2023 OIED Diversity Matters Newsletter - Special Edition

DIVERSITY MATTERS

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Impact Awards 1-2

Update Search Exemption Form 2

Wear Red Day 2

Stalking Awareness Month 2 Black History Month 3

DCP Graduates 4

Title VII and Title IX 5 Book Club 6

OIED Handouts 6

Diversity in the Middle Group 6

MLK Day 7

Clarifying Concepts 7

Community Events . . . . . . . . 8 Religious Holidays 8 CDO Sessions 8

OFFICE OF INCLUSION, EQUITY, AND DIVERSITY TEAM

uthsc.edu/oied/staff

Michael Alston, EdD, CCDP/AP

Associate Vice Chancellor for Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity

Chief Diversity Officer

Miki Sisco-Sankrityayan, JD

Senior Compliance Resolution Officer

Isabella Porcaro, MA

Learning Assurance Officer

Miriam Ghandi

Associate Compliance Generalist

Abigail Marbibi-Caritan, MA

Associate Engagement Generalist

The University of Tennessee is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/ Section 504/ADA/ADEA/V institution in the provision of its education and employment programs and services.

UTHSC FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS HONORED FOR MAKING AN IMPACT

Written by Christopher Green

The Office of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity presented the UTHSC Impact Awards to acknowledge and celebrate students, faculty, and staff members for going beyond the call of duty in their roles at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Winners of the Lichterman Award, the Chancellor’s Exempt Staff Award, the Student Social Justice and Diversity Healthcare Leadership Award, and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Faculty Award were announced during a hybrid ceremony that took place at the Mooney Building Library and on Zoom

The Thomas C Lichterman Outstanding Employee Award is given to an employee based on their reliability, quality of work, and attitude and disposition in the workplace Lichterman reached beyond his job description as a messenger at UTHSC for 11 years His brother, John, presented the award to Lee Weaver, a senior IT technologist for ITS Instructional Services, who was described as dependable, knowledgeable, patient, and communicative .

“During a time of need, students have posted [Weaver’s] picture with a Batman symbol, because like a superhero, [he] has been a hero during the most troubling times with technology,” OIED’s Abigail Caritan said when announcing the award .

The Chancellor’s Exempt Staff Award recognizes non-faculty exempt employees who have demonstrated outstanding service or who have made significant contributions to the university community beyond what was expected of them Debbie Jackson won the award for her work as the benefits director in the Human Resources department

“Winning the Chancellor’s Exempt Staff Award is a wonderfully humbling experience,” Jackson said . “Being recognized and honored means I’ve succeeded in my goal to help make a difference every day ”

This year, 10 students from five colleges were nominated for the Student Social Justice and Diversity Healthcare Leadership Award, recognizing students whose actions promote the acceptance of diverse views, backgrounds, and experiences Three winners were chosen: Drahea Martin

DIVERSITY MATTERS

from the College of Dentistry, Tiana Bridges from the College of Health Professions, and Brianna Hawkins from the College of Pharmacy

“Winning this award makes me proud to reflect on the many underserved and uninsured patients that we as students get to care for regularly and the genuine relationships we build with them and their families,” Hawkins said . “The diversity and inclusion within our student class and the community we serve is a true testament to why UTHSC is so special ”

Janeane N . Anderson, Phd, MPH, assistant professor in the College of Nursing’s Department of Community and Population Health, was awarded the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Faculty Award According to OIED, the award honors a UTHSC faculty member who demonstrates exemplary leadership and the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion through performance and conduct

“I honestly count it a blessing to be able to work toward health equity and justice for high-impact communities that have historically and systematically been neglected in research, clinical practice, and social policies,” Dr Anderson said . “I am thankful for this recognition and hope others will join me in using their talents and gifts to ensure that everyone is able to achieve optimal health and wellness in Memphis and beyond ”

The ceremony ended with remarks by Cindy Russell, PhD, RN, vice chancellor for Academic, Faculty and Student Affairs (AFSA) She said to the winners, “Each of you has used your unique abilities, your talents, your interests, and your passion to build a better tomorrow, and for those efforts, we all thank you ”

UPDATE SEARCH EXEMPTION FORM

The Office of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity has refreshed the Search Exemption Form for Faculty and Executive Administrative Search Procedures The updated form can be found on the OIED website at any time The updates include instructions on how to file a search exemption, attachments needed for review, and where to send the form

This resource and several others found on the OIED Faculty and Executive Search Procedures website should be referenced prior to reaching out to OIED When otherwise unclear or unable to locate the information in the documents provided, we welcome questions to ensure that we maintain compliance and provide equitable search processes for applicants looking to join UTHSC!

NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY: FEBRUARY 3

From landmarks to online communities, neighborhoods to news anchors, this annual groundswell unites millions of people for a common goal: the eradication of heart disease and stroke

Wear red to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease and help save lives Why? Because losing even one woman to cardiovascular disease is too many (Source)

January 2023 marks the nineteenth annual National Stalking Awareness Month (NSAM), an annual call to action to recognize and respond to the serious crime of stalking NSAM was launched in 2004 by the National Center for Victims of Crime The aim was to increase the public’s interpretation of the crime of stalking Stalking may seem harmless to some, but history has proven that it can lead to murder among other graver crimes It is for this reason that the Office on Violence Against Women, and the U S Department of Justice, are making extra efforts to spread information on stalking every year Be a part of the campaign by pushing members of your community to be vigilant and stay safe .

In observance of National Stalking Awareness Month, the Office of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity will coordinate commemorative programming to educate the campus community on stalking and provide resources to those in need . Stay tuned for upcoming events in the Daily Digest!

BLACK RESISTANCE

African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms, and police killings since our arrival upon these shores These efforts have been to advocate for a dignified, self-determined life in a just democratic society in the United States and beyond the United States political jurisdiction The 1950s and 1970s in the United States was defined by actions such as sit-ins, boycotts, walkouts, and strikes by Black people and white allies in the fight for justice against discrimination in all sectors of society from employment to education to housing Black people have had to consistently push the United States to live up to its ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all Systematic oppression has sought to negate much of the dreams of our griots, like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, and our freedom fighters, like the Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr , Septima Clark, and Fannie Lou Hamer fought to realize Black people have sought ways to nurture and protect Black lives, and for autonomy of their physical and intellectual bodies through armed resistance, voluntary emigration, nonviolence, education, literature, sports, media, and legislation/politics Black led institutions and affiliations have lobbied, litigated, legislated, protested, and achieved success

In an effort to live, and maintain and protect economic success, Black people have organized/planned violent insurrections against those who enslaved them, such as in Haiti, and armed themselves against murderous white mobs,

as seen in Memphis, TN (1892), Rosewood, FL (1923), and New Orleans, LA (1900) Additionally, some Black people thought that the best way to resist was to self-liberate as seen by the actions of those who left the plantation system, like Henry Adams and Benjamin “Pap” Singleton, when they led a mass exodus westward in 1879, and Bishop Henry McNeal Turner of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, who organized emigration to Liberia

Black faith institutions were spaces where Black communities met to organize resistance efforts, inspired folk to participate in the movements, and offered sanctuary during times of crisis To promote awareness of the myriad of issues and activities, media outlets were developed, including radio shows, podcasts, newspapers (i e Chicago Defender, Chicago Bee, the Afro, The California Eagle, Omaha Star, the Crisis, etc . ) . Ida B Wells used publications to contest the scourge of lynching These outlets were pivotal in sharing the successes and challenges of resistance movements Finish reading on the Association for the Study of African American Life and History website

To learn more about the origins of Black History Month, visit the Library of Congress website

Stay tuned for events on campus and in the community to commemorate Black History Month!

DIVERSITY MATTERS

CONGRATULATIONS

FALL 2022 DIVERSITY CERTIFICATE PROGRAM GRADUATES!

The Diversity Certificate Program (DCP) at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center graduated 27 students, faculty, and staff members in December of 2022 The program, which began in 2017, is led by the Office of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity This program serves UTHSC’s institutional goals of fostering and sustaining the diversity of our faculty, staff, students, trainees, and administration by recruitment, development, support, and mentorship of those

groups within the entire institution The program also offers the opportunity for participants to gain knowledge and understanding of current industry “best practices” of equity, diversity, and inclusion so that they can then implement and share within their respective domains With the additional 27 graduates for the Fall 2022 cohort, the Diversity Certificate Program now has a total of 310 alumni! Graduates from this cohort are as follows:

NOT PICTURED

Sharlet Alexander

Executive Administrative Assistant College of Medicine

Lakelia Carter

Accounting Assistant Office of Research

Cynthia Davis

Administrative Coordinator Office of Continuing Medical Education

Nicholas Howze

Associate Director of Financial Aid Operations Office of Enrollment Management

Morgan Huenergarde

Volunteer Department of Pediatrics –Center on Developmental Disabilities

Matthew Isaacs

Residency Coordinator Department of Urology

Sara Kennon

Senior Administrative Services Assistant Department of Psychiatry

Peggy Mahoney

Immigration Specialist Office of International Affairs

Jane Mitchell Student Trainee Department of Pediatrics –Center on Developmental Disabilities

