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DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
STRONGER THAN EVER, STRONGER TOGETHER
Diversity and inclusion has always been a central part included entertaining activities like a college-wide potluck of the tripartite mission of the College of Nursing, lunches (before COVID), social justice BINGO, and cultural but 2020 was different. We witnessed a virus ravage the competency training. entire globe. We witnessed the disproportionate impact Other activities have taken a more thought-provoking the coronavirus had on minority communities, and we tone. One popular initiative to come out of the group is witnessed police brutality in Black communities. These the Diversity Openness Talking Series (DOTS), a monthly events have created a pandemic within a pandemic, but the meeting where faculty, staff, and students have reflective silver lining in all this chaos is that it has led to increased conversations about different articles, topics, or current engagement, reflection, discussion, and action. events in a safe space. Some recent topics included the In an effort to promote a healthy cultural climate within killing of George Floyd, the Emanuel movie, the removal the college, an initiative out of the college's Diversity of the John C. Calhoun statue from Marion Square in and Inclusion Council was created in late 2019. The downtown Charleston, effective allyship, transgender Diversity and Inclusion Champions and gender non-conforming patients, educational of Excellence, or DICE, is a group gerrymandering, and interracial marriage. of faculty and staff, whose purpose Another practice that is being used to promote the is to weave diversity into the day- infusion of diversity and inclusion practices across all to-day workflow of the college by aspects of university business, is the attention to the supporting diversity initiatives, acting MUSC Diversity statement at the beginning of every as a resource, fostering a tolerant and committee meeting. A similar practice has been adopted accepting work environment, and by other colleges in the American Academy of Colleges Hazelton promoting training and collaboration of Nursing with the goal of increasing inclusive thinking between other MUSC diversity and communication. The College of Nursing understands organizations. The DICE group meets monthly and is that diversity statements alone will not improve diversity chaired by Tonya Hazelton, a project coordinator in the but are a part of a larger strategic plan to ensure a culture college's research office. and environment that actualizes the organization's values, DICE members serve as diversity and inclusion allies innovation, impact and inclusivity. for CON faculty and staff. They also carry out initiatives that foster an environment that promotes inclusion, respect, and a safe space. Some of DICE's efforts have
During the summer of 2020, COVID-19 created a dual crisis: a pandemic within a pandemic. The country witnessed the connection between the coronavirus crisis and growing racial disparities, leading to civil protests in cities including Minneapolis, Washington, DC, Portland, and Charleston. The horrific and unnecessary deaths of George Floyd, Brianna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and several other Black individuals sent shockwaves to countless Americans, including our students, faculty, and staff, who were understandably disturbed by these tragedies and the events that followed throughout the U.S. From these necessary discussions and reflections, the Many minority students and co-workers could relate deans developed a series titled Nursing Leadership Forum for to the discriminatory treatment experienced by minority Racial Equity: Critical Conversations that focused on nursing groups, while others felt a sense of hopelessness. Difficult leadership and racial inclusiveness. and complicated conversations resulted and gave pause to "The message of the series is that we can do better and institutions that required an in-depth examination of racial should do better to address the systemic challenges and inequity. social injustices of our faculty, staff, and students of color Feeling the call to address the outcry of social injustice face regularly," said Andrews. in South Carolina as well as across the country, college of Last November, the first panel session kicked off, with nursing deans from MUSC, the University of South Carolina, hundreds of faculty and staff from all three institutions and Clemson University came together to discuss what they gathering virtually to discuss the topic of essential could do for their students, faculty, and staff. considerations for recruiting faculty of color and featured Linda S. Weglicki, Ph.D., R.N., Gayenell Magwood, Ph.D., R.N. FAHA, FAAN, a professor Jeannette Andrews, PhD., R.N., in the MUSC College of Nursing, as a panelist. The FAAN, dean of the University of following month, Dean Weglicki moderated the session South Carolina College of Nursing, titled, Enhancing Career Success: Addressing the burdens and Kathleen Valentine, Ph.D., MSN, of Micro-aggressions. The third live panel discussion was director of nursing at Clemson held in February and focused on genomics, race, and health University, took a hard look at their disparities. institution's values and commitment "As we embrace new opportunities in 2021, we will Weglicki to diversity, inclusion, and equity. undoubtedly continue to face evolving challenges," said They listened to employees' and Weglicki. "Still, we must commit to promoting equity and students' concerns, and one common theme emerged - more engaging in more in-depth reflection and conversation, in needed to be done. order to find new ways to understand, honor, and strengthen "As nurse leaders, we must lead critical conversations that respect with and for one another. Only then will we begin help each of us understand the forces of racial inequality and to overcome structural obstacles, eliminate disparities and plan, intervene and evaluate our progress," said Valentine. remove barriers to health equity and that promotes the health of everyone."
- DEAN LINDA WEGLICKI
