East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine and Vidant Health

Facilities & Other Resources

About ECU-BSOM

East Carolina University is located in Greenville, NC, (Pitt County) approximately 90 miles due east of Raleigh (the Capitol) and 1.5 hours to the Atlantic Ocean. As the largest city in the 29- county area of eastern North Carolina, the city of Greenville’s population in 2010 was approximately 85,000 (63% white). East Carolina University School of Medicine was established in 1975 by the North Carolina General Assembly with a three-part charge to: (1) educate primary care physicians, (2) provide access to careers in medicine for minority and disadvantaged students, and (3) improve the health care services in eastern North Carolina.

Named after the Brody Family of Kinston and Greenville, the Brody School of Medicine is a primary care oriented community-based school. In August 2011, 76 North Carolina residents matriculated into the four-year medical curriculum. It is home for nearly 350 physicians engaged in specialty training in nearly 30 different disciplines. Over 110 learners are taking classes in an accredited Master of Public Health (MPH) program. Over 325 physician faculty and other healthcare providers see patients in 20 different clinics, ranging from the Family Medicine Center and the Tingelstad Outpatient Pediatric Center to the ECU Womens’ Clinic and the Infectious Diseases and Traveler’s Clinic, totaling over 350,000 outpatient visits per year.

Patients needing hospitalization are admitted to the 750-bed Vidant Medical Center (VMC), the flagship hospital of Vidant Health (VH), the teaching hospital affiliated with the School of Medicine. Nine other hospitals in the UHS system are: Albemarle Hospital, Vidant Bertie Hospital, Vidant Beaufort Hospital, Vidant Chowan Hospital, Vidant Duplin Hospital, Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, Vidant Pungo Hospital, The Outer Banks Hospital, and Vidant Roanoke- Chowan Hospital.

In 2009-2010, faculty members were awarded over $25 million in external grant funds from the National Institutes of Health and other sources. There are over 60 graduate students working toward doctoral (PhD) degrees.

In April 2008, U.S. News and World Reports ranked the School in the top medical schools in the country in two categories: primary care and rural medicine.

Over the past 25 years: . 27% of the School’s graduates practice medicine in eastern North Carolina, . 59% practice within North Carolina, . 39% practice primary care medicine within the state, and . 28% practice in rural North Carolina.

For those who graduate from medical school and complete residency specialty training here, 75% practice in North Carolina. Recently the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine recognized Brody School of Medicine as the second leading medical school in the country for sending medical students into residency programs in family medicine. In 2010, ECU was ranked 7th in medical schools achieving the social mission of medicine. The Brody Medical Sciences Building is the focal point of the School of Medicine’s education, service, and research programs. Opened in mid-1982 and expanded in 1989-90, the 489,000- square-foot facility provides modern and comfortable accommodations for students, faculty, and staff as well as convenient access to the school’s academic support programs and PCMH. Another important component of the building is the Outpatient Center. Patients from throughout the region visit the Outpatient Center for general, diagnostic, and subspecialty ambulatory care. Recently added buildings include:

. The state of the art Eastern Carolina Heart Institute, a 206,000 square foot facility to expand research, training and outpatient services in cardiovascular diseases. . The new Health Sciences Building opened in 2006 and is the home of the Health Sciences Library, College of Nursing, and College of Allied Health Sciences, creating an academic health sciences campus. . The University recently broke ground for a new Dental School, with the first class matriculating in 2011. . The Moye Medical Center provides expansive new outpatient facilities for Pulmonary Diseases and Cardiology. The new General Internal Medicine clinic houses a renowned teaching program. The Digestive Diseases Center and a modern endoscopy suite will opened in 2008. . The new Family Medicine Center opened in 2011. This facility will house the Frances J. and Robert T. Monk, Sr., Geriatric Center, funded by a gift from the Monk Family.

