Return to the UMC Home Page


The Division of Multicultural Affairs
University of Mississippi Medical Center
2500 North State Street
Jackson, MS 39216-4505

Telephone: 601-984-1340
Facsimile: 601-984-1335

Click here for map

    

                                                                                               A NEW DAY BEGUN

 

MISSION

The Division of Multicultural Affairs has a two-fold mission. First, it is the Division’s mission to support the Medical Center’s efforts to train a diverse health care workforce for the state of Mississippi. Second, the Division of Multicultural Affairs seeks to support the Medical Center’s endeavor to foster an environment that recognizes the benefits of diversity and an inclusive UMC community.

 

PURPOSE

The division of Multicultural Affairs serves to maintain and strengthen the number of qualified applicants from underrepresented and underserved areas who may successfully apply, enter and complete health professions schools.

The Division also provides a health careers pipeline for underrepresented, underserved students to stimulate interest in pursuing health careers and to implement programming designed to increase the academic preparation of students.

MCA works in collaboration with other student services and academic units on campus to promote academic achievement and to increase the retention of matriculating underrepresented, underserved students. The Division of Multicultural Affairs works with individual students, student groups, staff and faculty to design and implement strategies that support students and increase opportunities for academic and professional success.

GOALS
The goals of the Division of Multicultural Affairs are : 1) to increase enrollment and retention of underrepresented, underserved students in all UMC programs including, medicine, dentistry, nursing, the graduate school, and health related professions; 2) to provide programming designed to ensure academic progression and timely graduation; 3) to provide support services, including academic counseling, mentoring, etc., to support the academic and professional growth of students; 4) to provide a health careers pipeline to support efforts to maintain a competitive applicant pool;  and 5) to foster a sense of community among students through support of student organizations; and 6) to support / implement initiatives that promote an inclusive and diverse UMC community.

                                                                                      

POLICY ON RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY

 In our efforts to embrace the religious diversity at the Medical Center, a policy has been instituted to address the observance of religious holidays for individuals of all faiths. It is the intent of the institution to make every effort to reasonably accommodate individuals based on their religious beliefs. Observation of religious holidays in all faiths will be supported except when detrimental to patient care. Conflicts between religious obligations and patient care obligations are handled much as they would be in clinical practice. That is, patient care responsibilities take precedence unless coverage has been previously arranged. In their effort to respect students’ religious customs, departments will attempt to adjust schedules to allow the observance of these holidays.  Any observance of religious holidays will not be a negative factor in the grading of a student’s performance.  In the event the conflict is with an essential experience, e.g., board exams, then these essential experiences will take precedence.  It is the student’s responsibility to inform the appropriate person in the department prior to or at the initial clinical rotation orientation of his or her request for accommodation so that patient care and on-call responsibilities can be met in full.  It is also the student’s responsibility to obtain coverage so that patient care and on-call coverage are not compromised.  In the event students cannot obtain coverage, they are expected to meet their responsibilities by taking call regardless of the schedule conflict. If scheduling conflicts with religious observances occur in regard to daily patient care activities such as ward rounds, writing notes, or monitoring patients, the department may excuse students who have made prior arrangements to cover their responsibilities by performing these duties at another time or by obtaining coverage from other students or house officers.  These arrangements must be made in advance and must be satisfactory to the department. Questions and requests for additional information should be directed to either the associate vice chancellor for multicultural affairs, student affairs officers, or the director of pastoral services.

 Adapted in part from the University of Nebraska Religious Policy Statement.