Dear RVU Community,

Recent tragic events have reinforced that racism is still an ugly reality in our country.

We grieve over the senseless death of George Floyd and all whose lives have been cut short only because of the color of their skin.

As members of a healthcare university, we have seen how racism and inequality are manifested and compounded as significant healthcare disparities for people of color through low quality and limited access to healthcare services. This has been made even more apparent in the disproportionate effect of the coronavirus pandemic on Black and Brown People.

As educators, we are committed to our institutional core value of diversity and  to the education of compassionate future healthcare providers trained to serve diverse populations. We are also committed to providing a safe space for all and ensuring that  racism, bigotry, and discrimination will have no place in our institution.

Our students also recognize a moral obligation to address inequality and injustice.  Kelsey Boghean, OMS III, stated that RVU students are “actively working to recognize how implicit bias impacts health outcomes and serve as leaders in change, in an effort to mitigate the effects injustice and racism have on our society. Students remain committed to advocacy within our communities, school, state, and at the national level to address systemic disparities that impact the health of our patients. We advocate on behalf of our patients and ourselves to address inequality in health care, and confront socio-economic ramifications impacting our patient's health and well-being.”

We encourage all members of our community to actively engage in the fight to combat racism and to continue to work together to achieve an understanding of and appreciation for diversity and inclusion.

Sincerely,

Clinton E. Adams, DO, FACHE

RDML, MC, USN (RET)

President and Chief Executive Officer