Leadership in the School of Medicine believes that primary and secondary prevention is essential to improve population health. Clinical medicine cannot improve population health alone. Thus, a Master of Public Health Program (MPH) was established in 2003. The mission of the MPH program in the Brody School of Medicine is to educate, conduct research, provide service, and advocate for improved health of communities emphasizing rural and disadvantaged regions. The MPH program, originally housed in the Department of Family Medicine, currently has an enrollment over 110 students. The Department of Public Health within the Brody School of Medicine was formed in 2009. The 45-credit MPH program was accredited by the Council on Education in Public Health in 2008 and re-accredited in 2012 for seven years. There are 16 faculty members in the Department representing core disciplines in public health: epidemiology, behavioral health, health administration, environmental health, and biostatistics. Figure 1. Map of North Carolina County and Regional Locations

Environment

Description of Eastern North Carolina

Geography Eastern North Carolina serves a large geographic area of North Carolina that includes 29 out of 100 counties in North Carolina. The 29-county area of Eastern North Carolina (ENC) may be visualized as including counties to the east of US Interstate 95 and north of US Intersta te 40, bordering on the state of Virginia to the north (see dark pink area).

Economics

Based on number of persons employed, the largest industry in eastern North Carolina is Retail Trade, such as restaurants, clothing, grocery, and other stores. [1] The median household income (2009) was $37,284 for a family of four, compared to $43,754 statewide. The median number of persons living below the poverty level was approximately 20% (ranges from 9% to 29%), compared to 16% statewide. [2] Unemployment (civilian, not in labor force) in the region ranged from 7%-16%, compared to 11% statewide. The high school graduation rate (2007- 2008) was 76% (ranges from 59%-92%) in ENC, compared to 78% in North Carolina. The adult uninsured population (≥ age 18-64) ranged from 14%-30%, compared to 21% statewide. [3] The N.C. Department of Commerce annually ranks counties based on economic wellbeing and assigns each a tier designation. The 40 most distressed counties are designated as Tier 1, the next 40 as Tier 2, and the 20 least distressed as Tier 3. For 2011, 15 of the 29 ENC counties were designated as Tier 1, most economically distressed (52%); 11 ENC counties are designated as Tier 2 (38%); and 3 ENC counties are designated as Tier 3, least economically distressed (10%). Overall, Eastern North Carolina counties comprise approximately 38% of all Tier 1 counties, the most economically distressed counties in the state. [4] Economically, several coastal counties in the region comprise a more affluent demographic group than counties in the interior coastal plain.

Demographics

Based on data from the 2010 US Census, Eastern North Carolina had a total population of 1,401,803 persons. The population is 23.3% children (<18), 63.3% adults ages 18-64, and 13.4% elders (≥65). Eastern North Carolina is 32% African American (22% statewide) and 63% white (69% white statewide). Latinos/Hispanics (any race) comprise 6% of the population in Eastern North Carolina (8% statewide). The overall ENC population is 51% female and 49% male. [5]

Burden of Cancer

For the years 2004-2008, there were 34,167 new cases of cancer (diagnoses) in eastern North Carolina, and 184,700 new cases of cancer in the rest of North Carolina (71 counties). The total all-cancer incidence rate for ENC is 7% higher than the all-cancer incidence rate for the rest of North Carolina (718.8 per 100,000 persons compared to 671.2 per 100,000 persons). [6]

During the same time period, of 84,936 statewide cancer deaths, 14,271 (17%) occurred in 29 eastern North Carolina counties, with 70,665 deaths in the rest of the state. The total all-cancer mortality rate for ENC is 15% higher than the all-cancer incidence rate for the rest of North Carolina (300.2 per 100,000 persons compared to 256.8 per 100,000 persons). Tables 1 and 2 indicate that incidence and mortality are higher in ENC than the rest of the state for colorectal, breast, and cervical cancers. [6]

Racial disparities in cancer incidence and mortality rates appear to be more pronounced in the eastern region of the state. For example, in eastern North Carolina, the African American breast cancer mortality rate is over 30% higher than the white rate. For the rest of North Carolina, the African American rate is only 9% higher. [6]

Table 1. Cancer Incidence Rates (crude) Table 2. Cancer Mortality Rates (crude) per 100,000 population, 2004-2008 per 100,000 population, 2004-2008 Type of cancer ENC-29 RNC-71 Type of cancer ENC-29 RNC-71 Colon/Rectum 76.2 64.3 Colon/Rectum 27.3 22.7 Female Breast 201.5 181.4 Female Breast 44.0 36.1 Cervix Uteri 12.6 10.8 Cervix Uteri 4.8 3.3 Source: NC Central Cancer Registry Source: NC Central Cancer Registry For a complete report on Cancer in Eastern North Carolina see http://blog.ecu.edu/sites/enccc/blog/2012/04/25/cancer-profile-of-eastern-north-carolina/

References 1. North Carolina Department of Commerce. (2011, Dec 6). AccessNC/EDIS. NC counties with employment and wages by industry and by occupation. Personal communication, Tammy Lester.

