processes for faculty hires can be found in the search procedures outlined by the Office of Equity and Diversity which provides oversight of the faculty hiring process.

Guidelines for Staff Hires

Diversity and inclusion are also guiding principles for the recruitment of staff at UTHSC. The process developed for hiring staff supports these principles and ensures appropriate adherence to affirmation action/equal opportunity regulations. Policies related to recruitment can also be found at the EEO website within the Office of Equity and Diversity.

Guidelines for Admission to Academic Programs

Diversity and inclusion also provides important benefits for the educational enterprise, enriching experiences in the classroom and in clinical settings. A diverse campus facilitates the preparation of students for the different environments they may be asked to serve – rural/urban, affluent/underserved, multicultural, etc. Thus, the campus actively encourages applications from individuals who bring unique perspectives to its program including applications from groups that are:

1. Underrepresented in the healthcare professions;
2. From counties in Tennessee that are traditionally underserved by the health care professions;
3. Veterans;
4. From other non-traditional groups;
5. First in their families to pursue higher education.

APPROVAL HISTORY

Effective: February 23, 2007

Revised: December 4, 2012

Reviewed and Approved: May 2015

Revised: May 15, 2018, Committee on Academic and Student Affairs (CASA)

Chancellor Approved: May 23, 2018