Jennifer Russell Graduate Research Assistant College of Graduate Health Sciences

Jennifer Scanlon

Senior Director of Development Office of Development and Alumni Affairs

Quentin Thacker

Research Clinical Manager Office of Clinical Research

Thirumalini Vaithianathan

Assistant Professor Department of Pharmacology

Kena Vassar

Director of Community Initiatives Center for Health and Justice

William White

Senior Research Assistant Department of Ophthalmology

Quela Graham Human Resources Coordinator Department of Pediatrics

Ashley Evans Community Engagement Specialist and Recruitment Manager

Tennessee Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Brooke Asemota

Resident Department of Pediatrics

Lakia Day Clinical Support Coordinator College of Medicine

Thomas Easterday Assistant Professor of Surgery College of Medicine

Carmen Coleman Director of Assessment College of Pharmacy

Heather Edwards Administrative Services Assistant College of Medicine

Kristen McKenzie Retention Specialist Department of Preventive Medicine

Yeganeh Madadi Postdoctoral Scholar Department of Ophthalmology

Shunjie Zhang Graphic Designer Office of Communications and Marketing

Anna Norris Executive Administrative Aide Office of Finance

Alicia Mastronardi

Verlinde

Researcher

Knoxville Obstetrics and Gynecology

TITLE VII AND TITLE IX

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 are federal antidiscrimination laws. The University of Tennessee (UT) must comply with the laws because UT is a state employer, employs more than fifteen people, and receives federal funding.

TITLE VII TITLE IX VS.

Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin It applies to employer decisions about the terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including hiring, firing, promotion, discipline, and benefits

Title VII protects employees and applicants for employment

At UT, Title VII protections are found in Human Resources Policy 0220 and Human Resources Policy 0280

The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Title VII compliance .

Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities that receive federal funds In this context, sex-based discrimination includes sexual harassment and discrimination based on pregnancy or parenting status

Title IX protects all students and employees

At UT, Title IX protections are found in the Policy on Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, and Stalking (Title IX Policy)

The federal Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces Title IX compliance

Both Title VII and Title IX prohibit sex-based discrimination. Together, these laws prohibit:

• Treating similarly-situated people differently based on sex (including gender);

• Providing different aids, benefits, or services based on sex (including gender);

• Making rules that treat individuals differently based on parental or pregnancy status;

• Failing to adequately respond to sexual harassment (including quid pro quo and hostile environment sexual harassment)

UT is empowered to respond to possible Title VII and/or Title IX violations by:

• Connecting reporters to University, campus, or community resources for care and support;

• Initiating a University investigation;

• Facilitating a non-investigatory resolution; and/or,

• Providing relevant training on community expectations for behavior and policy compliance .

While both Title VII and Title IX prohibit sex-based discrimination, there are differences in their scope and applicability There is no expectation for campus community members to develop expertise in whether their concerns fall under Title VII or Title IX

The Office of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity (OIED) receives discrimination complaints and ensures that allegations are reviewed and responded to under the appropriate policy

Contact the Office of Inclusion, Equity & Diversity (OIED) with questions or to report possible Title VII and/or Title IX concerns under campus policy

uthsc.edu/oied

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION BOOK CLUB: THE BEAUTY

IN BREAKING

BY MICHELLE HARPER

Discussion date: February 23, 2023

12:00 – 1:00 pm CST via Zoom

Michele Harper is a female, African American emergency room physician in a profession that is overwhelmingly male and white Brought up in Washington, D C , in a complicated family, she went to Harvard, where she met her husband . They stayed together through medical school until two months before she was scheduled to join the staff of a hospital in central Philadelphia, when he told her he couldn’t move with her Her marriage at an end, Harper began her new life in a new city, in a new job, as a newly single woman

In the ensuing years, as Harper learned to become an effective ER physician, bringing insight and empathy to every patient encounter, she came to understand that each of us is broken— physically, emotionally, psychically How we recognize those breaks, how we try to mend them, and where we go from there are all crucial parts of the healing process

OIED HANDOUTS: RESOURCES AND INFORMATION FOR ALL!

With the increased flexibility for orientations and programmatic efforts, the Office of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity has digitized our OIED Notes (handouts) for easy access Check out our OIED Notes web page for access to the following resources and information It helps to stay in the know!