2. U.S. Census Bureau. (2011, Nov 23). State and County Quickfacts: North Carolina. Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37013.html

3. County Health Rankings (2009). (2011, Dec 7). North Carolina County Health Rankings. Retrieved from http://www.countyhealthrankings.org

4. North Carolina Department of Commerce. (2011, Dec 7). 2011 County Tier Designations. Retrieved from http://www.nccommerce.com/research-publications/incentive-reports/2011- county-tier-designations.

5. U.S. Census Bureau (2011, Dec 7). Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010, 2010 Demographic Profile Data. Retrieved from http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk.

6. NC Central Cancer Registry, 2011. (2011, Dec 13). 2004-2008 Age-Specific Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates for Males and Females for Eastern North Carolina and NC71 (Non-Eastern NC); Rates Per 100,000. Facilities and Resources: Columbia University, subcontractor

Facilities and Resources Directly Applicable to the Proposed Work

Columbia University in the City of New York Columbia University was founded in 1754 as King’s College by royal charter of King George II of England. It is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York and the fifth oldest in the United States. Columbia University (CU) is committed to education for excellence -- a phrase that embraces superior teaching and the advancement of knowledge through research, preeminence in the professions, and leadership in community and national affairs. The University’s position as a private institution, its location in the Morningside Heights and Washington Heights areas of Manhattan; its 3,566 faculty, 7,584 undergraduate and 17,875 graduate, professional, and medical students, and its reputation provide the basis for this diversified, yet singular, educational purpose. Faculty awards and honors are numerous; the University is proud to have on its faculty: 78 Nobel Prize winners, 19 MacArthur Foundation Award recipients, 13 winners of the National Medal of Science, 104 members of the National Academy of Sciences, and 129 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The main campus of CU occupies 32.6 acres on Morningside Heights on the upper west side of Manhattan (W. 111th to W. 123rd streets). The University administration and the Schools of Law, Business, Engineering, General Studies, Journalism, Music, Architecture, International Affairs, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Columbia College are located on the main campus, as are Barnard College and Teachers College. Two miles to the north is CU’s Health Science Center (HSC) Campus, which opened in 1928 and shares with the Presbyterian Hospital a 20-acre campus overlooking the Hudson River.

Columbia University Medical Center Campus The Columbia University Medical Center campus is comprised of four schools: College of Physicians & Surgeons, Mailman School of Public Health, College of Dental Medicine, and School of Nursing. The Medical Center campus is 20 acres and is situated in the Washington Heights community of northern Manhattan. The environment at Columbia University Medical Center is research intensive, with external grant support in the range of $400 million, primarily in the form of grants and contracts from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Columbia University Medical Center has over 6,500 full-time faculty members. There is over 2,000 full- time faculty, and 28 academic departments and programs within the College of Physicians and Surgeons. Total research support for the College of Physicians and Surgeons is over $350 million. Columbia University Medical Center has established numerous programs and facilities for research, training, diagnosis and treatment in various fields.

Columbia University School of Nursing The mission of the School of Nursing for more than 117 years has been the preparation of scholarly and clinically excellent nurses. The faculty, representing all clinical nursing disciplines, believes that in a dynamic society, education for membership in a profession includes development not only of expertise in a field, but also of social awareness and that the professional nurse has a responsibility to prepare and empower individuals to participation in their own care and treatment. The faculty endeavors to provide knowledge, to stimulate learning and critical thinking, to define issues, to serve as resources and mentors and to be leaders and innovators in nursing through education, research and practice. The School specializes in the education of nurses for advanced practice. The Entry-Into- Practice and Accelerated Masters Program are combined baccalaureate/masters degree programs for people, respectively, with a baccalaureate in another discipline and nurses with diploma and associate degree preparation. The master's program, for nurses with a baccalaureate degree, prepares advanced practice nurses in eleven different clinical specializations. All the master's programs prepare graduates for national certification in their area of specialization and to be registered with New York State as nurse practitioners. There are two doctoral programs. Our previous research doctorate, the DNSc, was recently transitioned to a PhD and focuses on clinical and health services research. The DNP is a clinical degree which builds upon advanced practice at the master's degree level and prepares graduates for fully accountable clinical roles in several nursing specialties.

