Taking A Stand Against Hate

When students at UTHSC were asked if they would sign a banner with a message of unity against hate, more than 400 stepped up to sign in roughly two hours.

UT Health Science Center students sign a banner against hate

That banner and two others with hundreds more signatures from students, faculty and staff proclaim that the state’s only public academic health science university stands against hate in all forms. An observance against hate was held on campus Nov. 8.

“The recent events in our country and around the world make it clear that hate remains a pervasive cancer in our modern world,” College of Medicine Dean Scott Strome says. “As people engaged in all aspects of health care, we have a unique opportunity and, indeed, a duty to abolish hate wherever it exists.”

Anna Evans, president of the UTHSC Student Government Association Executive Council, wants to promote the movement to the wider community.

“I think our hope is to rally together as a campus and as a student body, but also as a larger Memphis community, hopefully to send a message that we want to fight for the sanctity of life, to fight for love and justice, no matter who you are, no matter what income you have, no matter what race you are and to recognize as a campus that every life is absolutely important,” she says.


Diversity Business Enterprise Initiative Launched

Jonathan Lawshe, director of procurement services, speaks about UTHSC polices and procedures.

UTHSC launched a Diversity Business Enterprise Initiative to assist and encourage small businesses and businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans and those with disabilities to work with the university.

UTHSC hosted a workshop to acquaint business owners with the initiative.

“I think we, as the University of Tennessee, have a responsibility to do business with small businesses and minority vendors across the state to generate the economy of the state of Tennessee,” Ken Brown, executive vice chancellor and chief operations officer, says.


New Dean Leads College of Dentistry

James Ragain Jr.

Following a national search, James Ragain Jr. has been named dean of the College of Dentistry.

Ragain (Knoxville ’76, HSC ’84) served as an associate professor in restorative dentistry and interim chair of the Department of General Practice Dentistry for the College of Dentistry. He is the first alumnus of the UTHSC College of Dentistry to become dean.

Before joining UTHSC in 2013, Ragain completed a successful career in the U.S. Navy, rising to the rank of naval captain. His administrative, clinical, education and research experience made him the ideal candidate, says Chancellor Steve Schwab.