Fall 2004 Update

Irina Smirnova has been kind enough to coordinate the JS Chick Elementary program for the Health Professions Pipeline Initiative (HPPI) this year. I also attended a two-day workshop (October 18-19) of the Kansas Board of Regents on increasing diversity (student and faculty) in the Kansas Universities.

I am representing the SAH on the KUMC Diversity Advisory Council (DAC) and attended the two recent programs held on Campus sponsored by SEAD and the Hispanic Medical Student Association. The Diversity Committee has not officially met this academic year.
– Ken Davis, Chair



Spring 2002 Update

The SAH Diversity Committee has been busy this academic year with several activities. These activities include (a) collaborating with the HPPI to provide outreach to local elementary schools, (b) creating a resource of scholarship listings for students interested in applying to KU Medical Center, (c) investigating and disseminating to faculty sources of federal financial assistance available for supporting minority students and students with disabilities, and (d) making plans to attend a symposium in April regarding the Recruitment and Retention of Students of Color.

(A) The committee has collaborated with Nedra Bonds at HPPI to assure that various planned activities had speakers or participants. Our committee participated both as speakers and by locating speakers to staff these events. Attached is a list of activities the committee helped HPPI with and includes speaker/participant names and affiliations.

(B) The committee investigated both local and national organizations to identify what scholarship monies are available to minority students. This resource listing is currently in draft form and the committee plans to put the resource on the SAH website and create handouts that describe this site and provides the web address. These will be distributed to all SAH faculty, recruitment and admissions committees, and to Moffett Ferguson to give out at college fairs.

(C) The committee learned of NIH monies that are available to support both minority students and students with disabilities at all career levels (high school through post-doctoral) on currently funded NIH grants. This information was disseminated via a broadcast email to all SAH faculty to educate them about the availability of these monies to attract and support minority students. A copy of this flier is here. (PDF)

(D) Additionally, the committee learned of a symposium being held in Kansas City April 28-30 regarding the recruitment and retention of students of color. The committee asked the Dean’s Office to pay the $150 registration fee and will attend the meeting. Information obtained from the meeting will be presented to the full faculty at the next SAH faculty meeting. The committee hopes this information will assist in not only its efforts to successfully recruit and retain students of color, but the efforts of all departments within the school.

SAH Diversity Committee:
Involvement with the Health Professions Pipeway Initiative 2001-2002

Sept. 20, 2001

This committee did not meet during the summer months. The actions of the committee in Spring 2001 involved attending two local career fairs to assure that information about allied health professions was made available to high school students. In addition, the committee spent time at their June meeting brainstorming ideas that they would like to see action taken on over the course of the following year.

Plans were also made to invite the new Diversity Coordinator of the Medical Center, Charles Romero, to attend one of the fall meetings in order to open lines of communication between the two groups.

Report Submitted Sept. 20, 2001
Katherine Froehlich, Chair

March 23, 2001

Current members: Susan Carlson (DN), Katherine Froelich (OT), Sheila Hammonds (HIM), Sandra Johnston (Chair, HIM), Marcie Swift (PT)

The following SAH Diversity Committee activities occurred during the past year and are now submitted for the Spring 2001 SAH Faculty Meeting:

1. The Committee finalized their mission, goals and policies.

2. During the fall semester, the SAH Diversity Committee networked with HPPI (Health Professions Pipeway Initiative) to explore ways in which we could effectively work with them. An announcement was given at the fall Faculty Meeting offering available volunteering experiences for any faculty interested in working with high school minority students. Two applications were given out. Recently, due to HPPI internal issues, the Committee is seeking other options in the Kansas City area.

3. The Committee is planning to attend a local high school career fair sponsored by Faith Academy, North Kansas City, in early April. We will be marketing all SAH programs at that function.

4. A relationship is being developed with KC WAIT (Kansas City Working With Adolescents In Time). This program works with minority adolescents in the Kansas City area, through mentoring and guidance, giving them help with their academic studies and college application skills.

5. KC WAIT adolescents publish a monthly newspaper. We have invited teen reporters from this newspaper to interview each SAH Program. These interviews will be published as articles in their newspaper over the course of a year, giving SAH many marketing opportunities to get our name and our many careers out to interested high school juniors and seniors in Wyandotte and Jackson counties.

6. Another contact is being developed with the Wyandotte County School's, "Gear UP" program. This program seeks experts in different fields to visit their Junior High and Senior High Schools, presenting information to their students about various career paths. Their goal is to offer minority students opportunities and ways to prepare for college.

7. Sandra Johnston, HIM, has been attending the Steering Committee meetings as part of her duties as Chair of the Diversity Committee.

Report submitted by
Sandra Johnston (Chair)

11/28/00

Members:  Sandra Johnston, Chairperson, Susan Carlson, Katherine Froehlich, Sheila Hammonds, and Marcie Swift

Thee Diversity Committee was newly created this year and has been actively engaged in developing their mission statement, policies, and procedures.

In October, the committee addressed the vacancy that occurred when Lynn Hayes, deaf Education, resigned to accept a new position out of state.  Both the Elections Committee and the Steering Committee were consulted, and Sheila Hammonds, HIM, the runner-up for this elected position was invited to fill this vacancy.  Sheila agreed, and is now active within the committee.

The Diversity Committee continues to develop a relationship with the HPPI (Health Professionals Pathways Initiative) grant (SOM).  Dr. Patricia Thomas (Associate Dean for Cultural Enhancement & Diversity, SOM) and Ms. Ovada Anderson (Greater Kansas City HPPI Project Manager) visited and spoke with us.  Consequently, the committee is developing initiatives and brainstorming ways in which we can productivity engage through volunteering with them.

Sandra Johnston, HIM, has been attending the Steering Committee meetings as part of her duties as Chair of the Diversity Committee.

Report submitted by
Sandra Johnston (Chair)