AVMA Council on Education's Removes DEI Reporting Requirements Despite Pushback
The AVMA Council on Education's decision to drop the mandatory DEI reporting requirement for veterinary schools, citing legal and regulatory conflicts, has sparked concern. While the move is framed as a protective measure for institutions, critics argue it will undermine accountability and slow progress on diversity and equity in a profession that already lacks representation. This change means that without required data, it will be harder to measure and address the ongoing underrepresentation of minority groups in veterinary medicine.
Why Juneteenth Matters in Veterinary Medicine
On June 19th, we honor Juneteenth, a pivotal moment in American history that marks the true end of slavery in the United States. While the Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863, it wasn’t until June 19, 1865—more than two years later—that Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to inform enslaved African Americans of their freedom.

