School of Public Health Self-Study Report > 1.0 The School of Public Health > 1.6 Resources > 1.6.j. - 1.6.n.

1.6.j. - 1.6.n.

1.6.j. Library/information resources

Faculty, staff and students have access to extensive library and information resources. (http://www.lib.umn.edu/)

The University of Minnesota Libraries, the 16th largest research library in North America, comprise more than 6 million print volumes, 37,000 current serial subscriptions and significant online resources, including more than 22,000 electronic journals, nearly 200,000 electronic books (including government documents) and many locally created digital image, sound and text files. The Libraries’ online network provides computerized access to its collections and serves as a gateway to local, national and global information sources. The Libraries employ 312 staff, 100 of whom are librarians.

The Health Sciences Libraries (HSL) consist of the Bio-Medical Library, the Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine, and the Veterinary Medical Library. The Bio-Medical collection contains over 490,000 volumes, 1,600 current print journal subscriptions, 1,500 electronic journal subscriptions, 2,300 curriculum-related and self-instructional media and computer programs, as well as a variety of full-text and bibliographic electronic databases. An assigned librarian acts as a “liaison” between HSL and the School to deliver specialized instruction to faculty, staff and students, perform literature reviews and collect materials in public health for the library’s collection.

The HSL’s public health collection is particularly strong in epidemiology, bioinformatics and public health administration. The Veterinary Medical Library holds a strong collection in emerging infections, animal disease vectors and pandemics. In addition, the School is part of an exchange program with India through which it is collecting documents relating to Indian public health initiatives and research.

The HSL maintains state-of-the-art technologies to provide access to print and non-print biomedical knowledge-based information resources. It has more than 80 public computers providing access to the library’s electronic resources, productivity software and several online training classrooms. HSL technologies provide Web access to a broad range of bibliographic databases and aggregated resources including PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, MICROMEDEX, PsycInfo and the Cochrane databases.

The University recently added $2 million in recurring funds to the Libraries’ budget for new acquisitions. This funding will increase its ability to purchase new materials in developing areas of interest in public health.

1.6.k. Community resources available for instruction, research and service, indicating those where formal agreements exist.

The School maintains relationships with a number of external groups and entities on the local, national and global levels. Collaboration with these entities includes research, student placements, and expert consultation, as well as continuing and professional education and community service.

In these activities, the School leads in partnership with the departments of health in the Upper Midwest, most notably the Minnesota Department of Health, local and federal health agencies and non-governmental organizations. For example, over 50 students each year work in paid and unpaid internships at the Minnesota Department of Health, most notably as members of “Team D” participating in surveillance of infectious diarrheal disease in Minnesota.

A multilevel partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the Academic Health Center (especially the School, the School of Medicine and the College of Veterinary Medicine) has been formed to provide BSL 3-(enhanced) laboratory space, which is being supported through state bonding authority and legislative appropriations, for research on emerging infectious diseases, many of which are zoonoses (diseases transmitted to humans from animals).

The unique relationship between the School and the Department of Health has been enhanced through close geographic proximity (within three blocks of each other) in previous years. With the move of all government offices, including the Health Department, to St. Paul, the Commissioner and Dean convened a joint committee of assistant commissioners, associate deans and other committed partners across the academic and health department staff to develop strategies to prevent interference due to the new distance barrier. Strategies implemented to facilitate ongoing exchange included a shuttle bus that runs twice a day between the School and Department during the regular school year so students, faculty and staff have easy access to facilities, the arrangement of dedicated parking spaces and availability of ‘zip cars’ for transport.

The School also has entered into a memorandum of understanding for collaborative programming on global initiatives with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (India), and One World and St. Johns Academy (Bangalore, India), allowing for representation on governing boards, faculty and student exchange and joint arrangements for program development. In 2005, another partnership was forged in Hong Kong with the opening of a School affiliate office, ISP Asia Inc., for delivery and marketing of the certificate programs of ISP in Management Studies.

A unique research opportunity for student involvement has also emerged with the Reden & Anders Fellows Program, a School-wide program initiated in January 2006 for one or more graduate research assistants. (Reden & Anders, Ltd., is a company owned by Ingenix and located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. See www.reden-anders.com for further information.) In this program, Reden & Anders provides funding to support a half-time position for fall and spring semesters with an option of full-time employment during the summer. The funds for this program include student salary support plus fringe benefits. Rather than the company hiring the student directly, funding via the School provides the student with the additional benefits of tuition and health care benefits. This pre-doc fellowship is with the Reden & Anders Health Technology Pipeline; the supervisor is a Reden & Anders senior consultant. The Health Technology Pipeline staff offers consulting services, analyses and tools to assist clients in understanding the impact on their organizations of “disruptive events” in health care practice (i.e., a new device, drug, therapy, standard of care, etc. that will change the context in which health care services are delivered, the utilization of services, expected quality outcomes and health care spending). In January 2006, there were 17 School applications from M.P.H., M.S., and Ph.D. students. One appointment was made for the 2006-2007 academic year. This is a new model that is being explored to increase pre-doc funding of students.

Additional partnerships are available for student internships. For example, the research and policy concentration of the M.S. program in Health Services Research, Policy and Administration has developed relationships with multiple organizational sponsors for paid internships. Students are placed at community organizations where they receive ‘hands on’ experience in health services research, are mentored and have opportunities to contribute to projects. Students apply skills learned from the program to their internship. Among the sponsors are Stratis Health, Halleland Health Consulting, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Ingenix Inc., Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support, Medtronic Inc., Hennepin County Community Health, Center for Chronic Disease Outcome Research, Fairview Health Services, Park Nicollet Research Institute, Minnesota Department of Health, UCare Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Administration.

1.6.l. “In-kind” academic contributions

Not applicable.

1.6.m. Outcome measures by which the School may judge the adequacy of its resources (See Chapter 3.1.d. for Outcome Indicators based on sponsored grant dollars per FTE faculty)

* No quantitative target has been established. The University budget model is currently under revision and the revision is expected to affect parameters.

1.6.n. This criterion is met.

Strengths

• The School has resources adequate to fulfill its mission and goals and Outcome Indicators in education, research and service.
• The School is in sound financial health. Its budget has increased annually primarily through funds generated by indirect cost recovery, per-credit tuition increases and increased revenues from growing enrollment, most notably through its expanded distance-learning opportunities.
• The faculty continues to grow, up to 117 in September 2006 from 95 in September 2004.
• The School employs a well-qualified, diverse full-time professional, administrative and civil service/bargaining unit support staff.
• The School has adequate laboratory space, an extensive array of computer facilities and equipment and outstanding library and information resources.
• The School enjoys highly productive relationships with departments of health and other organizations in the Upper Midwest that have led to opportunities for student fieldwork, research collaborations and continuing education partnerships.

Weaknesses

• State funding for the University system has been challenging due to numerous competing demands on state resources.
• The School is dispersed among some dozen locations on the University campus.

Recommendations

• The School will continue to make a strong case to the University for facilities large enough to house its operations under a single roof.