Dear Colleagues:

The demographic composition of college students has changed dramatically in the past few decades. College settings have become more diverse. In general, college and university settings during this decade are characterized by a greater number of women, minority students, and international students. Additionally, students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (GLBT) are self-advocating in a meaningful and necessary way. Further, many college students -- and college health professionals -- experience multiple cultural identities. Along with these changes in demographics, health needs of students have also changed.

College health professionals are challenged to provide optimal health education and medical care to college students in a manner that resonates with the diversity inherent in college populations. Since eliminating health disparities is one of the two overarching goals of Healthy People 2010, the ACHA Allies for LGBT Health Coalition and the Ethnic Diversity Coalition strongly encourage those who present programs for the ACHA Annual Meeting to fully consider and articulate the cultural relevance of their programs. Although ACHA and the Coalitions recognize that not every program should focus on diversity, we believe that high quality programs address assumptions, limitations, findings, conclusions, and recommendations as they relate to identities listed in the following Non-Discrimination Policy:

The American College Health Association supports all initiatives to create a campus climate guided by the values of cultural inclusion, respect, equality and equity. Such a climate is essential to college health. Consistent with those values, ACHA rejects all forms of intolerance and subtler forms of discriminatory conduct with respect to the following: age; gender identity, including transgender; marital status; physical size; psychological/physical/ learning disability; race/ethnicity; religious, spiritual or cultural identity; sex; sexual orientation; socioeconomic status; or veteran status.

One of the strengths of ACHA is our ability to bring together various perspectives in addressing cultural competency, helping us to effectively and equitably meet the needs of all students, staff, and health care providers. We thank you for your dedication to advancing the field of college health and look forward to your presentation at the 2009 Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

For further guidance or assistance in addressing diversity issues, contact either a section program planner from ACHA's Program Planning Committee or one of the coalition chairs.