University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary School
- Mailing Address
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3800 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 - Phone
- (215) 898-5434
- Email address
- admissions@vet.upenn.edu
- Website
- https://www.vet.upenn.edu/
- School Information
- "At Penn Vet, we think differently about veterinary medicine. In addition to providing sophisticated medical treatments for animals of every size and kind, we believe veterinarians play an integral part in ensuring public health and food safety at both local and global levels, recognizing and controlling foreign and newly emerging diseases of livestock and poultry, including diseases transmissible from animals to people. We believe that as veterinarians, we not only practice medicine and conduct groundbreaking research to advance all medicine, we teach the next generation to do the same." (Source: https://www.vet.upenn.edu/about)
Actions Taken
- Curriculum Changes and Requirements
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In October 2020, the school published its "Faculty Excellence through Diversity at the School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) PROGRESS REPORT 2020" and announced that "Penn Vet is in the process of implementing a new 2-year integrated core curriculum" that "requires demonstration of inclusivity and cultural competence." The report also stated that "The new curriculum will include weekly team-based learning exercises that utilize cases and problems designed to include ethical dilemmas, communication challenges, and issues around inclusivity and implicit bias."
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On November 19, 2020, the school's "Bellwether Magazine" published an article entitled "Fighting Another Public Health Crisis' and discuss the work of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Veterinary School including its curriculum changes and state, "Culturally sensitive and responsive pedagogy, anti-bias education, and other diversity topics are being incorporated into new curriculum modules."
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- Faculty/Staff Requirements
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In May 2012, the school published its "Plan for Faculty Excellence through Diversity" which lists its many strategies to increase faculty diversity including "Training in best search practices and unconscious bias,"(Pg. 38) and "Unconscious bias training."(Pg. 40)
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In October 2020, the school published its "Faculty Excellence through Diversity at the School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) PROGRESS REPORT 2020." Section B/13 states, "Faculty who teach, advise, or mentor students, as well as those who serve on the admissions committee, have an obligation to ensure that the students are not subjected to bias, discrimination, or microaggression, and are required to complete implicit bias training."
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In October 2020, the school published its "Faculty Excellence through Diversity at the School of Veterinary Medicine Progress Report 2020" and report on its "diversity-related" accomplishments since 2012 which include: "1) sustainable leadership and infrastructure to support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, including new diversity leadership positions, councils, and faculty advisory groups, as well as implicit bias training for all Penn Vet faculty."
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- Resources
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The school published a list of diversity and inclusion resources including; "Students Confronting Racism and White Privilege (SCRWP)," "How to Talk to Kids About Race and Racism," and "Allegories on Race and Racism."
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The school's "Diversity Council" comprises "students, faculty, and staff" and is the "guiding organization within Penn Vet on initiatives, guidelines, and feedback for the School."
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- Symbolic Actions
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On November 23, 2020, the school's Dean issued a statement in "Bellwether Magazine" on the topics of Covid-19 and racial injustice. He stated, "The United States has faced exigent crises — the impact of COVID-19 on our health and economy; a national reckoning on racial injustice; and a polarizing political climate." He goes on to say, "As to our nation — it is my greatest hope that we are poised for true change and will rise from the pain of systemic racism a better and more just country."
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On November 19, 2020, the school's "Bellwether Magazine"(Fall 2020 issue) published an article entitled, "Fighting Another Public Health Crisis" and stated, "In 2020, two public health crises – COVID-19 and racism — converged, laying bare the truth about inequity in the U.S. The recent, fatal shooting of West Philadelphia’s Walter Wallace, Jr., and the senseless pattern of assault and death on the many Black lives before and after him, as well as COVID-19’s disproportionate impact on Black, Latinx, and Native communities, sparked global outcries for all Americans to address pervasive and systemic racism."
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On April 19, 2021, the publication "Penn Today" published "A message to the Penn community on racial equity and justice" and was signed by University of Pennsylvania department heads from across the college including Andrew Hoffman, Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. The message states, "As leaders of the University of Pennsylvania, we write today to affirm unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms Penn’s unwavering commitment to advancing racial equity and social justice in our nation." In addition, several initiatives were announced including "steps to ensure the placement and presence of statues and other prominent iconography on campus better reflects the University’s achievements and aspirations to increase the diversity of the Penn community."
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