Students, Faculty, Residents, Staff, Alumni and Friends,
These past couple of weeks have presented all of us with significant events that must generate difficult and candid discussions about race relations in our country, white supremacy, and police brutality, especially toward Black Americans. We also witnessed a clear abuse of power and a desire to use our active duty military to quell protests by the President of the United States. These events, on top of fighting a global pandemic, which our national leadership has struggled with, compounds the issues we are all currently living with. Only a few times in our history has the future of our great democratic experiment been under such extraordinary pressure. Some of my former military colleagues have written we are at a tipping point. I agree. With all this going on, it’s easy to get distracted. I believe that’s exactly what President Trump would like us to do. Some may feel differently about that, and I respect their opinion. Now, more than ever, it’s imperative we keep our eye on the ball – which includes our social, moral, and ethical responsibility to openly and actively address racism, bigotry and all that goes along with that.
Closer to home, we also need to remember that you are all at Salus to learn to become the best health care professional possible. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to that and I know you are as well. With everything else going on, it’s important to maintain focus on your studies while also carving out time to address these other important issues; I acknowledge it won’t be easy, but it is necessary. We have to hold ourselves accountable to listen, learn, act differently and then influence others to do the same. It’s also imperative that we understand our patient and client base. No doubt, we will continually offer high quality, compassionate care, but we also have to have a clearer understanding of the challenges our non-white patients go through, day in and day out.
I had the opportunity, along with my wife, daughters, and grand-dog, to attend a march against racism in Ambler on Saturday. We all wore masks and stayed socially distanced from others during the event. It was peaceful, constructive and moving as I watched a diverse crowd of participants and speakers honor the memory of George Floyd and speak of the centuries of injustice Black people have endured in our country. Leaving the march, the thought occurred to me that we cannot allow the momentum and initiative the events over the past couple of weeks have generated to wane, as it often does. Change must occur!
I pledge to work very closely with our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee to ensure that doesn’t happen. As a start, I’d like us to bring outside speakers and experts to the University so we can have even a more informed and educated dialog, be intellectually challenged, remain energized and engaged and be able to influence others in a positive way.
Let’s also not forget that the COVID-19 pandemic still rages around us and we need to remain vigilant, especially with our campus partially reopening this week. Don’t relax your current behaviors concerning hygiene, social distancing and wearing your face mask. With everything on all of our minds, it’s very easy to be lulled into a false sense of security concerning the spread of the virus.
We have some difficult work ahead of us if we’re going to make a difference. I know we are up to the challenge and I’ll be there, along with you, listening, learning, teaching and influencing others.
We are SALUS STRONG in body, mind, and soul.
Mike
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