Commentary: Developing Physician Leadership in Hospital Policy Development: A Case Study of Resident-Driven Policy Initiatives in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

This case study of the University of Alabama’s Where Legends Are Made illustrates how a 30-s television advertisement with a catchy tagline was transformed into a strategic branding campaign that communicated the essence of the university in a compelling story. Employing a qualitative methodology, the case study drew on personality archetypes to develop an institutional brand communication management conceptual framework that illustrated the guiding principles and creative contexts used to break through the communication clutter. It did so by emphasizing the University of Alabama’s leadership, competitive spirit, and transformative innovation by making its fabled athletic tradition an extension of its everyday excellence in academic disciplines. It also demonstrated how empirically tested archetype personas can be effectively employed in persuasive storylines to emotionally resonate with key stakeholders and prospective consumers alike, with each interpreting it in a way that is compatible with their own values, lifestyles, and culture.

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Environmental Analysis of GOES-R Proving Ground Convection-Initiation Forecasting Algorithms

Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology ◽

10.1175/jamc-d-14-0190.1 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 54 (7) ◽

pp. 1637-1662 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jason M. Apke ◽

Daniel Nietfeld ◽

Mark R. Anderson

Keyword(s):

Environmental Variables ◽

Environmental Influences ◽

Principal Component ◽

University Of Alabama ◽

Algorithm Performance ◽

University Of Wisconsin ◽

Improve Algorithm ◽

Convection Initiation ◽

The University

AbstractEnhanced temporal and spatial resolution of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite–R Series (GOES-R) will allow for the use of cloud-top-cooling-based convection-initiation (CI) forecasting algorithms. Two such algorithms have been created on the current generation of GOES: the University of Wisconsin cloud-top-cooling algorithm (UWCTC) and the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s satellite convection analysis and tracking algorithm (SATCAST). Preliminary analyses of algorithm products have led to speculation over preconvective environmental influences on algorithm performance. An objective validation approach is developed to separate algorithm products into positive and false indications. Seventeen preconvective environmental variables are examined for the positive and false indications to improve algorithm output. The total dataset consists of two time periods in the late convective season of 2012 and the early convective season of 2013. Data are examined for environmental relationships using principal component analysis (PCA) and quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA). Data fusion by QDA is tested for SATCAST and UWCTC on five separate case-study days to determine whether application of environmental variables improves satellite-based CI forecasting. PCA and significance testing revealed that positive indications favored environments with greater vertically integrated instability (CAPE), less stability (CIN), and more low-level convergence. QDA improved both algorithms on all five case studies using significantly different variables. This study provides an examination of environmental influences on the performance of GOES-R Proving Ground CI forecasting algorithms and shows that integration of QDA in the cloud-top-cooling-based algorithms using environmental variables will ultimately generate a more skillful product.

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Digital Collections at a Distance: Telework during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Library Resources and Technical Services ◽

10.5860/lrts.65n2.65-75 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 65 (2) ◽

pp. 65

Author(s):

Laura M. Gentry

Keyword(s):

Lessons Learned ◽

University Of Alabama ◽

Digital Collections ◽

The Creation ◽

The University

This case study explores how one team tasked with the creation of digital collections at The University of Alabama Libraries succeeded at telework to carry on its essential functions despite not being able to digitize new content from March through July 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers of similar units will gain strategies to create similar telework projects at their institution and lessons learned while working and supervising employees remotely.

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Engaging sustainability good practice within the curriculum design and property portfolio in the Australian higher education sector

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education ◽

10.1108/ijshe-09-2015-0149 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 146-162 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Joanna Poon

