| American College of Epidemiology |
| Minority Affairs Committee |
| History |
November 1991: The Committee on Minority Affairs was created
as an ad hoc committee during the 1991 Annual Meeting in Atlanta,
Georgia by American College of Epidemiology President Raymond Greenberg
and the Board of Directors. The Committee held its first meeting during
the Annual Meeting. Victor Schoenbach was asked to serve as chair. The
Committee's charge was:
- Assess the current status of minorities in the profession of epidemiology;
- Recommend specific actions to increase minority representation in epidemiology;
- Assess the role of the College in promoting increased minority representation in epidemiology;
- Recommend actions to increase research on health concerns of minority populations;
- Recommend strategies for increasing the number of minority epidemiologists who are affiliated with the College.
July 1992: Committee initiates survey of Distribution of racial and ethnic distribution of faculty, students, and postdoctoral fellows in U.S. epidemiology degree programs
November 1992: Committee initiates a content analysis of recruitment materials from U.S. epidemiology degree programs regarding headings and text related to minorities, minority issues, and affirmative action; course titles related to minorities; faculty research interests; mentions of the atmosphere of the campus or the surrounding area in relation to ethnic diversity. Pictures were screened in relation to minorities shown, activities in which they are engaged in and the context.
November 1993: Committee initiates survey of minority recruitment activities by U.S. epidemiology degree programs.
February 1994: First liaison member (from Society for Epidemiologic Research) joins the Committee.
February 1994: Recommendations submitted to the Board of Directors for attracting minority epidemiologists to the College.
March 1994: Board of Directors accepts the Recommendations, eliminates the application fee, and requests the Committee to draft a Statement of Principles.
September 1994: Draft of Statement of Principles accepted "in principle" by ACE Board of Directors.
September 1994: By-law change creates the Committee on Minority Affairs as a Standing Committee of the College. Victor Schoenbach appointed as Chair.
January 1995: Revised Statement adopted by Board of Directors, subject to comment period.
May 1995: Following editorial revisions, final version of Statement approved by ACE Executive Committee.
October 1995: American Heart Association Council on Epidemiology and Prevention endorses the Statement of Principles.
November 1995: Statement of Principles and accompanying Commentary published in Annals of Epidemiology.
January 1996: Content analysis of recruitment materials published in Annals of Epidemiology.
May 1997: Survey of minority recruitment activities published in Annals of Epidemiology.
September 1997: Bill Jenkins, Ph.D. appointed Chair.
September 1998: Bill Jenkins and Victor Schoenbach lead breakfast roundtable on "How can we bring diversity into the profession" at the 1998 Annual Meeting in San Francisco
February 1999: Additional endorsements received for the Statement of Principles. (List of endorsements)
September 1999: Victor Schoenbach leads breakfast roundtable on "Diversity in the profession - why has progress been so slow?" at the 1999 Annual Meeting in Bethesda
February 2000: Vickie Mays, Ph.D. appointed Chair.
October 2000: Vickie Mays and Victor Schoenbach lead breakfast roundtable on "Diversity in epidemiology: finding ways to improve" at the 2000 Annual Meeting in Atlanta