About the Plan

In June 2020, URMC CEO and SMD Dean Mark Taubman, M.D., committed to develop and resource a comprehensive equity and anti-racism plan for our Medical Center. We worked with medical students, residents, trainees, faculty members and staff across the Medical Center, along with supportive groups and individuals from the Greater Rochester community, to gain their perspective and ideas. Four months later, their input has helped shape a robust plan that outlines clear strategies and actions that will strengthen diversity across our institution, identifies accountable leaders, sets metrics for measuring progress and assures transparency through regular reporting mechanisms.

Overcoming institutional racism will require change driven at the University level, in URMC-wide policies and practices, and in the schools, departments and programs that do the day-to-day work of our academic medical center—teaching, clinical care, research, and community service. To that end, we have tapped into our Medical Center’s senior leadership to oversee the plan’s implementation, and assurance we achieve real progress over the next five years:

• Nancy Bennett, MD, Director, Center for Community Health & Prevention, CTSI Co-Director
• Stephen Dewhurst, PhD, Vice Dean for Research, SMD
• Kathleen Gallucci, URMC Vice President for Human Resources
• Adrienne Morgan, PhD, SMD Senior Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion
• Kathy Parrinello, SMH Chief Operating Officer
• Michael Rotondo, MD, CEO, University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group

The Equity & Anti-Racism Action Plan will serve as a blueprint for coordinating the work, and is focused on these five action steps: Build, Recruit, Nurture, Exemplify, and Engage.