Investment in Equity: Cultural Innovation at UWS In early 2018, University of Western States formed an equity task force with faculty and staff, and the effort is supported by new clubs such as ENGAGE (Ending Negative Generalizations and Growing Equality), the first-ever Pacific Northwest chapter of the Student American Black Chiropractic Association (SABCA), and the growth of the UWS Allies Club.
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s the U.S. population becomes more racially and ethnically diverse, UWS is taking steps to ensure that the university fosters a culture of inclusivity and that curricula supports cultural competence as a key student learning outcome. These steps are an important way to minimize racial health disparities in the communities that UWS students and alumni serve. "As health care providers and educators, we share a duty to promote cultural competence in health care education, to expand access for integrated health care services, and to increase educational and professional development opportunities for students from diverse and underserved communities," said UWS President Joseph Brimhall, DC. "We are proud to deepen our commitment to creating an open and inclusive community for our students and employees, so that we are best positioned to fulfill our mission to advance the science and art of integrated health care through excellence in education and patient care."
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In early 2019, UWS partnered with Portland’s Center for Equity and Inclusion (CEI). This consulting agency focuses their efforts on long-term and sustainable organizational change; guiding organizations through a process to create a more
inclusive and equitable work environments. Notable local partnerships include the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Public Radio, the Oregon Food Bank and the Portland Art Museum. The CEI approach to equity work focuses around the idea that, "in order for meaningful, sustainable change to occur in any environment, a transformative process that includes all people and aspects of an organization must take place." To support this transformative approach, UWS convened an equity task force comprised of faculty, staff and university leadership, with input from ASB and other key student groups. “As a university that focuses on health sciences, we have a responsibility to promote cultural sensitivity and humility in our students so that they can be responsive to their patients’ needs and values,” said Alisa Fairweather, UWS director of community engagement. “Having a transformative culture shift that becomes the foundation for the way our university operates will hopefully attract and maintain a diverse crosssection of students, faculty and staff to the UWS campus, which will benefit us all. There is a significant lack of diversity in the health care professions, so part of our goal is to improve those statistics.”
