Application to
Great Places to Work
®
for
Fortune’s “100 Best”
Culture Audit: Part 2
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
page 2
Great Places to Work
®
Culture Audit
©
Part 2
Table of Contents
Section One: General Information
1a. Vanderbilt’s Primary Business........................................................................................................................3
1b. The Role Our People Play in Our Success.....................................................................................................3
Section Two: Credibility
2a. Senior Management Sharing Information .....................................................................................................6
2a. Communication Avenues Available to Employees......................................................................................8
Section Three: Respect
3a. Professional Training and Personal Growth...............................................................................................10
3b. Employee Recognition ...................................................................................................................................15
3c. Unique Benefits and Perks.............................................................................................................................19
3d. Programs Promoting Work/Life Balance ...................................................................................................22
Section Four: Fairness
4a. Total Compensation........................................................................................................................................25
4b. Diversity Programs.........................................................................................................................................25
4c. Appeals Process...............................................................................................................................................29
Section Five: Pride
5a. Employees’ Pride in Vanderbilt....................................................................................................................30
5b. Company-sponsored Philanthropic Programs...........................................................................................36
Section Six: Camaraderie
6a. Company Encouraged Fun and Camaraderie ............................................................................................37
6b. New Employees Welcome Program.............................................................................................................39
Section Seven: Additional Questions
7a. Vanderbilt’s Unique Culture.........................................................................................................................41
7b. Major Shifts in Vanderbilt’s Workplace Culture ........................................................................................42
Document Notes
Abbreviations:
Vanderbilt University.............................................................................................................................VU
Vanderbilt University Medical Center .................................................................................................VUMC
Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital .........VCH
Links to Web sites:
Blue, underlined text represent hyperlinks to Web sites.
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1a. Vanderbilt’s Primary Business
Vanderbilt University is a center for scholarly research, informed and creative teaching, and service to
the community and society at large. Vanderbilt upholds the highest standards and strives to be a leader
in the:
y quest for new knowledge through scholarship
y dissemination of knowledge through teaching and outreach
y creative experimentation of ideas and concepts
In pursuit of these goals, Vanderbilt values most highly:
y intellectual freedom that supports open inquiry,
y equality, compassion and excellence in all endeavors.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s mission is to bring the full measure of human knowledge,
talent, and compassion to bear on the healing of sickness and injury and the advancement of health and
wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education and research.
We value…
y service to our patients and our communities
y education and research
y respect for our patients and for each other
y quality, efficiency, and cost effectiveness
y collaboration and caring
y careful use of our resources
1b. The Role People Play in Our Success
At Vanderbilt, each faculty and staff member is important and considered instrumental to carry out the
business of education and health care. From mission statements that include specific references to
“recruiting and retaining the best and brightest” staff and faculty, to remarks made at a variety of
formal and informal events, leaders tell employees that they are valued, they are cared about and they
are encouraged to care for one another.
NEW:
Elevate
Vanderbilt University Medical Center has adopted a new initiative, called “elevate” to improve the
culture and the overall performance of the Medical Center. Elevate ‘Pillar Goals’ fall into five
categories—people, service, quality, growth and financial results. The program focuses on leadership
development and holds managers more accountable for the work cultures they create while placing a
greater emphasis on interpersonal relationships with their staff.
The goal is to improve the experience of patients, and their families. The elevate initiative began in
November 2004 with leadership commitment to day-long training sessions with more than 600
participants from across the Medical Center and setting performance goals for managers. Leaders were
asked to implement the tools and techniques designed to improve communication with employees.
“This is a turning point at Vanderbilt University Medical Center,” said Vice Chancellor Harry R.
Jacobson, M.D., speaking to participants at the first training session. “Think about November 22 as the
day that changed your career and changed Vanderbilt, because that’s the way I think of it.”
Section One: General Information
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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Some of the tools promoted through elevate include effective leader ‘rounding,’ employee thank-you
notes, discharge phone calls to patients, use of “key words at key times,” aligning leader evaluations
with desired behaviors, successful employee selection, and special coaching for new employees,
particularly during the first 90 days of employment.
