To the University Community,
I am pleased to announce interim leadership for our institutional diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice efforts through the Institutional Office of Equity and Inclusion (IOEI). Adrienne Morgan, Ph.D., currently vice president for equity and inclusion at the University of Rochester Medical Center and senior associate dean for equity and inclusion at the School of Medicine and Dentistry, will serve as interim vice president for equity and inclusion and Richard Feldman Chief Diversity Officer. This includes ensuring equity across the institution; fostering a culture of respect and inclusion for all faculty, staff, students, alumni, and members of the community; overseeing compliance in this area; and advocating for the role that diversity and equity initiatives play in achieving institutional excellence. In addition, she will serve as senior adviser on equity and diversity matters to the President, Provost, and other University Officers and join the President’s Senior Leadership Group for the duration of her interim appointment. We will launch a nationwide search for a new Chief Diversity Officer this fall.
Meanwhile, we are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Morgan serve in this interim role. She brings more than 20 years of experience, engagement, and empathy to this work. At the Medical Center, she has led the values-driven development of the Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan and built an infrastructure to address issues of equity and inclusion for faculty, students, and staff. She and her team have created a toolkit to support equitable faculty recruitment efforts and established an infrastructure for DEI training. In partnership with the Association of College and University Educators, she has also worked to develop training across the campus that will result in more inclusive and equitable learning environments. Dr. Morgan is an associate professor in the Department of Medical Humanities and Bioethics at the Medical Center and an associate professor at the Warner School of Education. I’m delighted that she will bring her abiding commitment to equity and inclusion to lead our University DEI efforts.
When the IOEI was established three years ago under the leadership of Mercedes Ramírez Fernández, who recently announced she will be taking a position at the University of Minnesota, it was the first time that the University had named a Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer reporting to the President with a dedicated office for institution-wide equity and inclusion efforts. Many individual schools and departments had – and still have – dedicated and accomplished staff focused on DEI initiatives within their respective units, but IOEI has brought these individuals together under a single institutional umbrella to promote collaboration and share best practices. I am grateful to the entire IOEI staff for their ongoing commitment to the essential work of the department.
Please join me in welcoming Adrienne to this important role at the University of Rochester. I am committed to doing all I can to support her and IOEI as they continue the work of ensuring that the University of Rochester is an antiracist institution committed to being a welcoming place for all.
Sincerely,
Sarah C. Mangelsdorf
President
G. Robert Witmer Jr. University of Rochester Professor