About the Office of Multicultural Affairs


	Introduction The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) School of Nursing advocates for the incorporation of diversity, the many dimensions of human qualities that distinguish each and every person, and equity in curricula, admissions, educational outcomes, environment and practice. The School takes seriously its contract with society to prepare graduates for the cultural and clinical practice demands of nursing. This includes responding to the demand for professional nurses who understand and can deliver care that is compatible and in sync with patients' cultural health beliefs and practices throughout the world and particularly in North Carolina. OMA serves as a School-wide resource for the proper understanding and judicious application of equity and multicultural concepts. This includes the facilitation of system-wide efforts for retaining students, faculty, and staff of underrepresented racial and ethnic populations and for enhancing their development as members of the nursing profession and the UNC community. This is in keeping with the University's commitment to diversity. In a report adopted by the UNC Board of Governors in January 2001, the Board stated that "the University will continue to devote special attention to improving college-going rates among previously underrepresented groups…University commitment to broad-based diversity in campus enrollments is essential in our increasingly multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and global economy. Without experiencing such diversity in educational settings, students would be ill prepared for the real world." In addition, the office serves as a forum for topics of common interest and as a vehicle for communication with the community for the goal of a just future. Vision To create a welcoming, accepting, and supportive environment for students, staff, and faculty to live, learn, grow, and pursue dreams. Mission Statement To develop and support the UNC-Chapel Hill SON agenda that addresses and impacts the most salient multicultural issues shaping the lives of people in a global society. Back to Top Diversity Facts About SON Diversity The School of Nursing at UNC-Chapel Hill promotes a School-wide environment that embraces racial, ethnic and cultural differences. Through our Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), the School fosters cultural sensitivity in teaching, learning, practice and research. Embedded in the School’s mission and culture is the commitment to design, implement and evaluate recruitment and retention programs for faculty, staff and students from groups underrepresented in nursing and/or from disadvantaged backgrounds. The 2006-2007 UNC-Chapel Hill SON community Persons of color comprise: 21.4% of BSN students 23.12% of MSN students 39.5% of PhD students 9.27% of faculty 27.63% of staff Males comprise: 10.4% of BSN students 8.33% of MSN students 12.5% of PhD students 6.15% of the faculty 18.39% of staff Current Office of Multicultural Affairs brochure: For further information about men in nursing view the Men in Nursing at Carolina PDF. SON Diversity Plan Center for Innovation in Health Disparities Research (CIHDR) Courageous Dialogues Diversity Discussion Series Continuous learning about diversity issues within the SON is organized around a series of structured conversations that occur regularly. Faculty and staff are invited to read articles, books, and other written materials, view a film, and then discuss ideas, impressions, impact and observations through a facilitated discussion. Research has proven that new insights and greater awareness can arise out of the essential characteristics of authentic dialog (Halling, Junz and Rowe, 1994). Structure, freedom adn trust create exploration, discovery, receptivity and respectfulness. Through the process of participating in Courageous Dialogues, the SON is building a foundation of cohesiveness and communal commitment to deepen and expand understanding between group members. All viewpoints are welcome in the discussion and all who participate have a chance to be heard. The focus of Courageous Dialogues this year is the relationship between trust and judgements. The Enemies of Trust, an article which appeared in the Harvard Business Review, February 2003, pp 89-95, is one of the selected readings. About UNC-Chapel Hill Diversity Excellence in academia is achieved through diversity. The University believes that it can achieve its educational, research, and service mission only by creating and sustaining an environment in which students, faculty, and staff represent diversity. For example, of the state i.e. social backgrounds, economic circumstances, personal characteristics, philosophical outlooks, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, expectations, and aspirations. The Princeton Review of America’s Best Value Colleges (2006) rates Carolina a “best value” among 81 schools chosen for outstanding academics, low-to-moderate tuition and fees, and generous financial aid packages. Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine ranks Carolina 1st among the 100 best public colleges combining great academics and affordable tuition as ranked by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. Carolina has been first four consecutive times. Over a quarter (27.8% in 2005) of Carolina’s students are non-white, including .9% American Indian, 9.9% African American, 5.9% Asian and Asian American and 2.8% Hispanic/Latina/o students. Over 45 nations are represented in Carolina’s student body. International students comprise nearly 5% of Carolina’s total enrollment. Carolina has the highest black student enrollment of its public peers (9.9% overall, 10.8% of undergraduates). Of the 30 highest ranked law schools, Carolina has the largest percentage of black students enrolled (13.1% of the student body). Among primarily white dental schools, Carolina enrolls the most black students (15.7% of the student body). Black Enterprise-Day Star’s Top 50 Colleges and Universities for African Americans (2004) rank Carolina 14th – he highest ranking for any major public research university. Hispanic Business (2004) ranks Carolina 5th among business schools for Hispanics. Black faculty comprise 5.1% of the tenured faculty, more than 1% higher than most other high ranking universities. Diversity in North Carolina 11.9% of the RN workforce comes from underrepresented groups 6.3% of nurses are male African Americans represent 21.6% of the state's population and 8% of the nursing workforce Hispanics are 4.7% of the population and .06% of the nursing workforce The Hispanic population growth over the last decade in NC (393%) is the largest rate of growth of any state in the nation Back to Top OMA Core Values CURIOSITY and COURAGE …personal responsibility for getting to know one another and to be understood OPENESS and OTHERNESS…holding multiple perspectives simultaneously and valuing them all RECIPROCITY and RESPECT… recognition of personal diversity and a willingness to admit that all peoples have equal value and merit EQUITY and EMPATHY… dispersion of power and equality of opportunity OMA Objectives Striving to create healthy communities, especially by eliminating health disparities. Advocating for issues of relevance to student, faculty, and staff life Utilizing research to provide an evidence-based direction Mentoring students, faculty, and staff in the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing Organizing and collaborating to provide events that promote mutual understandings Nurturing the spirit of every individual Yielding to the needs of the community OMA Rules of Engagement Achievement, acceptance, fairness, and merit are pursued aggressively. Zero tolerance for assaults on another's self esteem All encounters are filled with candor, truth, intentionality, sensitivity, and humor. Data is used to address excellence, equity, effort, efficiency, and effectiveness. We encourage story telling from which comes true understanding. A bias towards action We will follow the facts wherever they lead us. Back to Top OMA Staff Dr. G. Rumay Alexander, Director Jill C. Summers, Administrative Assistant G. Rumay Alexander, EdD, RN, is the director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs in the School of Nursing. Her nursing career spans over 21 years in the areas of public policy, advocacy, teaching, and health careers development with an emphasis on cultural diversity issues. At a national level, she has served on the American Hospital Association's (AHA) Workforce Commission, the board of The American Organization of Nurse Executives, The National Quality Forum Nursing Care Performance Measures' Steering Committee, and the AHA's Leadership Circle of Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. She frequently speaks to groups across the country on the issues of the healthcare workforce, diversity, and strategic planning. OMA Advisory Board Dr. Rumay Alexander, Director, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing Office of Multicultural Affairs Mr. Moses Carey, Jr., Director, Executive Director, Piedmont Health Services Mr. Haven Cockerham, President & CEO, Cockerham & Associates, LLC Dr. Linda Cronenwett, Dean, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing Ms. Brandi Newman, Nurse Manager, Mother/Baby, Lactation Services, & Women's Center Ms. Edith Hubbard, Associate Director, UNC-Chapel Hill Office of Sponsored Research Dr. Larry Keith, Associate Director, UNC School of Medicine Office of Educational Development & Director, UNC School of Medicine Special Programs Dr. Vicki Kowlowitz, Educational Consultant, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing Information & Instructional Technologies Ms. Kathy Moore, Director, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing Office of Admissions & Student Services Ms. Saundra Murphy, Guidance Counselor, Chapel Hill High School Dr. M. Cookie Newsom, Director for Diversity Education & Research, UNC-Chapel Hill Office of Minority Affairs Mr. Chris Newton, Boughton High Magnet, Raleigh Ms. Gwen Sherwood, Professor & Associate Dean, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing Office of Academic Affairs Dr. Theresa Raphael-Grimm, Clinical Associate Professor, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing Ms. Anh Tran, PhD Student, UNC School of Public Health Mr. Charles Watts, Chief Legal Counsel, North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Mr. Harold Woodard, Associate Dean, UNC-Chapel Hill Office for Student Academic Counseling Back to Top

