Leadership Message: Inclusive Excellence

Dear Colleagues,

You may have heard that UC Davis and several other UC campuses recently updated their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion division names to include Inclusive Excellence. As our office is part of the renamed UC Davis Division of Inclusive Excellence, we are updating our name as well, to more clearly communicate what we are about, and the work that we do. We didn’t ask for the change in climate that is forcing these shifts, but we will not shy away from it.

Complex challenges create new opportunities for discovery, community building, and resilient growth. Resilient organizations use headwinds to get clearer and stronger. At UC Davis Health, we embrace this moment with courage: we stand firm on a foundation built by history, science, and law; and we go forward. So, we are adopting a name that represents both continuity and progress. It keeps the familiar HEDI acronym, while more clearly expressing the real-world results of our work, and our intentional commitment to this work.

We are updating our name to the Office for Health Equity by Design for Inclusive Excellence (HEDI). 

Let me tell you why this matters and why this name represents a step forward.

Inclusive Excellence is a nationally recognized framework developed by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). It centers on the principle that true excellence can only be achieved when organizations intentionally embed efforts to address bias and advance meaningful and equitable outcomes for groups into their core functions —not just as an add-on. 

Our team’s work in partnership with you has and will continue to help UC Davis Health intentionally design and implement these inclusive systems, structures, and experiences.  We are not just focused on who is at the table; we aspire to design a table that supports everyone’s success, is open to all, and is reachable by every person.

We believe this updated name more clearly communicates what we do.

It reflects the UC Davis Principles of Community, which affirm our commitment to dignity, respect, and community, embodies the UC Davis Health values of “kindness, trust, and inclusion,” and aligns with federal laws and the California Attorney General’s guidance that diverse, accessible workplaces are both vital and lawful. These guideposts ensure that even as our name evolves, the foundation of our work remains rooted in belonging, health, community, and the law.

The new name will begin to roll out in the coming weeks. What will never change is our commitment to partnering with you – to solve problems, improve systems, and work to help everyone at UC Davis Health, Sacramento and beyond feel like they belong and “Believe in Better.”

Thank you,

Hendry Ton, M.D., M.S.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Health Equity by Design for Inclusive Excellence - HEDI