With 25 active research grants totaling over $25.7 million, the School of Nursing has a strong commitment to research. The School has 50 doctorally-prepared faculty members, 10 NIH- funded pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellows, and federally-funded training grants in biomedical informatics, emergency preparedness, advanced nursing education, and nurse anesthesia. In the past 5 years, faculty members have received federally funded and foundation grants in self- management, HIV/AIDS in adults and children, clinical outcomes, health policy and health services research, home hygiene, cancer research, cardiac telehealth, prison nurseries, antimicrobial resistance, informatics, patient safety, and health economics. A key research resource is the CUSON Office of Scholarship and Research (OSR) (see below). The range of research interests at the School of Nursing is reflected by its academic research centers: the Center for Evidenced-Based Practice in the Underserved, the Center for Children and Families, the Center for Health Policy, and the Center for Interdisciplinary Research to Reduce Antimicrobial Resistance, and the WHO Center for the International Nursing Development of Advanced Practice.

Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research/Clinical and Translational Science Award The Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (IICTR) was established through Columbia University Medical Center’s (CUMC) Clinical and Translational Award (CTSA). The overall goal of the CTSA program is to restructure and energize CUMC’s existing and outstanding resources in basic and clinical research, so that the silos that often exist around individuals or small groups of investigators are replaced with a coordinated structure and collaborative environment within which interdisciplinary clinical and translational research can flourish. IICTR includes nine resources. Development of Novel Clinical and Translational Research Methodologies – This resource is the home for a group of junior clinical and translational science investigators, the IICTR Fellows, who will develop novel approaches that will advance multi- and interdisciplinary research.  Pilot and Collaborative Clinical and Translational Studies Resource – This resource provides funds for clinical and translational research at CUMC, including Pilot Awards to junior investigators and the Irving Awards for clinical and translational Research and clinical and translational Methodology. The latter two awards are designed for interdisciplinary groups of senior investigators joining together for new efforts.  Biomedical Informatics Resource – This resource is the vehicle to bring informatics technology to the mainstream clinical and translational research community at CTSA. This resource is working with other CTSA awardees in a national effort to standardize and increase the utilization of informatics.  Design, Biostatistics, Clinical Research Ethics Resource – This resource brings together outstanding investigators from several departments who will work together to assist CUMC investigators, including those involved in this submission on methodological and ethical issues.  Regulatory Knowledge and Support Resource – This resource brings together existing efforts at CUMC in education, compliance, and ethics. Investigators will have access to this resource.  Participant Clinical Interactions Resource (formerly the GCRC) – This resource builds upon the existing GCRC structure by adding new pediatric outpatient and inpatient units, by adding research nurses, and by moving beyond the walls of the previous GCRC to support research in the surrounding community. Columbia investigators are eligible to use this resource as needed to achieve their project aims.  Community Engagement Resource – This resource has brought together multiple groups that previously worked in silos. A new site where clinical and translational investigators, and community participants can meet and exchange ideas and expertise is under development.  Translational Technologies and Resources – This resource supports core technologies at CUMC that are available to CUMC investigators. The initial facilities funded have expertise in imaging, organic chemistry synthesis, botanical analysis, human genetics, biomarker assays, and preparation and distribution of pharmaceuticals for clinical trials.  Research Education, Training, and Career Development Resource – This resource is responsible for creating the interdisciplinary MS and PhD programs and the associated T32 and K12 programs. Common across the programs is training in interdisciplinary research as the key to developing the next generation of translational and clinical researchers.

Office of Scholarship and Research, Columbia University School of Nursing The Office of Scholarship and Research (OSR) at Columbia University School of Nursing assists faculty and doctoral students in the preparation of research grant applications and administration of funded. Resources available from the OSR include Associate Dean for Research, Elaine Larson, PhD, RN, FAAN, CIC; a full-time office director, a finance director, a biostatistician, and 2 additional support staff members. The OSR assists faculty members in the preparation of grant proposals and progress reports, including grants and contracts approval, IRB approval, presentation preparation, and recruitment of new research staff. The OSR offers biannual Continuing Education courses in grant preparation, management, and other pertinent topics; notifies School of Nursing faculty of funding opportunities; assists faculty with fulfilling research compliance requirements; and publishes biannual newsletters. The Office also houses an electronic and paper-based instrument file for faculty and doctoral students as a resource in selecting instruments for their research. Assistance with literature reviews, references/EndNote, and data entry is provided. The biostatistician is available to all faculty members for consultation as needed.

