The dean of the Durham, N.C.-based Duke University School of Medicine issued a public apology to students Jan. 26 after an administrator issued an email advising Chinese students to refrain from speaking their native language and "commit to using English 100 percent" in professional settings, The Herald Sun reports.
Three things to know:
1. Megan Neely, PhD, served as director of graduate studies and an assistant professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics at the Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Neely reportedly emailed first- and second-year students in February 2018 and again Jan. 25 urging Chinese students to "commit to using English 100 percent of the time" at school and in the workplace, according to a online petition by a group of concerned students.
2. In the Jan. 25 email, Dr. Neely wrote that two department faculty members approached her and asked to see photos of students to identify a group of students they claimed had been talking loudly in Chinese in the student lounge and study areas. The faculty members reportedly requested the students' names to remember them in case they ever interviewed for an internship or other professional opportunities.
"Both faculty members … were disappointed that these students were not taking the opportunity to improve their English and were being so impolite as to have a conversation that not everyone on the floor could understand," Dr. Neely wrote in the email to students. "To international students, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep these unintended consequences in mind when you choose to speak in Chinese in the building. … I have the upmost [sic] respect for what you are doing. That being said, I encourage you to commit to using English 100% of the time when you are in Hock or any other professional setting."
3. Mary Klotman, MD, dean of Duke's medical school, wrote a letter to students Jan. 26 apologizing for Dr. Neely's remarks and said Dr. Neely had asked to step down from her position as director of graduate studies. She will continue in her role as assistant professor.
"I understand that many of you felt hurt and angered by [Dr. Neely's] message. To be clear: there is absolutely no restriction or limitation on the language you use to converse and communicate with each other. Your career opportunities and recommendations will not in any way be influenced by the language you use outside the classroom. And your privacy will always be protected," Dr. Klotman wrote, adding that the office of institutional equity will review the incident.
To access the full report, click here.