A strong, vibrant community
Diversity matters. Differences of experience, culture, and lifestyle help to create a community where new ideas flourish and everyone feels safe, respected, and included. The CVM is committed to a welcoming, inclusive environment for all students, faculty, and staff. After all, we are strongest when we reflect the diversity in our larger communities.
To lead our diversity initiatives, in 2020, we formed the CVM Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion led by an Interim Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Prior to that, in 2017, the Council for Inclusion, Diversity, and Awareness (CIDA) was convened. This College-wide council of faculty, staff, and students is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for all, as well as develops, monitors and evaluates the progress of the College’s strategic plan for diversity. CIDA’s responsibilities include coordination of activities that support and strengthen our College’s climate of inclusiveness and advising faculty, staff and students regarding issues of diversity. CIDA also serves as the UGA representative to the Diversity Equity and Inclusion working group of the Southeast Veterinary Education Consortium (SEVEC). Membership include student representatives from VOICE, Broad Spectrum, SCNABV, SAVMA, and class representatives along with faculty and staff who are interested in supporting DE&I efforts at the CVM.
Message from the Assistant Dean
Welcome from the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion!
It is a great honor to serve as the first Interim Assistant Dean of diversity, equity and inclusion for the College. The goals of the office are to promote DEI climate in the college, to provide pipeline programs that increase diversity in the veterinary profession and serve as a point of reference for educational opportunities for our students, staff and faculty when it comes to DEI training and fostering allies.
Promoting a multicultural climate in our College where differences are celebrated along with our common goals of improving the lives of animals, takes work and time. I am developing and implementing an inclusive, solid foundation for the College on the role and importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in making us better people and professionals. We have started various initiatives, e.g., the Student and Staff Representatives for DE&I. See the CVM Office of DE&I website for information about these important representative positions. As Assistant Dean, I am expanding the role of CIDA by serving as the UGA representative to SEVEC’s DE&I working group. This involvement is bringing new ideas back to our College which improve our inclusive climate and educational pedagogy.
Opportunities for educational programs and training will be available to everyone in the College. If you have ideas for DE&I programming or events that the College should know about, please send me the information. I am looking forward to working with the faculty, staff and students in the College in this exciting new role.
DEI Student Representatives
Each of the classes in our DVM program has a diversity, equity, and inclusion student representative. DEI student representatives serve as a point of contact for their classmates to express their concerns and/or provide input on the current state of DEI at the College.
Nondiscrimination Statement
The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine encourages its members to view, evaluate, and treat all persons in any professional activity or circumstance in which they may be involved, solely as individuals on the basis of their own personal abilities, qualifications, and other relevant characteristics.
The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine confronts and rejects all forms of prejudice and discrimination that have led to misunderstanding, hostility, and injustice. These include, but are not limited to, those based on race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, parental status, religious beliefs, military or veteran status, political beliefs, geographic, socioeconomic, and educational background and any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law.