Sponsored Projects Administration, Columbia University Medical Center The office of Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA) serves as a central resource to support the research community on the Columbia University Medical Center Campus by providing guidance and stewardship for its researchers and administrators. The mission of SPA is to provide excellent administrative support to investigators in their pursuit of research and other scholarly activities while ensuring compliance with federal, University and private sponsor regulations, terms and conditions. This administrative office for grants management coordinates all grant applications, reviews and submits proposals, coordinates award negotiation and acceptance, account and subcontract setup and non-financial close-out. It also provides consultation services, offers courses in grantsmanship and research ethics, post award grant management, and disseminates information about grant funding sources to faculty through published and electronic media. Sponsored Projects Finance, Columbia University Medical Center The office of Sponsored Projects Finance (SPF) serves the faculty and students on the Columbia University Medical Center Campus. This office serves the University community by assisting research principal investigators and others responsible for the fiscal administration of sponsored projects (i.e., grants, contracts and cooperative agreements) awarded to the University by government and other sponsors, and by providing guidance on allowable and non- allowable costs. The office also monitors compliance with Federal and other regulations, including effort reporting, mandatory and voluntary cost sharing, unallowable costs, and reviewing and authorizing cost transfers. Billing and receivables due from sponsors, financial reports to sponsors, and all financial audits are also handled by SPF.

Office Space The School of Nursing occupies two and one half floors (17,000 sq. ft.) of a multi-purpose seven-story building. Included in the building are 34 faculty offices, 18 administrative offices, 4 conference rooms, 2 student lounges, and several large areas for support functions, e.g., secretarial staff, storage of supplies and office equipment. The Principal Investigator has a private office at Columbia University School of Nursing, 617 West 168th Street, New York, NY. Space for this research project will be provided.

Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure and Services Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure and Services at the health sciences campus of Columbia University, including the School of Nursing, are organized under the umbrella of Columbia University Medical Center Information Technology (CUIT). The mission of CUIT is to provide high-quality, reliable, and effective information resources and technologies to support: (1) optimal education, research, patient care, and administration; (2) an effective interface with other University components and NYPH, and (3) the institution's public presence on the Internet. CUIT also coordinates with affiliated clinical organizations and investigative laboratories in order to assure strong information-management support both for clinical care and for collaborative scholarly and educational activities of our faculty, staff, students, and affiliates.

Network The Department of CORE Resources, a joint department between NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and CUMC, maintains the network. The group is comprised of both Hospital and University employees whose responsibilities are primarily the design, implementation and maintenance of the Campus Data Network for both NYPH West Campus and CUMC campus, as well as an extensive wide area network. This includes Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, Wireless (WiFi or 802.11x), Frame Relay, ATM, Microwave, and other technologies. CORE is also responsible for DNS, IP, DHCP and VPN services. CORE Resources designs the network, implements the necessary equipment and technologies and integrates them all together to seamlessly connect all aspects of data communications in the institution. CORE maintains the infrastructure on an ongoing, pro-active basis to ensure the reliability and efficiency of data communications. The network is primarily comprised of Fast Ethernet LANs in the various buildings around the campus. They then connect via Gigabit Ethernet to a central core that interconnects other building LANs as well as legacy networks and wide area networks and the Internet. CORE maintains extensive Frame Relay, Point to Point T1, T3, fractional services, ATM, Microwave and WiFi wide area connections to close remote, as well as long distance remote facilities or institutions. Other services include the design, implementation and support of DNS, IP management and DHCP, as well as remote connectivity via VPN. The department also runs a Mail exchange gateway for many of the University and Hospital departments. A service desk is available for technical support 7 days a week. Information Technology Services CUMC Information Technology (CUMC IT) provides information technology consulting, application and system development, and support services for the faculty and staff of Columbia University Medical Center, including the School of Nursing. CUMC IT provides users with e- mail, connections to a variety of local administrative and clinical systems, medical research databases, and the World Wide Web. On the desktop side, CUMC IT supports most major operating systems including Windows 95/98/NT 4/2000/XP Professional (Windows XP Home Edition is not supported due to its lack of security and networking handicaps), as well as Apple Macintosh OS 7.5 - 10.2.2 (Jaguar). On the server side CUMC IT supports Unix, Novell Netware, Windows NT 4/ 2000 Server. CUMC IT also manages file servers and hosts for many CUMC departments. CUMC IT's Service Desk provides a single contact point for information technology and related customer support for the Columbia University Medical Center community via phone, eSupport, email, fax, and walk-in. The Service Desk follows established guidelines to provide information, resolve problems, and attempt to help customers maximize their use of applications and computer equipment. When necessary, problems are referred to the appropriate CUMC IT staff in the Server Support, CORE Resources, Classroom Technology Support or the Network Security group. They also assist in identifying information technology trends and new challenges in order to support those responsible for Administrative, Academic, and Clinical Computing, and help maintain high levels of service to the user community. The CUMC IT Service Desk is dedicated to enhancing customer productivity by providing superior technical support and coordinating support efforts with other technical groups. They are customer-focused, provide high-value support services, foster teamwork and provide continuous improvement. The Service Desk’s main goals center around networking infrastructure, administrative systems, and the suite of applications that can be found in the Public Computing Labs.