Rounding is a time for leaders to walk around—to ask what is going well, to find out which staff and
health care providers may be particularly deserving of thanks, to ask about how systems might be
improved, to ease any work hassles, to ask whether staff have the tools and equipment they need, and
finally to compliment the good work of staff, physicians and nurses. Dr. Jacobson has laid out some
long-range goals to help steer elevate. The goals will be translated into annual targets. They include
raising employee satisfaction, continuing to decrease employee turnover and increase employee
retention, improving customer (patient) satisfaction, achieving the lowest patient mortality rate in the
nation and increasing sponsored research dollars.
Operationally, elevate involves nine key principles:
1. Commit to excellence
2. Measure the important things
3. Build a culture around service
4. Create and develop great leaders
5. Focus on employee satisfaction
6. Build individual accountability
7. Align behaviors with goals and values
8. Communicate at all levels
9. Recognize and reward success
The Medical Center is committed to adopting elevate and this new way of thinking and behaving
through “hardwiring” these principles into the way we provide care and the way we do business.
New: Vanderbilt University Medical Center Credo
The VUMC credo is a short statement of values that was adopted 10 years ago. The Credo Behaviors
are part of elevate. They expand on the Credo and are the product of six months of work by the elevate
Standards and Service Recovery Team. The Credo Behaviors were distilled from discussions with 600
faculty and staff about professionalism, service and the desired organizational culture of VUMC.
“The Credo Behaviors define what professional conduct is all about at VUMC,” said Gerald B. Hickson,
M.D., co-chair of the team that produced the document. “We can write a Credo and we may all nod our
heads and say we agree, but what does it really mean until it’s operationalized in a set of specific
behaviors? It’s our expectation that people at VUMC are going to live by these standards.”
VUMC Credo
y We provide excellence in healthcare, research and education.
y We treat others as we wish to be treated.
y We continuously evaluate and improve our performance.
Credo Behaviors
y I make those I serve my highest priority
y I have a sense of ownership
y I conduct myself professionally
y I respect privacy and confidentiality
y I communicate effectively
y I am committed to my colleagues
The Credo Behaviors will be part of a planned elevate kit for managers, and will be added to staff and
faculty orientation programs. They are also to be used in job evaluations of staff and faculty.
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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Breakfast with the Chancellor
Every five to six weeks, Chancellor Gee meets with 50–80 staff members from a particular area of the
University. The meetings are an opportunity for him:
y to learn about the challenges and issues they face
y to answer their questions
y to receive information from them to analyze issues that help bring about change
In these meetings, the Chancellor stresses: “These are not just feel-good meetings, but a way to respond
and develop strategies.” He says he needs “to hear about what is going right and about what is going
wrong.”
The Chancellor hosts about 9–10 breakfast meetings annually with students, faculty, and staff. He has
met with employees from Human Resources, Medical Information Services, the Graduate School, the
School of Engineering, Plant Operations, Peabody College, Student Life, Sports Medicine, the Nursing
Leadership Board, Medical Center Development and the Information Center.
Meetings with the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
Harry Jacobson, M.D., meets with VUMC employees on numerous occasions throughout the year,
including spring and fall faculty meetings, annual departmental meetings and the new faculty dinner.
He also participates in resident orientation, medical and nursing student orientation, Employee
Celebration Month activities and a reception to honor employees with 30+ years at Vanderbilt. On each
of these occasions, he emphasizes the significant role each faculty, staff, and student plays in the
fulfilling the mission of Vanderbilt University Medical Center. During his annual State of the Medical
Center Address, Dr. Jacobson describes the administration’s efforts to enhance the work environment.
Excerpts from his “State of the Medical Center” address on February 18, 2005:
“The elevate program will touch every person who works at the Medical Center, and during the next year
staff and faculty can count on not only hearing more about the initiative, but seeing its principles put into
action,” Jacobson said. “The results of the multi-year elevate program will be clear and measurable and
it’s expected that both employee and patient satisfaction will rise significantly.”
