Equity and Diversity Committee Mission Statement
Equity, diversity, and inclusion are core principles of Public Health and its practice, and so are central to the Department of Public Health at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The mission of the Department of Public Health’s Equity and Diversity Committee is to advance, promote, and support structural, intra- and inter- personal activities, and policies that enhance and strengthen diversity, inclusion, and equity for the department. The Committee strives to support the department in doing whatever work is necessary to ensure that all students, faculty, and staff feel included, welcomed, and have equitable/fair opportunities.
This committee engages in activities that:
- cultivate and nurture a departmental environment that enables students, faculty, and staff to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe.
- promote ideas and events to further the spirit of inclusion, diversity, and equity.
- advocate for policies and practices to recruit, support, and retain students, faculty, and staff with diverse experiences and attributes.
Current Committee Membership:
- Laurie Meschke, Faculty Co-Chair
- Darrian Nash, Student Co-Chair
- Aubrey Ray, member
- Clea McNeely, external member
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Examples of sponsored activities:
- Conduct regular monthly meetings
- Provide educational workshops and seminars for departmental members about equity, inclusion, and diversity topics
- Conduct review of course syllabi and curriculum for improving course content about equity and diversity topics
- Host and facilitate book club
- Engage in shared learning and thinking about equity, diversity, and inclusion topics in our field and the department
- Conduct climate survey
Campus Resources for Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion
Interested in learning more about us or our events?
Please contact Professor Laurie Meschke regarding any interest in joining the Equity and Diversity Committee or participating in future events and activities.
She can be reached at llmeschke@utk.edu or 865-974-1102.