Past Diversity News

July 26, 2022

In This Edition: The University of Alabama at Birmingham School Spotlight; Respectful Conversations About Race; Video Showcasing Academic Nursing's Role in Achieving Health Equity and COVID-19 Recovery; Registration and Call for Abstracts Open for Diversity Symposium; AACN's Diversity, Inclusion, and Sustainability in Nursing Education Lectureship Award; and Application Cycle  Now Open for Diversity Leadership Institute.

July 7, 2022

AACN invites abstracts describing programs, courses, initiatives, or evaluation strategies that characterize the conference theme “What's Next? Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in an Ever-Changing Landscape”, addressing the many changes and challenges in academic nursing programs. Submission due date is September 9, 2022 at 12:00 pm (ET).

May 23, 2022

See five-year data trend that shows variation in the enrollment of total minorities and state-by-state breakdown of diversity representation in 2021.

May 17, 2022

AACN is currently accepting applications for the position of Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer serves as the expert on diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI). The individual works as a key resource to the President and Chief Executive Officer providing support and guidance in initiatives and goals related to the areas of DEI. The individual also works in collaboration with the senior leadership, and various committees to proactively develop and implement plans and strategies to guide, support and actively engage the policies that support DEI initiatives of the Association.

April 29, 2022

In This Edition: Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: Understanding Bias and Racism’s Impact on Health; Diversity, Inclusion, and Sustainability in Nursing Education Lectureship Award; Save the Date for upcoming Diversity Symposium; and AACN Culture and Climate Survey Recruitment.

March 23, 2022

To test the new online platform created for the Leading Across Multidimensional Perspectives (LAMP©) Culture and Climate Survey, AACN is currently seeking schools of nursing to be among the first to use this new resource. All types of institutions are encouraged to apply, including small schools, public and private universities, academic health centers, liberal arts schools, and colleges located in rural and urban areas. Schools seeking to participate must complete this brief application form. For more information on this initiative read the LAMP Culture and Climate Survey Overview. If you have any questions, please contact AACN’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr. Wanda Thruston wthruston@aacnnursing.org.

February 2, 2022

The UT Health San Antonio's Nightingale Podcast series highlights notable and famous figures in nursing who have made an impact on the nursing profession and health care delivery. This series also shares perspectives on diversity, equity and inclusion as it relates to nursing and health professionals. The most recent episode features Dr. Vernell DeWitty, AACN's Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. In the episode, Dr. DrWitty advises the nation’s top academic nursing leaders on building consensus and a strategic approach to diversity and inclusion.

January 27, 2022

The Diversity Digest is a quarterly newsletter that highlights AACN's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and efforts from AACN member schools promoting DEI in the academic nursing community.

January 19, 2022

The National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing is seeking public comments for The 2022 National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing Foundational Report. The report and instructions for how to provide comments are available here. Deadline to submit comments is February 14.

December 20, 2021

In the December 20, 2021 issue of Health Leaders, nursing editor Carol Davis profiles groundbreaking initiatives underway at three nursing schools to advance diversity and inclusion, including Chamberlain University’s Social Determinants of Learning framework, Columbia University’s new Center for Sexual and Gender Minority Health Research, and Frontier Nursing University’s Diversity Impact Program.

November 22, 2021

Schools recognized this year for their strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, health equity, cultural humility, and community outreach include Augusta University (Georgia), Frontier Nursing University (Kentucky), and the University of Illinois Chicago.

August 31, 2021

July 28, 2021

Meet AACN’s New Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Vernell Dewitty and see AACN’s latest steps to serve as a primary advocate for advancing DEI-focused initiatives in academic nursing.

July 26, 2021

In keeping with our strategic priorities, AACN is pleased to announce the launch of its eighth Leadership Network: The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership Network (DEILN). This latest network grew out of AACN’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Group (DEIG), which was launched in 2018 to bring nursing school faculty and staff together to provide guidance to AACN and member schools on meeting diversity goals. With membership in DEIG now surpassing 120, AACN moved to evolve this advisory group into an official Leadership Network.

July 9, 2021

The central focus of the Diversity Leadership Institute is to provide an overview of the evolution of diversity and inclusion and the role of Diversity Officers in academic nursing and nursing practice. Applications must be submitted by November 1, 2021.

June 24, 2021

AACN is currently seeking abstracts for virtual poster or podium presentations for the 2021 Diversity Symposium, which reflect the theme Strategize & Mobilize: Implementing DEI in Academic Nursing. Submissions are due by 5:00 pm (ET) on Monday, August 30, 2021.

February 24, 2021

In the latest issue of Creative Nursing (Volume 27, Issue 1), Dr. Vernell DeWitty, AACN’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, and Dr. David Byrd published a new article titled Recruiting Underrepresented Students for Nursing Schools. The authors present strategies for diversifying the nursing student population, which include building strategic partnerships, employing technology solutions to enhance recruitment efforts, and launching a holistic admissions review process.

January 25, 2021

The Commission will examine the issue of racism within nursing nationwide and describe the impact on nurses, patients, communities, and health care systems to motivate all nurses to confront systemic racism.  Dr. Vernell DeWitty,  AACN's Director for Diversity and Inclusion will represent AACN at the Commission. 

December 15, 2020

As a primary advocate for advancing diversity and inclusion within schools of nursing, AACN is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has endorsed a new white paper titled Promising Practices in Holistic Admissions Review: Implementation in Academic Nursing. This new resource provides a roadmap for schools looking to recruit more students from underrepresented groups into the nursing profession using evidence-based strategies and admissions redesign.