The School of Nursing The School of Nursing information and communication technology infrastructure interfaces with the broader CUMC IT infrastructure described above. The computing environment currently includes four Windows 2008 R2 domain controllers, one file server, two database servers (one production and one development) and two application servers (one production and one development). All servers are located in a secure datacenter, with necessary redundancies. The user community operates under a managed desktop solution which is locked down, including hard drive and thumb drive encryption. The base image includes but is not limited to Windows 7 with current patches, Antivirus (which is updated every 4 hours), Microsoft Office 2010 suite, SPSS and SAS to name a few. All updates are centrally managed and deployed. Currently the network can be accessed remotely via VPN with a Citrix solution being developed. All servers have HIPAA compliant security Every School of Nursing faculty office is equipped with a computer (with e-mail and Internet access) and appropriate software, as well as a laser printer. Each computer is connected to a network printer and has CD- or DVD-recordable drive. The School also has an HP 5500 color poster printer for poster presentations and dissemination at professional and scientific conferences. The CUMC IT Department handles School of Nursing technical support requests and is available 7 days a week. A dedicated, full-time Web Designer supports the educational and research needs of the School of Nursing. Every School of Nursing faculty office is equipped with a computer (with e-mail and Internet access) and appropriate software, as well as a laser printer. A computer lab with six Pentium 4 computers (1Ghz) is available to faculty and doctoral students. Each computer is connected to a network printer and has a zip drive and cd-rom. Software available on these computers includes: SPSS, Endnote, Microsoft Project Management, Visio, Dreamweaver, Methodologist Toolchest (for grant application and research question development), PASS Power calculations software, Sphinx Survey software and Data 4.0 Healthcare. The School also has an HP 5500 color poster printer for poster presentations and dissemination at conferences and meetings.

Columbia University Library System The CU library system, housed in 25 campus and affiliate libraries, is the nation’s fifth largest academic library, totaling over 10 million volumes. The collection contains more than 6.3 million microform units, 28 million manuscripts, more than 600,000 rare books, and extensive electronic resources including over 500 electronic databases, 45,000 e-journals and 450,000 e-books. Over 117,000 journals serial titles are maintained on a continuing basis, and 140,000 items are added to the collection annually. The libraries are staffed by 130 librarians and 185 administrative and support staff. Columbia is a member of the Research Libraries Group, a consortium of 34 American libraries, who cooperate in collection, development and preservation, and grant one another priority in interlibrary loan, thus augmenting the resource each makes available to patrons. The Library also supports a growing collection of electronic services, including full-text and Internet resources. Many of these resources are available remotely to faculty and staff

Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning Founded in 1999, the Columbia Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (CCNML) collaborates with all Columbia University faculty members to promote teaching and learning through new media. With extensive pedagogical training, CCNML’s Educational Technologists offer advice and support to faculty as they strive to improve their courses with new media technologies for teaching in the digital age. As a part of the University's Information Services Division, which also includes the University Libraries and the Center for Digital Research and Scholarship, CCNMTL promotes better communication, personalization, and the multiplication of spaces, both real and virtual, through their services. Services include the development and support of course websites that offer students online course information, resources, and communication tools, as well as project development aimed to enhance the classroom learning environment (e.g., visualization and modeling tools; real-time data collection tools; data sharing programs; annotation and study tools; media archives; training environments; and simulations and multimedia study environments). New medial tools available to faculty include: CourseWorks, Columbia's online course management system; Columbia Wikispaces for online collaboration; Video Interactions for Teaching and Learning (VITAL), a web-based video and communication system; and podcasting and media technology to record and distribute course content. CCNMTL frequently conducts open forums and conferences and sponsors events such as the University Seminar on New Media Teaching and Learning. CCNMTL will consult with Dr. Merrill to create a distance learning intervention and to ensure project staff uses AdobeConnect to retain high fidelity in the standardized intervention while taking advantage of its inherent capabilities to enhance learning with group interaction.

How the Scientific Environment Contributes to the Probability of Success of the Proposed Research Columbia University School of Nursing will provide space, offices, and full range of secretarial and computer support to assure that the staff hired and the investigators for this project have the physical and educational resources needed and a welcoming and productive work environment. The School has a doctorally prepared statistician and data analyst on the permanent staff, available to all faculty researchers for consultation and analytic support. The School is committed to fostering collaboration and interdisciplinary research and provides resources and protected time for faculty to attend meetings, seminars and scientific meetings for this purpose. Institutional Investment in the Success of the Early Stage Investigator Extensive resources are available in the School of Nursing for early stage investigators.

Institutional support. The Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean for Research meet on a regular basis and work closely together to discuss each new faculty member to assure that other responsibilities (teaching, committee work, student advising) are balanced and to provide for ongoing opportunity and resources to continue to grow their research productivity. New faculty on the tenure track have a reduced teaching load for their first year on faculty.

Career development. Each new faculty member is assigned a formal mentor from among senior faculty. The role of the mentor is primarily to assist the new faculty member in networking within the School and across the University to find appropriate research collaborators. The Associate Dean for Research and the chair of the School’s Committee on Appointments and Promotion work with the new faculty member to develop a research program, draft research protocols, find appropriate collaborators, develop time lines and benchmarks, plan manuscripts, etc. A formal career development plan and specific goals are discussed as well as timelines and ‘benchmarks’. Explicit counseling on scholarly career development and advancement is a component of the mentoring. Formal meetings are set on a regular basis to track progress and set (and meet) realistic goals.

Research training and support. ‘Brown bag’ seminars are offered weekly for faculty and doctoral students on scholarly topics. The Office of Research Resources provides quarterly faculty seminars on topics such as grant mechanisms, use of subcontracts, budget preparation, sources of funding information, etc. During grant preparation, research team meetings or more formal ‘mock reviews’ are convened to provide feedback for ‘works-in-progress’. In addition to the standard training on human subjects research, new faculty must participate in a formal orientation to the IRB process and attend at least one IRB meeting. CUMC offers three unique programs. The first, called the “IRB 101” series, includes much more depth in the following content: history of human subjects protection and the ethical principles that guide human subjects research; an overview of the federal regulations for the protection of human subjects in research; criteria for IRB review; tips for submitting complete and understandable new protocols, modifications, renewals and adverse event reports; and the IRB review process. All of our new investigators and trainees attend the “IRB 101” series, which consists of two half-day programs and additional seminars at the request of attendees.

The second unique program offered at CUMC is a monthly interdisciplinary investigators’ meeting. Participation in this seminar series is expected by members of our research teams. This is an interactive meeting generally attended by 30-150 investigators and project managers. Topics vary each month and include such issues as stem cell research, adverse event reporting, conflict of interest, children and other vulnerable populations in research, compassionate use policies, etc. The School’s Assoc Dean for Research serves as Chair of one of Columbia’s IRBs and as a member of the University’s Conflict of Interest Committee; she provides assistance, networking and consultation to faculty members regarding IRB procedures and research ethics through the institution’s human research protection program (http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/irb/). She also serves as the formal CTSA consultant for the entire medical center with regard to IRB issues. Finally, the IRB office sponsors an annual day-long conference on IRB issues which is attended by about 200 PIs and national experts in human subjects research, but is free to Columbia faculty and staff. New faculty members will attend this conference.