State of Diversity Strong at UAMS
| The state of diversity at UAMS is strong, said Brian Gittens, Ed.D., in his second annual State of Diversity and Inclusion address, which kicked off September’s Diversity and Inclusion Month across all UAMS campuses on Wednesday.
Billy Thomas, M.D., M.P.H., former vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, with the lifetime achievement award.Bryan Clifton
The online address also featured the Dr. Edith Irby Jones Diversity and Inclusion Awards and awards for outstanding volunteers participating in the UAMS Serves campaign.
Gittens said the Division for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DDEI) and UAMS as a whole have accomplished much, and often amidst difficult circumstances, since he was named vice chancellor of the division in June 2019.
“First, the COVID-19 pandemic caused broad disruptions, forcing immediate adaptation of our operations and programming,” which was quickly moved to online instruction but was also able to expand statewide, said Gittens. Then the summer of social unrest began.
“Social justice challenges and unrest have erupted to reveal not just old scars but unhealed wounds that so much of our work seeks to address. Recent events have made instances of systemic racism the topic of daily headlines across the country. A long overdue conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion is starting, and as an institution we must be a contributor to that conversation.”
Nevertheless, in that time, DDEI charted its course with a broad strategic plan, which solicited input from all corners of UAMS in listening sessions and town hall meetings.
The division, long known as the Center for Diversity Affairs and rebranded as DDEI in early 2020, then grew its staffing, reallocated its resources and expanded its capacity by creating subcommittees to represent many distinct groups whose voices may not be heard.
Carla Lovett,, an active volunteer with UAMS Stocked & Reddie food pantry, with a UAMS Serves award recognizing volunteer service.Bryan Clifton
These include underrepresented minority faculty, staff and students, veterans, women, LGBTQ+ individuals and those with disabilities. A strategy team composed of leaders from all parts of UAMS now guides decisions on policy.
“The idea here is to develop action plans that consistently advance diversity, equity and inclusion using comparable means and metrics to track progress, assess outcomes and gauge impact of inclusive excellence initiatives,” said Gittens. “We want everyone to be on the same page, and the strategy team makes that possible.”
Moving forward, the division will implement measures to assess patient experiences from different cultural perspectives, as well as continue training employees to recognize implicit bias and implement best practices in search committees and hiring.
To demonstrate the extent of the division’s work – and to emphasize the work still left to do – Gittens cited DDEI’s inaugural annual report, published to coincide with the State of Diversity and Inclusion address and the kickoff of Diversity and Inclusion Month. The report is available at https://ddei.uams.edu/about-us/annual-report/.
“Here at UAMS, diversity is our superpower,” said UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA.Bryan Clifton
UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, commended the efforts of Gittens, his team, and the hundreds of volunteers who have worked with DDEI over the past year.
“It’s important for us to celebrate our diversity at every opportunity” said Patterson. “The efforts of our health care workers here at UAMS and across the country have been a testament to coming together, to seeing the best in each other, and the fact that health care can put itself above issues like racism when we choose to,” said Patterson.
Following the remarks, UAMS Provost Stephanie Gardner, Pharm.D., Ed.D., joined Patterson and Gittens in presenting the Dr. Edith Irby Jones Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Awards. Based on nominations submitted by employees, award recipients were selected by panels of judges from the DDEI student, staff and faculty subcommittees and DDEI executive leadership, for work that exemplifies the mission of DDEI to make UAMS a welcoming, inclusive place for all employees, students and guests. They included:
From left: Arthur Shaw, Erick Messias, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., Billy R. Thomas, M.D., M.P.H., Sharanda Williams, Briand Gittens, Ed.D., Mildred Randolph, D.V.M., Leslie Stone, M.D., M.P.H., Oluwatomi “Tomi” Adegboyega, M.D.Spencer Watson
- Lifetime Achievement – Billy R. Thomas, M.D., M.P.H.
- Leadership – Mildred Randolph, D.V.M.
- Middle/Senior Career Faculty – Erick Messias, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H
- Early Career Faculty – Leslie Stone, M.D., M.P.H.
- Trainee – Oluwatomi “Tomi” Adegboyega, M.D.
- Staff – Sharanda Williams
- Student – Arthur Shaw
The event also marked the conclusion of the UAMS Serves campaign. Begun in the spring, UAMS Serves encouraged employees and students to volunteer with local nonprofit organizations and tracked their volunteer hours through an online portal. Those awards went to:
From left: Wendy Kay McCloud, Brian Gittens, Ed.D., Carla Lovett, Eric WigginsSpencer Watson
- Jennifer Jackson, UAMS Day Camp
- Wendy Kay McCloud, UAMS Covid-19 Call Center
- Carla Lovett, UAMS Stocked & Reddie
- Eric Wiggins, UAMS Volunteer Services and Auxiliary
Upcoming events for Diversity and Inclusion Month include a symposium on sickle cell disease on Sept. 15 highlighting the experiences of minority patients, and an internal celebration of the many nations and cultures represented at UAMS with International Fest on Sept. 25. Both events will be held online to ensure participants’ safety.