We, the Boston University School of Public Health community, believe that fostering diversity and inclusion is essential to fulfilling our mission as an academic public health institution; a mission firmly rooted in social justice. Our rich tradition of celebrating diversity and inclusion strengthens our voice as a community and our ability to eliminate health disparities locally, nationally, and globally. We aim not just to sustain, but to constantly improve our inclusive culture, striving to get better at being better with the belief that embracing diversity cannot live in a statement alone. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice are central to all that we do as a School; we are glad that you are here.
SPH Community Expectations of Ourselves at Our Best
These are intended to be expectations of all members of our community, faculty, staff, and students, expectations we hold ourselves to, aspiring always to be our best selves.
We all aim to:
* Strive for excellence
* Exercise the highest integrity in all aspects of work
* Be open, flexible, realistic, and understanding
* Demonstrate professionalism and trustworthiness as a representative of Boston University and the School of Public Health
* Understand and follow the policies and procedures of Boston University and of the School of Public Health
We aim to be guided by five behaviors, with corresponding expectations of ourselves for each behavior:
Engagement
Embrace responsibility for our work, learning, and all other activities
Work responsibly and collaboratively
Collaboration
Receive constructive feedback from faculty, teaching assistants, mentors and others
Openly share expertise and experience to assure individual and team success
Communication
Provide constructive feedback to faculty, teaching assistants, mentors and others
Seek support when needed
Use technology in a responsible and professional manner
Respect for others
Respect the unique cultures, strengths, viewpoints and experiences of others
Show compassion and tolerance
Actively and respectfully participate in community and classroom discussions and activities
Helping others succeed
Reach out to others who appear to be struggling
Seek ways to contribute to the success of others
Code of Conduct
Code of conduct in the BUSPH Virtual Community
All of our virtual communities aim to cultivate important communication and strengthen connections with students, alumni, staff and faculty by building a shared sense of community across the institution. This applies to all shared online virtual platforms such as Zoom, Blackboard, Twitter, GroupMe, Slack, Facebook Group forums, etc.
BUSPH is committed to creating an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to participate in an academic and professional atmosphere that promotes safe and inclusive conversations. Virtual forums prohibit unlawful discriminatory practices, including discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic. We expect that all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and that all relationships among BUSPH community members, including in virtual communities, are free of bias, prejudice, and harassment.
Any member of our community who has questions or concerns about these policies should reach out to the Associate Dean of DEIJ (sphdi@bu.edu) or a member of the DEIJ Committee.
Syllabus Assessment Tool and Process
Teaching is a core principle of BUSPH, and it is a vital pillar of the school’s 10-point plan. This initiative aims to provide instructors with guidance on how to engage effectively with DEIJ in the classroom. The goal of this process is for instructors to do a self-evaluation that will allow them to identify areas of strength and areas that can be improved towards ensuring that all our teaching aligns with our DEIJ goals. This process is non-evaluative and is meant to help guide faculty to improve their own courses.
The complete tool can be found here for reference and for help while drafting responses, but all assessments must be formally submitted here.
FAQs:
Where can I get support in completing this tool?
To assist instructors in this endeavor, we will be hosting several workshops, where faculty and staff can discuss their courses, the assessment tool, their thinking on responses, how they might adjust to promote more inclusive teaching and learning, and what supports might be required to do so. You may also convene your own meetings with colleagues, and you are welcome to reach out to sphdi@bu.edu to schedule a one on one meeting for support. Below are the scheduled workshops, please RSVP:
The Office of DEIJ will review the completed assessments and summarize findings in a report to be shared with the DEIJ Committee and the broader School community. Courses will not be individually identified in the summary report.
Are adjunct faculty requested to complete an assessment?
Yes, we are encouraging adjunct faculty to complete the assessment in coordination with each department.
SPH Reads
SPH Reads is a school-wide reading program hosted by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. It aims to encourage critical thought and discussion among all members of the BUSPH community, and is centered on a carefully chosen, thought-provoking book.
All incoming (first year) MPH students and core-course faculty are encouraged to read the selected book and will be provided with copies. Returning students, non-core curriculum faculty, and staff are encouraged to read the book. Throughout the year, beginning with Orientation, there will be opportunities to gather and talk about the issues presented in the book through lectures, seminars, and small discussion groups involving all members of the SPH community.
We aspire to create a culture of inclusion where all members of our community feel valued and respected. To that end we aim to create safe spaces for conversations that highlight diversity and inclusion issues in our research, teaching, and practice. Learn more about upcoming opportunities through our Public Health Conversations.
Social Justice Talking Circle
Join SPH faculty, staff, and students for an informal and unstructured (i.e. no assigned facilitator or specific agenda) conversation about racism, privilege, and inequities—across our own identities and backgrounds, and across our roles at the school. Please reference the calendar and flyer for specific dates.Contact Robyn Volcy-Lee with questions
Student organizations at SPH are central to the aims of DEIJ and are run, organized, and facilitated by students. Groups have a variety of goals and focus on public health issues, common interests, identities, community organizing, intervention, or current curriculum issues. The School of Medicine offers similar groups of interest to med students and those participating in joint MD/MPH programs.
The Activist Lab at SPH provides students and SPH community members with the opportunity to develop tools they can use to be effective change agents. The aim of the Activist Lab is to be a catalyst for bold public health practice that disrupts injustice with tenacity and compassion.
Diversity & Inclusion at the BU Medical Campus is a guide to resources available at all schools on the Medical Campus and at Boston Medical Center, the largest safety-net hospital and busiest trauma and emergency services center in New England.
SPH Diversity & Inclusion Oath
“We, as students of Boston University School of Public Health, form a community with a robust, complex mix of backgrounds and perspectives.
We enter this community with a shared mission: to improve the health of local, national, and international populations, particularly the disadvantaged, underserved, and vulnerable. In this endeavor, we recognize that social justice is integral to our shared vision of a healthier world.
As a student and a member of the BUSPH community, I vow to live by this oath.
I will challenge my worldview through interactions inside and outside the classroom.
I will embrace each person recognizing their inherent dignity and acknowledge the diversity of their identities and lived experiences.
I will create an inclusive community for all by challenging biases and acknowledging privilege.
I will act as an agent of social change in the School, community, field of public health, and beyond.
This is the public health legacy I am creating.
This is the BU School of Public Health I believe in.
Learning and Training: opportunities to learn new skills through reading groups, trainings, and workshops on campus, including on the topics of mitigating microaggressions, understanding diversity, equity, and inclusion, and developing inclusive faculty searches and addressing bias.
The Science of Effective Mentoring in STEMM is a comprehensive guide from The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine featuring podcasts, online guides, and multiple reports and topical articles.
Racism: Science & Tools for the Public Health Professional is a 2019 ebook from the American Public Health Association which documents the importance of investigating the long-standing differences in health outcomes and understanding the root causes of those differences.
158 Resources to Understand Racism in America is a compilation of articles, videos, podcasts and websites from the Smithsonian that chronicle the history of anti-black violence and inequality in the United States.
How Diversity Makes Teams More Innovative is a TED Talk that examines data from 170 different companies to show how innovation flourishes by treating diversity as a competitive advantage. It’s part of a playlist—A Blueprint for Diversity in the Workplace—that offers basics on how to nurture and manage groups of people with different backgrounds and multiple perspectives.
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