• Title VII Sexual Harassment: What Everyone Should Know

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DIVERSITY IN THE MIDDLE GROUP

In 2022, the DIM Group at UTHSC was created by Dr . Michael Alston, associate vice chancellor/chief diversity officer, based on the work of Barry Oshry (the founder of Power + Systems) and workplace DEI research DIM stands for ‘Diversity in the Middle,’ and the group members or "middles" hold the title of vice-chancellor, associate/assistant chancellor, chief, and associate/assistant dean

During the voluntary meetings held over Zoom on the third Friday of each month, the middles discuss what it is like to support a ‘Top’ administrator, how to make UTHSC smaller (figuratively), getting to know other middles, and supporting each other as middles . The unique middle administrator participants bring a high level of acquired diversity around knowledge, experience, and problem-solving skills that are valuable to their Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, and Dean

Overall, the DIM Group creates a space for middles to influence behavior around how people interact and make decisions across the organization through partnerships that demonstrate the value and importance of inclusion, equity, and diversity

UNITED WE SERVE

The Martin Luther King, Jr , National Day of Service is a defining moment each year when Americans across the country step up to make communities more equitable and take action to create the Beloved Community of Dr King’s dream While Dr King believed the Beloved Community was possible, he acknowledged and fought for systemic change His example is our call to action

MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities During the last quarter-century, the MLK Day of Service has grown, and its impact increased as more Americans embraced the idea that citizenship involves taking an active role in improving communities (Source)

CONCEPTS CLARIFYING

Terms that are considered non-inclusive In this edition, we offer terms that while may be used commonly, are problematic and should be replaced with more appropriate words.

ADDICT

Addiction is a disease, but we shouldn’t equate a person’s identity with their disease . Instead of using addicts, or alcoholics, a preferable term would be “person with a substance abuse disorder”

FEMALES

Using the word ‘female’ when referring to women can be used/perceived as a derogatory term to reduce people to their reproductive abilities Also, some women are not biologically female Avoid using the word ‘female’ when referring to women

GYPPED

Racial slur for being defrauded, swindled or cheated originating from an abbreviation of ‘gypsy,’ a word commonly used to describe the Romani people

LAME

Originally used in reference to people with reduced mobility, now often a synonym for “uncool ” Both uses are ablest

PEANUT GALLERY

This term for heckling or unwanted disturbance originates in the 1920s when the peanut gallery referred to the back section of theaters, which were the only places that people of color were allowed to sit at the time The phrase was meant to poke fun at the idea of people of color engaging in intellectualism

PREFERRED

In terms of ‘preferred pronouns’ Someone’s pronouns are not optional

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY:

DIVERSITY MATTERS

COMMUNITY EVENTS

CHATTANOOGA

INTERNATIONAL NIGHT 2023 –CELEBRATING BRAZIL!

February 11 | 6:30-9:30 pm EST

Click here for more information

KNOXVILLE 2023 EAST TENNESSEE CHINESE NEW YEAR FESTIVAL

January 28 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM EST

Click here for more information

MEMPHIS

PAKISTAN ASSOCIATION OF MEMPHIS COMMUNITY ANNUAL DINNER

January 28 | 7:00 pm CST

Click here for more information

NASHVILLE

VISUALS FOR DIVERSE LEARNERS: FROM COMPREHENSION TO VOCABULARY (RTS)

February 21 | 12:00-1:00 pm CST

Click here for more information

RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS

January 6 Feast of the Epiphany (Christians)

January 7 Coptic Orthodox Christmas (Orthodox Christians)

January 14 Orthodox New Year: this date marks the start of the Julian calendar (Orthodox Christians)

January 15 World Religion Day (Baha’i)

January 20 Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday (Sikh)

February 1 Imbolc (Pagan and Wiccan)

February 2 Candlemas (Christian)

February 5 Tu Bishvat (Judaism)

February 15 Parinirvana (Buddhism)

February 18 Lailat al Miraj (Islam)

February 22 Ash Wednesday (Christian)

February 24 Festival of Ayyam-i-Ha (Baha’i)

CDO SESSIONS IN 2023

Gear up for the 2023 Candor, Dialogue and Observation (CDO) sessions! Participants in these unstructured conversations have an opportunity to discuss and ask questions regarding inclusion, equity, and diversity that they may be uncomfortable asking in other spaces This platform is in place to encourage unspoken thoughts or comments and viewpoints to be shared based on one’s worldview One’s worldview encompasses cultural events, political beliefs, knowledge of history, and outlook on life A person’s worldview is framed by an array of factors, such as encounters, associations, acquisition of knowledge, and even personal reflections, which change one’s viewpoints with time

For more information, please contact:

Dr Michael Alston will host sessions on the following dates and times in 2023 Click the dates below to register

First Friday Morning Zoom

7:00– 8:00 am CST

• March 3, 2023

• April 7, 2023

• May 5, 2023

• June 2, 2023

Fourth Friday In-person Noon CST

• January 27, 2023

• February 24, 2023

• March 24, 2023

• April 28, 2023

• May 26, 2023

• June 23, 2023

Office of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity | 920 Madison Ave. | Suite 825 t 901.448.2112 | f 901.448.1120 uthsc.edu/oied