Diversity Task Forces

Diversity task forces were launched in 2020 to address racism and equity at Indiana University School of Medicine with the input of multiple stakeholder groups. Each task force reported quarterly on their findings and provided recommendations for sustainable improvement.

Faculty, staff and all types of learners have a crucial voice in anti-racism work at IU School of Medicine.

Email Alvaro Tori, MD, Associate Dean for Diversity Affairs, to learn more about getting involved in efforts to address racism and equity at IU School of Medicine.

The Data and Climate Survey Task Force was charged with:

• Reviewing existing data on the state of representational diversity at IU School of Medicine. The scope of data to be reviewed should include faculty, staff, and School of Medicine learners of all types (e.g., medical students, graduate students, residents, fellows, post-doctoral fellows), and includes a review of faculty, staff, and student success metrics
• Cataloguing current indicators of and efforts to measure the climate for faculty, staff, and IU School of Medicine learners, assessing for gaps and areas of opportunity
• Reviewing literature and best practices on climate assessments in academic medicine
• Making a determination about whether to implement additional survey(s) or other methods to measure the climate.
• Making a recommendation for transparently sharing the results

The Faculty, Staff, and Learner Training Task Force was charged with:

• Cataloguing current required and/or optional training opportunities for faculty, staff, and IU School of Medicine learners of all types on the topics of unconscious bias, microaggressions, cultural humility, bystander interventions, and professionalism
• Providing a recommendation on other similar topics that should be required or optional training opportunities for faculty, staff, and IU School of Medicine learners
• Evaluating the evidence regarding effective training models for faculty, staff, and learners on these topics through a review of the published literature and best practices
• Developing a plan to increase the level of knowledge among faculty, staff, and learners on these topics through training and professional development opportunities. The plan should address both content development and training process/logistical issues and should include an assessment and evaluation strategy
• Determining whether a policy on mandatory training should be adopted, and if so, making a recommendation for the development of such a policy

The Honor Code Task Force was charged with:

• Reviewing existing policies across IU and IU School of Medicine regarding professional conduct for faculty, staff, and learners to understand the nature and scope of behaviors, remediation approaches, and allowable sanctions as governed in current policy
• Reviewing data on mistreatment, professionalism competency areas of concern, and Exemplar of Professionalism Honor Roll nominations as indicators of current state
• Reviewing literature and best practices on professionalism initiatives at other academic medicine centers
• Revising the current IU School of Medicine Honor Code to update and align the language with other policies and to reflect the full scope of professional conduct expectations held for members of the IU School of Medicine community
• Creating educational materials and resources to address frequently asked questions such as freedom of speech in a professional context, and expectations in personal spheres such as the use of social media
• Proposing and clarifying remediation pathways and sanctions for faculty, staff, and learners when lapses in professionalism and Honor Code violations occur
• Developing a dissemination and assessment plan for the initiative