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Portfolio Management ◽

Curriculum Design ◽

Policy Development ◽

Good Practice ◽

Real Life ◽

Content Type ◽

The University ◽

The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the extent to which universities’ strategic plans affect the level of incorporation of sustainability within the curriculum design and property portfolio. Design/methodology/approach This research adopted a case study approach. The case study institution was Deakin University in Australia. This paper used a qualitative research method. Desk-top study included the review of the University’s Strategic Plan, policy agenda on sustainability and the documents on sustainability courses and units. Semi-structured interviews were held with academics who have course development and management responsibility within the university, colleagues who have a sustainability-focused role on estate management and colleagues whose roles are to manage sustainability initiatives at the institution level. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Content analysis was used to analyse the interview data. Findings Despite the University having clear strategic aims and initiatives on the incorporation of sustainability within the curriculum design and property portfolio, there is disconnection between policy development and policy implementation. As a result, the incorporation of sustainability varies largely between curricula within the institution. The incorporation of sustainability within the property portfolio is clear and effective. However, within the curriculum, it is polarised. The level of incorporation depends on the nature of the course or unit and is largely driven by the initiatives of the individual academic. Good practice identified in the incorporation of sustainability within the curriculum is to use a problem-based approach supported by real life projects to enhance the students’ authentic learning experience. A good practice for successfully incorporating sustainability into the property portfolio is to have clear vision of what it has planned to achieve and to ensure that there is a balance between sustainability and value for money. Originality/value This is pioneering research to investigate the incorporation of sustainability into higher education in a more comprehensive way. This paper considered the impact of strategic planning on the incorporation of sustainability within a higher education, on both curriculum design and property portfolio management.

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Developing Physician Leadership in Hospital Policy Development: A Case Study of Resident-Driven Policy Initiatives in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham

Neurosurgery ◽

10.1093/neuros/nyz002 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 86 (1) ◽

pp. 150-153 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Christopher D Shank ◽

Elizabeth N Kuhn ◽

Mark N Hadley ◽

Beverly C Walters

Keyword(s):

Brain Death ◽

Patient Care ◽

Policy Development ◽

Care Hospital ◽

National Guidelines ◽

Hospital Policy ◽

Substantial Impact ◽

Daily Work ◽

Policy Initiatives ◽

Resident Involvement

Abstract The bulk of a resident's daily work is patient care related; however, other aspects of residency training are vital both to a resident's education and to the advancement of the field. Basic science and clinical research are the more common academic activities in which residents participate after completion of daily patient care objectives. Less frequently, residents participate in a process vital to the delivery of efficient, cost-effective, and safe patient care: hospital policy development. Two policies were identified as outdated or absent: (1) the process for the declaration of brain death and (2) a policy for the use of hypertonic saline in the Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit. The policies were rewritten after review of the existing policy (when applicable), other institutions’ examples, national guidelines, and state and federal laws. Once written, proposals were reviewed by department leadership, hospital ethics, legal counsel, ad hoc specialty committees, the Medical Directors Council, and the Medical Executive Committee. After multiple revisions, each proposal was endorsed by the above bodies and ratified as hospital policy. Residents may make a substantial impact on patient care through active participation in the authorship and implementation of hospital policy. The inclusion of residents in policy development has improved the process for declaring brain death and management of patients with devastating neurological pathology. Resident involvement in hospital policy initiatives can be successful, valuable to the institution, and beneficial to patient care. Resident involvement is predicated on faculty and institutional support of such endeavors.

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How to Wrangle Multiple Discrete Collections from One Donor: A Case Study of the Subject-based Physical and Digital Consolidation of the Wade Hall Collections

The American Archivist ◽

10.17723/0360-9081-84.1.62 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 84 (1) ◽

pp. 62-90

Author(s):

Laura M. Gentry ◽

Erin Ryan ◽

Jessica Rayman ◽

Martha Bace

Keyword(s):

Asset Management ◽

Public Library ◽

University Of Alabama ◽

Digital Collections ◽

Special Collections ◽

New Finding ◽

Finding Aids ◽

Asset Management System ◽

The University

ABSTRACT The authors examined the Wade Hall Consolidation Project at the University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections. The project involved the physical consolidation of more than 1,400 small, discrete collections donated by Wade Hall into larger, subject-based collections along with the merger of 287 existing digital collections to mirror the physical arrangement. This project's goal was to improve access to and discovery of these collections by researchers. During physical consolidation, the archivists created subject-based collections with new finding aids and addressed issues including unclear provenance, legacy descriptions, inaccurate metadata, varying levels of processing, and lack of alignment with current archival best practices and standards. Digital consolidation of existing digital collections coincided with the migration to a new digital asset management system and presented its own challenges, including legacy descriptions, metadata transformation, digital preservation, and dealing with existing metadata shared on the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) and other multi-institutional digital content aggregators. The authors sought to fill the gap in the literature concerning the consolidation of physical and digital collections and to provide guidance to others considering a consolidation project.

