< Previous8 UAB MAGAZINE ASPIRATIONS: 2013 (continued from Page 7) opportunities to lead,” he said at the time. “UAB can be one of the great universities of the 21st century, and that is our vision.” Ten years later, UAB has capitalized on those opportunities. The public phase of a fundraising campaign launched in 2013—the most ambitious plan the state had ever seen—raised more than $1 billion. Enrollment and research funding have repeatedly smashed records. A drug called remdesivir, developed in part through some of that research funding, saved lives around the world during the COVID pandemic. Five years into Watts’ presidency, UAB was ranked the top young university (that is, under 50 years old) in the United States, and No. 10 worldwide, in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. In 2021, Forbes named UAB America’s No. 1 Best Large Employer and its Best Employer for Diversity among colleges and universities. The university’s commitment to health and wellness was manifested in 2020 when it became the first Health Promoting University in the United States, adopting the Okanagan Charter, which calls on postsecondary schools to lead health promotion action locally and globally. And Live HealthSmart Alabama, UAB’s inaugural Grand Challenge, is becoming a national model for community revitalization and health. “The reason I took on the challenge of becoming president was to make sure that UAB was doing everything possible to help the people of Birmingham, the state of Alabama and surrounding areas be the best they can be,” Watts said. “Throughout my career, I developed an approach to achieve success and impact people in the most positive ways. Once I became president, the scale of that impact expanded, but the process remained the same.” The Watts approach began with strategic planning—a tough but fair look at an organization’s strengths and its most promising opportunities. He emphasizes the value of collaboration and a team approach over individual success. With priorities set, internal investments follow to gather data and build momentum. Once you can demonstrate success, Watts says, it is time to share your vision with others. Public-private partnerships, he insists, are key to turbocharging initiatives. “People want to invest in the future— in solutions that will have a real impact on our health, education and our economy,” Watts said. Watts had begun his tenure as School of Medicine dean with a strategic planning process that set the stage for a remarkable resurgence—vaulting UAB into an elite group of academic medical centers with massive NIH funding growth between 2013 and 2018. When he became president, Watts charged the leaders of every school and unit with developing their own strategic plans in order to find strengths and opportunities. The next step was to gather stakeholders from across campus for the university’s strategic plan. “Our strategic plan, guided by our Shared Values, has been at the heart of all that we have accomplished over the past 10 years,” Watts said. n We’re going to be a dynamic, forward-looking, out-of-the-box-thinking institution. We want to be the best we can be. We want to be exciting and innovative and creative in all parts of our mission.” —PRESIDENT RAY L. WATTS, M.D. University Hall grand opening, 2019.UAB MAGAZINE 9 BY LATE 2012, just before Watts was appointed president, UAB had lost $100 million in state funding since a pre-Great Recession high water mark in 2008. In that year, state appropriations accounted for 74% of the academic budget of $419 million. In 2012, the reduced budget of $410 million was split much closer to 50/50, with 57% ($235 million) from state appropriations and 43% ($175 million) from tuition. Clearly, enrollment had to increase substantially in order for UAB to continue to grow. The university also had to grapple with a surge of interest in online education among its current students and, even more, among prospective students. Online credit hour production had already nearly tripled over the past five years at UAB. Yet the competition from other institutions in this area was intense. EDUCATION A lot of interesting work right now is being done at the intersections between disciplines ... When you can find new ways to bring faculty together, they do amazing things.” —SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND PROVOST PAM BENOIT, PH.D. 1 Strengthen and expand innovative academic programs to enhance UAB’s national and global reputation. 2 Ensure student success through holistic development that addresses diverse needs. 3 Create a signature core curriculum focused on modeling and developing socially conscious global citizens and leaders. 4 Engage students, faculty, staff and community members in experiential learning. 5 Foster access, inclusive excellence and equity in teaching, learning and mentorship development programs. See how UAB has succeeded in reaching these goals beginning on page 16. EDUCATION OBJECTIVES In his 2013 State of the University address, Watts said that the priority for UAB’s educational mission would be strategic enrollment growth with a specific focus on diversity. In his first three months as president, Watts announced partnerships with Birmingham City Schools to increase admissions through a new program called Blazing Start, and a joint admissions program with four Alabama community colleges. Another focus would be the introduction of innovative academic programs instilling innovation and entrepreneurship. The Undergraduate Neuroscience Program, which had become a signature major attracting students from across the country, would be a model. The Department of Neurobiology, which houses the neuroscience major along with the Department of Psychology, became a joint department between the School of Medicine and the College of Arts and Sciences, giving students access to instruction from multiple scholars with various backgrounds. “UAB will continue to add programs that will attract the best and brightest, not only from Alabama but across the country and around the world,” Watts said. Online education also would be an important strategic priority going forward, Watts explained in his first State of the University address. Planning was underway to build on the 223% growth in online-only enrollment over the previous five years, and to “increase these numbers dramatically,” he said. FORGING THE FUTURE10 UAB MAGAZINE ASPIRATIONS: 