Office of Multicultural Affairs. A just future for every person.

Introduction

The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) School of Nursing advocates for the incorporation of diversity, the many dimensions of human qualities that distinguish each and every person, and equity in curricula, admissions, educational outcomes, environment and practice. The School takes seriously its contract with society to prepare graduates for the cultural and clinical practice demands of nursing. This includes responding to the demand for professional nurses who understand and can deliver care that is compatible and in sync with patients' cultural health beliefs and practices throughout the world and particularly in North Carolina.

OMA serves as a School-wide resource for the proper understanding and judicious application of equity and multicultural concepts. This includes the facilitation of system-wide efforts for retaining students, faculty, and staff of underrepresented racial and ethnic populations and for enhancing their development as members of the nursing profession and the UNC community. This is in keeping with the University's commitment to diversity. In a report adopted by the UNC Board of Governors in January 2001, the Board stated that "the University will continue to devote special attention to improving college-going rates among previously underrepresented groups…University commitment to broad-based diversity in campus enrollments is essential in our increasingly multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and global economy. Without experiencing such diversity in educational settings, students would be ill prepared for the real world." In addition, the office serves as a forum for topics of common interest and as a vehicle for communication with the community for the goal of a just future.

Vision

To create a welcoming, accepting, and supportive environment for students, staff, and faculty to live, learn, grow, and pursue dreams.

Mission Statement

To develop and support the UNC-Chapel Hill SON agenda that addresses and impacts the most salient multicultural issues shaping the lives of people in a global society.

Back to Top

Diversity Facts

About SON Diversity
The School of Nursing at UNC-Chapel Hill promotes a School-wide environment that embraces racial, ethnic and cultural differences. Through our Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), the School fosters cultural sensitivity in teaching, learning, practice and research. Embedded in the School’s mission and culture is the commitment to design, implement and evaluate recruitment and retention programs for faculty, staff and students from groups underrepresented in nursing and/or from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The 2006-2007 UNC-Chapel Hill SON community
Persons of color comprise:

21.4% of BSN students

23.12% of MSN students

39.5% of PhD students

9.27% of faculty

27.63% of staff

Males comprise:

10.4% of BSN students

8.33% of MSN students

12.5% of PhD students

6.15% of the faculty

18.39% of staff

Current Office of Multicultural Affairs brochure:

For further information about men in nursing view the Men in Nursing at Carolina PDF.

SON Diversity Plan

Center for Innovation in Health Disparities Research (CIHDR)

Courageous Dialogues
Diversity Discussion Series

Continuous learning about diversity issues within the SON is organized around a series of structured conversations that occur regularly. Faculty and staff are invited to read articles, books, and other written materials, view a film, and then discuss ideas, impressions, impact and observations through a facilitated discussion. Research has proven that new insights and greater awareness can arise out of the essential characteristics of authentic dialog (Halling, Junz and Rowe, 1994). Structure, freedom adn trust create exploration, discovery, receptivity and respectfulness. Through the process of participating in Courageous Dialogues, the SON is building a foundation of cohesiveness and communal commitment to deepen and expand understanding between group members. All viewpoints are welcome in the discussion and all who participate have a chance to be heard.

The focus of Courageous Dialogues this year is the relationship between trust and judgements. The Enemies of Trust, an article which appeared in the Harvard Business Review, February 2003, pp 89-95, is one of the selected readings.

About UNC-Chapel Hill Diversity
Excellence in academia is achieved through diversity.

The University believes that it can achieve its educational, research, and service mission only by creating and sustaining an environment in which students, faculty, and staff represent diversity. For example, of the state i.e. social backgrounds, economic circumstances, personal characteristics, philosophical outlooks, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, expectations, and aspirations.

The Princeton Review of America’s Best Value Colleges (2006) rates Carolina a “best value” among 81 schools chosen for outstanding academics, low-to-moderate tuition and fees, and generous financial aid packages.

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine ranks Carolina 1st among the 100 best public colleges combining great academics and affordable tuition as ranked by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. Carolina has been first four consecutive times.

Over a quarter (27.8% in 2005) of Carolina’s students are non-white, including .9% American Indian, 9.9% African American, 5.9% Asian and Asian American and 2.8% Hispanic/Latina/o students.

Over 45 nations are represented in Carolina’s student body. International students comprise nearly 5% of Carolina’s total enrollment.

Carolina has the highest black student enrollment of its public peers (9.9% overall, 10.8% of undergraduates).

