Letter in response to Schneider Review
Dear Dr. Jacobs and the OHSU Executive Leadership Team,
We, the employees and workers of your hospitals, schools, and clinics write to you today with grave concern. On April 29th a review by Mr. Schneider was released and with it an insight into OHSU’s systemic shortcomings in keeping its students and employees free from discrimination and harassment. There has been rhetoric and words about improving our culture, building trust, and repairing harm, but there has been no tangible change. As Mr. Schneider made it very clear the existing processes and procedures available to us in dealing with discrimination are ineffectual, the culture and tone from top leadership does not properly address discrimination, and there is no accountability to hold those responsible for their actions.
OHSU has an incredibly important responsibility to ensure the mental and physical well being of its staff, faculty, students, nurses, and doctors of its hospitals, clinics, labs, and classrooms. In order for us to truly be leaders in healthcare, we must have trust that OHSU and its leadership are doing everything in their power to provide an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. We must have trust that you will hear and respond to reports of harassment with the care and urgency they require. We must have confidence you will take appropriate action in response to these reports regardless of who was reported. We must have trust that OHSU is doing what is necessary to keep us safe, because this report makes us feel the opposite.
Mr. Schneider outlined 13 recommendations and we demand that you immediately work on the following as the longer these issues persist; the longer your employees and students feel unsafe at OHSU.
Properly fund and support the OCIC and CAP. These departments are critical to ensuring employee wellbeing, and building a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Both the Covington Report from 2021 as well as the Schneider Review from 2024 indicate that these departments are chronically understaffed, underfunded, and under supported by OHSU. This must change.
Have accountability for the mistakes of the past, while also building processes and culture to create positive accountability in the future. There were many pitfalls and mistakes that led to this situation blossoming into the larger problem it became. OHSU needs to internally hold the responsible parties accountable to make it clear that these mistakes are unacceptable, and create systems that can ensure the OCIC and OHSU leadership is held accountable in keeping us safe in the future.
Take corrective action to the processes and procedures that are outdated, unclear, and inefficient. This should include Title IX updates to comply with state law, clarity over mandatory reporting, departmental structures and case guidelines for AAEO and OCIC, proper training for reporting and diversity, confidentiality guidelines for who should have knowledge and access to reports, and a clear outline regarding roles and responsibilities between reporters and the various investigatory departments.
Have equal accountability for OHSU employees. The Schneider report highlighted the same issues that the Covington Report did in that accountability for misconduct is not distributed equally. Dr. Marks discussions and careful treatment by the AAEO and leadership was worlds apart from the skepticism and disregard that was given to Student 1. Everyone at OHSU must be held to the same high level of standards, leadership included.
Continued transparency and communication with employees and students about definitive and actionable changes. It is not enough to just say something will be done in the future, OHSU members must be kept informed of what is definitely changing to address these issues. A public roadmap of changes, policy information updates, and systemic issues that are being addressed should be given to OHSU employees so that we can see the actions that leadership is taking.
OHSU has made changes since the Covington Report, but these changes are too slow in coming, or too ineffective in nature to combat the cultural and systemic problems that its students and employees face. No employee should come to work at OHSU with fear of facing discrimination. No student should fear going to a journal club due to continued harassment. We need changes to our culture, our policies, our procedures, our guidelines, and we need OHSU and its leadership to live up to its values. We understand change is not made overnight and it can take time, but we ask that you take our demands seriously as the longer this persists, the more stories we will hear like Student 1 ‘s .
For the good of all OHSU; work with the OHSU Board and internal teams to correct these failures. Come together with your Unions and Employees to create a better environment and culture for everyone to prosper with dignity and respect. Do what is needed to make sure all OHSU Members are safe. Do better so we can be better, and live up to the OHSU values.
Sincerely,
AFSCME Local 328 Board