2013 RESEARCH, INNOVATION & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE GREAT Recession, the federal government had instituted spending cuts across the board of 8% and more. This translated into reductions at the National Institutes of Health of $2.5 billion. UAB, which had always been so successful at attracting NIH funding, was projecting funding losses of $20 million or more, including at least 200 grant-supported jobs and some $5 million in faculty salaries. In this climate, the competition for research funding would be more intense than ever. At the same time, research was becoming more interdisciplinary and more expensive. A 2015 report from the National Research Council noted that, in the 1960s, just over 50% of research publications in the science and engineering fields were written by two or more authors. By 2000, that number was 80%, and by 2013 it was 90%. The promise of gene sequencing was undeniable, but also highly data-intensive. Storing a single genome demanded roughly 100 gigabytes, or the equivalent information in 100,000 photos. The cost to sequence a human genome had already fallen dramatically by 2013, from the $100 million cost of the original Human Genome Project to $10,000 in that year (and less than $1,000 in 2022). But storing and analyzing these massive files, not to mention transferring them over computer networks and ensuring the security of the data, would require a massive investment for any institution that wanted to stay on the cutting edge. In little more than a year under Watts’ leadership, the School of Medicine had invested millions to launch a Comprehensive Transplant Institute and Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center, recruited internationally renowned researchers across 1 Enhance UAB’s institutional culture of collaboration and innovation. 2 Drive research and innovation across the enterprise. 3 Implement a campuswide effort to select and meet “grand challenges.” 4 Improve society through processes and products. See how UAB has succeeded in reaching these goals beginning on page 24. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES Many places aren’t investing. They are hunkered down, waiting to see what the NIH and state and federal government are going to do ... But [ Dr. Watts ] has said, ‘We’re not going to wait.’” —FRANCES LUND, PH.D. DIRECTOR, UAB HEERSINK SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IMMUNOLOGY INSTITUTE many different departments, announced plans to open a new regional medical campus in Montgomery, and boosted scholarships to medical students, among many other accomplishments. In his 2013 State of the University address, Watts noted the importance of the new Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which was charged with expanding on the commercialization success of the UAB Research Foundation. At that point, 58 startups had been spun off from UAB research, with $68 million in licensing revenues. Watts approaches the ideas streaming into his office from faculty like a venture capitalist. Throughout his career, he has kept his eye out for research with the potential to become new treatments—and focused on speeding their transition from the lab to the clinic. When he was School of Medicine dean, Watts rewarded promising proposals with “acceleration funds” to jump-start studies FORGING THE FUTUREUAB MAGAZINE 11 COST OF SEQUENCING A SINGLE GENOME IN 2013; TODAY IT IS LESS THAN $1,000 and get the preliminary results needed to earn larger federal funding and other outside support. “Once we commit our own resources, then we can go out to talk with others,” Watts said. “People want to invest in great things, but they want to know that you have invested, too.” The ultimate expression of those “great things” would come from the UAB Grand Challenge, an initiative designed to rally the entire campus around a bold goal. Distinguished Professor of Biology Steven N. Austad, Ph.D., in his lab. $ 10K12 UAB MAGAZINE ASPIRATIONS: 2013 PATIENT CARE THE UNCERTAINTIES OF HEALTH CARE reform and debates over Medicare expansion following the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 were the major challenges facing UAB’s patient care mission in 2013. UAB was recording more than a million patient visits per year, including $118 million in uncompensated care in 2012—Watts said in his first State of the University address—and offering services unique in Alabama, including trauma care, cancer care and comprehensive eye care. But larger economic forces were straining community hospitals around the state, leading to closures and potentially life-threatening gaps in care for many Alabamians. In his previous posts at UAB, first as president of the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation and then as dean of the School of Medicine and senior vice president, Watts had worked closely with UAB Health System CEO Will Ferniany, Ph.D., to develop the AMC21 strategic plan. The plan’s aim to position UAB as the preferred academic medical center of the 21st century focused on integrating previously separate research and educational strategic planning with clinical care so that they could synergize and strengthen the overall mission. Among its goals were adding 100 net research faculty, reinvigorating strategic research priority areas, engaging other UAB schools in research collaborations and making UAB a leader in primary care. Writing in the School of Medicine magazine in 2012, Watts noted: “For the first time, UAB has an integrated, comprehensive road map for research, education, our clinical programs and primary care. We have created an unprecedented partnership to bridge gaps and create common goals.” 1 Improve patient access and satisfaction through integration of clinical services across UAB’s health care delivery entities. 2 Invest in signature treatments that will be delivered through recognized flagship programs. 3 Develop infrastructure to ensure statewide access to telehealth services. 4 Integrate engagement throughout the university. See how UAB has succeeded in reaching these goals beginning on page 34. PATIENT CARE OBJECTIVES A UAB Medicine team cares for a patient with COVID-19 in December 2020. FORGING THE FUTUREUAB MAGAZINE 13 Inclusive excellence is not simply something we aim to do; it is who we are as an institution.” — PAULETTE DILWORTH, PH.D. VICE PRESIDENT FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION 1 Expand access to community engagement resources. 