Of the 30 highest ranked law schools, Carolina has the largest percentage of black students enrolled (13.1% of the student body).

Among primarily white dental schools, Carolina enrolls the most black students (15.7% of the student body).

Black Enterprise-Day Star’s Top 50 Colleges and Universities for African Americans (2004) rank Carolina 14th – he highest ranking for any major public research university.

Hispanic Business (2004) ranks Carolina 5th among business schools for Hispanics.

Black faculty comprise 5.1% of the tenured faculty, more than 1% higher than most other high ranking universities.

Diversity in North Carolina

11.9% of the RN workforce comes from underrepresented groups

6.3% of nurses are male

African Americans represent 21.6% of the state's population and 8% of the nursing workforce

Hispanics are 4.7% of the population and .06% of the nursing workforce

The Hispanic population growth over the last decade in NC (393%) is the largest rate of growth of any state in the nation

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OMA Core Values

CURIOSITY and COURAGE …personal responsibility for getting to know one another and to be understood

OPENESS and OTHERNESS…holding multiple perspectives simultaneously and valuing them all

RECIPROCITY and RESPECT… recognition of personal diversity and a willingness to admit that all peoples have equal value and merit

EQUITY and EMPATHY… dispersion of power and equality of opportunity

OMA Objectives

Striving to create healthy communities, especially by eliminating
health disparities.

Advocating for issues of relevance to student, faculty, and staff life

Utilizing research to provide an evidence-based direction

Mentoring students, faculty, and staff in the UNC-Chapel Hill School
of Nursing

Organizing and collaborating to provide events that promote mutual understandings

Nurturing the spirit of every individual

Yielding to the needs of the community

OMA Rules of Engagement

Achievement, acceptance, fairness, and merit are pursued aggressively.

Zero tolerance for assaults on another's self esteem

All encounters are filled with candor, truth, intentionality, sensitivity,
and humor.

Data is used to address excellence, equity, effort, efficiency, and effectiveness.

We encourage story telling from which comes true understanding.

A bias towards action

We will follow the facts wherever they lead us.

Back to Top

OMA Staff

Dr. G. Rumay Alexander, Director
Jill C. Summers, Administrative Assistant

G. Rumay Alexander, EdD, RN, is the director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs in the School of Nursing. Her nursing career spans over 21 years in the areas of public policy, advocacy, teaching, and health careers development with an emphasis on cultural diversity issues. At a national level, she has served on the American Hospital Association's (AHA) Workforce Commission, the board of The American Organization of Nurse Executives, The National Quality Forum Nursing Care Performance Measures' Steering Committee, and the AHA's Leadership Circle of Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. She frequently speaks to groups across the country on the issues of the healthcare workforce, diversity, and strategic planning.

OMA Advisory Board

Dr. Rumay Alexander, Director, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing Office of Multicultural Affairs
Mr. Moses Carey, Jr., Director, Executive Director, Piedmont Health Services
Mr. Haven Cockerham, President & CEO, Cockerham & Associates, LLC
Dr. Linda Cronenwett, Dean, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing
Ms. Brandi Newman, Nurse Manager, Mother/Baby, Lactation Services, & Women's Center
Ms. Edith Hubbard, Associate Director, UNC-Chapel Hill Office of
Sponsored Research
Dr. Larry Keith, Associate Director, UNC School of Medicine Office of Educational Development & Director, UNC School of Medicine Special Programs
Dr. Vicki Kowlowitz, Educational Consultant, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing Information & Instructional Technologies
Ms. Kathy Moore, Director, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing Office of Admissions & Student Services
Ms. Saundra Murphy, Guidance Counselor, Chapel Hill High School
Dr. M. Cookie Newsom, Director for Diversity Education & Research, UNC-Chapel Hill Office of Minority Affairs
Mr. Chris Newton, Boughton High Magnet, Raleigh
Ms. Gwen Sherwood, Professor & Associate Dean, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing Office of Academic Affairs
Dr. Theresa Raphael-Grimm, Clinical Associate Professor, UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing
Ms. Anh Tran, PhD Student, UNC School of Public Health
Mr. Charles Watts, Chief Legal Counsel, North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance
Mr. Harold Woodard, Associate Dean, UNC-Chapel Hill Office for Student Academic Counseling

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