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The Impact of Social Media Engagement from a Pathology Department During COVID

American Journal of Clinical Pathology ◽

10.1093/ajcp/aqab191.349 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 156 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S163-S164

Author(s):

C Crowe

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Full Time ◽

University Of Alabama ◽

Staff Members ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Twitter Account ◽

Media Channels ◽

The University ◽

The Impact

Abstract Introduction/Objective The events of the past year brought into stark relief the importance and impact of social media and digital communications for pathology departments as managed by an intra-departmental team of communications professionals. The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pathology is home to nearly 100 faculty, more than 200 staff members and close to 40 trainees. The department’s internal communications team consists of a director of communications and content coordinator, both full time employees. Prior to the COVID pandemic, the team hosted departmental Twitter and Facebook accounts. During the course of the year, we added Instagram and LinkedIn accounts, as well as a YouTube channel. These vehicles provided multiple platforms for communicating our messages, relating to COVID and promoting regular news and updates broadly, to both internal and external audiences. Methods/Case Report We created LinkedIn and Instagram accounts in July 2020, to round out our social media platforms. We use Sprout Social to manage our various accounts. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) For the timeframe of March 2020–2021 our @UABPathology Twitter account had a total of 933 published posts, and 1,022,785 total impressions, for 3,889 followers. Total engagements with the posts were 48,420, with 2,301 post link clicks. For the same timeframe, our nascent @UABPathology Instagram account earned 56,662 impressions, and 3,329 total engagements, for a 5.9% engagement rate. Most experts agree that a good engagement rate is between 1 and 5%. Conclusion Our departmental social media accounts generated high impact engagements with an audience primarily in the demographic of our target for trainee and young faculty recruits, ages 25-34, in addition to broadly disseminating our department’s ongoing news and updates during the COVID pandemic. The impact of effectively communicating through social media channels is measurable, and will continue to grow the reputation of the department as a top-tier clinical, research and educational program in the field.

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Redesigning Technical Services for the 21st Century: A Case Study from the University of Alabama Libraries

Library Resources and Technical Services ◽

10.5860/lrts.64n3.120-130 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 64 (3) ◽

pp. 120

Author(s):

Michael A Arthur ◽

Millie L Jackson

Keyword(s):

21St Century ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Collection Development ◽

University Of Alabama ◽

Ongoing Process ◽

Workflow Analysis ◽

The University ◽

Development And Management ◽

Technical Services

The University of Alabama Libraries began the process of workflow analysis over a decade ago. Primarily focused on the traditional technical services areas, this process has been iterative and has evolved from looking for efficiencies to a broader change in the culture and an acceptance of an ongoing process of improvement. This article distills lessons learned from workflow analysis in the areas of acquisitions, electronic resources, and cataloging/metadata but also examines how these changes impacted the broader library and philosophies of collection development and management.

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Thai Buddhist Meditation Practice Tradition and a Case Study

International Journal of Business and Applied Social Science ◽

10.33642/ijbass.v6n7p2 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 12-15

Author(s):

Somboon Watana, Ph.D.

Keyword(s):

Present Article ◽

Practice Research ◽

Meditation Practice ◽

Master Teachers ◽

Buddhist Meditation ◽

Good Deed ◽

University Level ◽

The University ◽

The Buddha

Thai Buddhist meditation practice tradition has its long history since the Sukhothai Kingdom about 18th B.E., until the present day at 26th B.E. in the Kingdom of Thailand. In history there were many well-known Buddhist meditation master teachers, i.e., SomdejPhraBhudhajaraya (To Bhramarangsi), Phraajarn Mun Puritatto, Luang Phor Sodh Chantasalo, PhramahaChodok Yanasitthi, and Buddhadasabhikkhu, etc. Buddhist meditation practice is generally regarded by Thai Buddhists to be a higher state of doing a good deed than doing a good deed by offering things to Buddhist monks even to the Buddha. Thai Buddhists believe that practicing Buddhist meditation can help them to have mindfulness, peacefulness in their own lives and to finally obtain Nibbana that is the ultimate goal of Buddhism. The present article aims to briefly review history, and movement of Thai Buddhist Meditation Practice Tradition and to take a case study of students’ Buddhist meditation practice research at the university level as an example of the movement of Buddhist meditation practice tradition in Thailand in the present.

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