2 Develop mutually beneficial partnerships. 3 Broaden scholarship in the field of community engagement. 4 Integrate engagement throughout the university. See how UAB has succeeded in reaching these goals beginning on page 44. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OBJECTIVES BIRMINGHAM WAS CLEARLY on the cusp of big things in the early 2010s. At the turn of the decade, Railroad Park opened midway between downtown skyscrapers and UAB’s Southside campus. In April 2013, Regions Field opened as the new home for the Birmingham Barons. The baseball team’s move from the suburbs (made possible by a land swap between the city and UAB) was symbolic of the city’s renaissance, and UAB’s master plan purposely set out to guide university expansion toward Railroad Park and Regions Field. UAB has always had a close connection to the city it calls home. In 2014, a UAB admissions campaign used the tagline “Let the City Be Your Classroom,” capturing a generation’s desire to become part of a community. Within a few weeks of his becoming president, Watts and then Birmingham Mayor William Bell signed a memorandum of understanding to partner on projects. “The success and vitality of UAB is inextricably linked to the success and vitality of Birmingham,” Watts said at the time. “We want to make sure that the breadth and depth of UAB’s expertise are brought to bear to help our community.” The partnerships that emerged through that MOU paved the way for Live HealthSmart Alabama, UAB’s first Grand Challenge project, among other key initiatives. Other challenges were also becoming clear, including a growing recognition of food insecurity. These needs would spark Blazer Kitchen, which started as a small food pantry but has evolved into a signature effort supported by students, staff and faculty. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT A student volunteers in North Titusville as part of the Live HealthSmart initiative. FORGING THE FUTURE14 UAB MAGAZINE ACHIEVEMENTS SETTING AND SURPASSING GOALS: 2013-2023 WHEN UAB LAUNCHED ITS STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS in 2013, it did so with a clear vision of the ways in which it intended to transform. Achieving its goals was the path to becoming “One university inspiring and empowering the creation of knowledge that changes the world.” The vision was paired with a mission and shared values that provided a common language for collaboration and strategic goals to build on UAB’s strong foundation through innovation, investment and improved infrastructure. A decade later, the university stands at new heights in each area of its mission. We have become one of the nation’s most vibrant, diverse and sustainable campuses, equally attractive to first-generation and highly competitive students. They are drawn here by a faculty that works across disciplinary lines to develop and deliver a bold core curriculum, a compelling honors experience and novel programs—in the classroom, laboratories and online—that integrate service-learning at home and abroad. UAB’s research enterprise is formidable and growing. The culture of collaboration is generating year-after-year increases in extramural funding and enticing early-career and established scientists and scholars to choose UAB. Our clinicians are bridging gaps to improve access to high-quality primary and specialty care within our community and throughout the state—in person and online. And the connections between UAB, Birmingham and the state of Alabama grow stronger with each passing year, as we pursue new ways to engage with our community and unlock the potential of its residents. nUAB MAGAZINE 15 16 UAB MAGAZINE Education ACHIEVEMENTS: 2013-2023UAB MAGAZINE 17 First- and second-year experiences are essential building blocks that shape the overall student experience–both inside the classroom and out.” —BRADLEY BARNES, PH.D. VICE PROVOST FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT INNOVATION AND INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION are hallmarks of UAB that are reflected in its research, service and educational programs. The latter created exclusive opportunities for students and enhanced UAB’s national and global reputation, even in its youth. With the strategic plan, UAB sought to leverage its existing strengths and continue to develop new programs that would appeal to the students it hoped to attract, says Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Pam Benoit, Ph.D. One target is joint programming—bridging disciplines to find an intersection where UAB is uniquely suited to deliver first-class education. “This is really important,” Benoit said. “We want to integrate courses and programs across disciplinary fields where great work is happening.” UAB, which had launched successful programs such as biomedical engineering, medical sociology and music technology, explored new frontiers in recent years. From that emerged new undergraduate degrees in bioinformatics, cancer biology, genetics and genomic sciences, immunology, and neuroscience offered jointly by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Heersink School of Medicine. “These are built around the strengths in health and other fields in which we excel, and they will prepare students for future careers,” Benoit said. The landscape of higher education is ever-evolving. Challenges and opportunities emerge within disciplines and institutions, and external forces also combine to shape the future of the academy and its institutions, including UAB. In the past decade, the rising costs of providing higher education and increased regional and global competition for students and research funding are among the financial hurdles to increasing needed investment, spurring innovation and expanding infrastructure. Likewise, cultural tensions and demographic cliffs, such as declining numbers of high school graduates, present obstacles to sustaining and increasing enrollment, retention and graduation. To compete and thrive, UAB must capitalize on its unique strengths and attract a diverse body of teachers and learners, eager to make a lasting impact in their field or on their community—or the world—and prepare them to lead, Benoit says. The education pillar of UAB’s strategic plan, Forging the Future, outlines the strategies for achieving those objectives. CHALLENGES ARISE, OPPORTUNITIES EMERGE Next >