October 28, 2020

In the October 2020 issue of Minority Nurse magazine, writer Jebra Turner contributed a new article on second-career professionals looking to transition into nursing titled Act Two: How to Fast-Track Your Career Change. Dr. Vernell DeWitty, AACN’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, is featured and describes efforts to recruit more individuals from groups underrepresented in nursing into the profession via accelerated baccalaureate and master’s programs. Following the pandemic, Dr. DeWitty forecasts that the public will have a new appreciation for the contributions that nurses make to the health of this nation and addressing healthcare disparities.

October 22, 2020

AACN announced  a  call for videos for a new section of our Gallery of Leadership focused on addressing racism and inequality and fostering inclusive learning environments. We invite deans to submit a video and share insights on how your school is working to help end racism and foster equitable change.

October 2, 2020

In the October 2 issue of Inside Higher Ed, Dr. Zachary S. Ritter, associate dean from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and Dr. Valyncia C. Raphael, equity, diversity, and inclusion strategist, offer some practice advice on How to Challenge Systemic Racism. The authors offer some short- and long-term concrete steps that higher education administrators and faculty members can take to make incremental and transformative change on campus and in the classroom, including changing your behavior and encouraging others to do so; using data to revise policies; and changing culture within your sphere of influence.

September 30, 2020

In the September 30 issue of Rounds with Leadership, AACN Board Chair Dr. Susan Bakewell-Sachs and President and CEO, Dr. Deborah Trautman, discuss how as academic nursing leaders, we understand the integral role education plays in bringing marginalized groups and allies together. Moving towards a more diverse and inclusive nursing profession is essential to meeting the healthcare needs of the nation and reducing health disparities that for too long have existed among many underserved populations.

August 31, 2020

In the September 2020 issue of the Journal of Nursing Education, Dr. Vernell DeWitty, AACN’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, co-authored a guest editorial with Dr. Teri Murray, Professor and Dean Emerita at Saint Louis University, titled Influence of Climate and Culture on Minority Faculty Retention. In response to the national dialogue about race, racism, inclusion, and belonging in academic nursing, Dr. DeWitty has led the development of a new survey instrument to capture the feelings and experiences of underrepresented minorities in nursing programs. 

July 29, 2020

Race/ethnicity data from AACN's 2019 annual survey on enrollment and graduation in baccalaureate and graduate degree programs in nursing is now available.

July 22, 2020

This edition's theme: Diversity & Inclusion Implications/Considerations during COVID-19. Read about inclusive teaching, why talking about systemic racism matters, and more.

June 2, 2020

As the nation struggles to come to terms with the senseless, tragic killing of George Floyd, and those before him, the time has come to send a clear message that injustice and racism will no longer be tolerated. Together, academic nursing leaders and the larger healthcare community must rally against pervasive inequities in society and move forward with empathy, inclusiveness, and collective action.

April 9, 2020

A quarterly newsletter that highlights AACN's diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives along with efforts from AACN member schools promoting D&I in the academic nursing community.

March 26, 2020

AACN is currently seeking faculty members to serve as a convening body to unite expertise, experience, and guidance for academic nursing in Leading Across Differences.

April 4, 2019

On April 4, the Journal of Nursing Education posted a new guest editorial by Dr. Vernell DeWitty, AACN’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, titled “Leading Across Differences.” With the goal of enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the nursing student population and the healthcare workforce, Dr. DeWitty points to the power of academic-practice partnerships to help achieve this shared goal. In the editorial, she describes how “collaborative opportunities exist at the intersection of nursing education and nursing practice, where advancing diversity in the workforce becomes a reality.”

July 25, 2018

The New Careers in Nursing Nationwide, 2007-2017 database was designed to evaluate the New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) program. NCIN aimed to provide a streamlined pathway for those individuals who held a bachelor degree but no healthcare experience, to diversify the nursing workforce by identifying underrepresented minorities who were interested in the nursing profession, and to provide individuals with leadership and mentoring opportunities and allow them to cultivate skills as future nursing educators.

April 4, 2018

The AACN Diversity and Inclusion Committee request AACN Member School Deans/Directors/Chairs participation in the first Diversity & Inclusion Member Needs Survey. We aim to understand diversity and inclusion awareness, programming and initiatives for students, staff and faculty at your nursing school and institution.

March 21, 2018

AACN and Nurse.com by OnCourse Learning joined forces to create this award that recognizes outstanding contributions made by an individual or a group that champion diversity, inclusion, and sustainability in nursing education. 

January 22, 2018

Editor Scott Jaschik profiles how a number of high school districts and a few states have moved to require high school students to complete more sophisticated projects to assess their eligibility for a high school diploma, and their preparation for college and the world of work. This new approach provides new ways for college admissions officers to determine student achievement and is used in some institutions to enhance efforts to admit and retain a more diverse group of students.

August 30, 2017

AACN developed a structured NWD Technical Assistance Program that features an assessment of admissions practices, an on-site Holistic Admissions Review workshop, student recruitment and retention strategies, and models for building a successful mentoring program. A total of 24 out of 30 NWD grant recipients are working with AACN to complete the required training.

March 20, 2017

During the business meeting of AACN’s Spring Annual Meeting (held March 20, 2017 in Washington, DC), an overwhelming majority of members in attendance voted to adopt the Position Statement on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in Academic Nursing.