Dear colleagues,

I hope that everyone is staying safe and well.

As we continue to navigate this uncertain time and transition from the spring semester to summer, we are working to ensure that we stay grounded in our values and aspirations as a school, including keeping diversity and inclusion front and center in our thinking. The work that we have been doing together on this front continues apace. We continue to carry out work that ensures we build a diverse community of students, staff, and faculty, to elevate the ideas of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in our public conversations, and to improve our environment to be inclusive of all members of our community. I would encourage everyone to revisit our most recent comprehensive update of our D+I programs and to send along ideas always about how we can do better on any of these.

Meanwhile, recognizing our new normal is mostly digital, we have compiled resources that may offer useful guidance on best practices for remote teaching, learning, and working. Here are a few BU and SPH-specific notes that may be helpful to all.

  1. All accommodation requests are handled by Mary Murphy-Philips, our Director of Graduate Student Life. We will work in coordination with BU’s Disability Support & Access to ensure we can meet all community needs.
  2. For graduate students with questions regarding financial situations, please submit requests for emergency funding via the Graduate Education website.
  3. Our wellness coordinator, Ilana Schlesinger, is available to provide support and help keep us all connected during this time. She can be reached at sphwell@bu.edu. For students looking for more information on well-being during this difficult time, please visit the Wellbeing Project and its compiled list of resources.
  4. Our Education Team has put together an excellent comprehensive list of Remote Teaching Resources and guidance.

Ultimately, we are aware that there is no one-size fits all solution to ensuring we are as inclusive and equitable as possible during a complex time so I would encourage anyone to reach out to me to discuss the particularities of any case.

Additionally, here are a few other resources from outside BU that I have found helpful.

  1. Tips for Maintaining Equity and Inclusion in a Virtual Space
  2. Tips for Maintaining Equity and Inclusion when Teaching Remotely
  3. Inclusion, Equity, and Access While Teaching Remotely

We remain committed as ever to fostering a community that is inclusive to all. If you are in need of additional support, please never hesitate to reach out to me at SPHdi@bu.edu.

 

Best,
Yvette

Yvette Cozier
Assistant Dean of Diversity and Inclusion
yvettec@bu.edu 

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