“Making employees more involved, more appreciated, more professionally fulfilled and happier translates
into having employees who will provide better service to patients and customers,” Jacobson said.
Be the Best, Keep the Best
Chief Nursing Officer and Director of Patient Care Services Marilyn Dubree detailed the success of this
retention and recruitment program in her annual State of Nursing address in May 2005. Job turnover
rates in nursing at Vanderbilt dropped to 10.8% in 2004, compared with 11% the previous year. The
national turnover figure is 14%. The goal of Be the Best, Keep the Best is to reduce nurse turnover to
below 10%. The latest job turnover rates are even more impressive considering Vanderbilt hired 660
new nurses in 2004.
Shared Governance
Shared governance is a process of decision making that involves patient care staff, managers,
and nursing administration. With those who work closest to patients and families discussing
improvements, Unit Boards have been able to decide issues such as more open visitation, improved
patient education and visitor information, changes to their unit’s physical environment, and
streamlined processes. Unit Boards have been accountable for improving staff retention, planning
enhanced staff recognition, and improving morale.
“The essence of shared governance allows people to work in partnership with one another and it allows staff
and administrators to work collaboratively. Because there is a shared accountability and ownership in the
quality of care we deliver, theoretically, patient outcomes will be enhanced,” said VUMC Chief Nursing
Officer Marilyn Dubree.
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2a. Senior Management Sharing Information
Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center leaders continually strive to
communicate with employees through a variety of effective avenues. Some of them are outlined below.
New:
Elevate
Tough Questions
Vanderbilt University Medical Center leadership, as part of the elevate program (see page 3) began
answering tough questions often asked by people who work at VUMC. The goal is to help faculty and
staff understand the reasons and explanations behind operational and financial decisions. These
questions and answers are printed in the Reporter, the VUMC weekly newspaper.
Some of the questions asked of Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Harry Jacobson, M.D.:
y Why are we building multi-million dollar research facilities when the hospital and clinic are in
desperate need of maintenance and repair? (March 11, 2005)
y How does VUMC raise the organizational bar and still keep 60% of folks on a ‘3’ on performance
evaluations? (April 8, 2005)
y Why can’t patient rooms be closed for cleaning and repairs? (June 3, 2005)
See attached copies of Reporter articles.
New: Health Plan Communicator
A new position in Human Resources, Health Plan Communicator, was filled with the hiring of Ginny
McLean-Swartsell in February 2005. Created not only to inform faculty and staff of benefit options and
changes to the health plan, the Health Plan Communicator will help shape the messaging of
Vanderbilt’s culture of wellness. “In our transformation from an ‘employee sickness plan’ to an
‘employee wellness plan,’ we wanted to put in place a professional communicator to take informing
our customers—Vanderbilt’s faculty and staff—to the next level,” said Kevin Myatt, Associate Vice
Chancellor Chief Human Resource Officer.
“We want employees to be informed enough to make the wisest choices for coverage for themselves
and their families, we want them to be engaged, and to ‘feel good’ about the great benefit package that
Vanderbilt provides,” said McLean-Swartsell. “We’re making improvements to the Benefits section of
our website, giving the Benefits ‘look ‘n’ feel’ a shot in the arm, and making other improvements to our
communication methods so that employees are not only satisfied with our plan, but happy with it.”
VU Publications
Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center have several publications that are
widely circulated over the campus and also available online. These include:
y The Vanderbilt Register, a bi-weekly VU newspaper (published on alternating Mondays) of
general interest to all faculty and staff and the “Daily Register Express,” an e-mail version sent
each weekday
y The Reporter: a weekly VUMC newspaper (published each Friday) of general interest to all
faculty and staff
y The House Organ: a monthly feature magazine for all faculty and staff
y HEALTH Plus Connection, bi-monthly newsletter for all faculty and staff
y Equal Opportunity Update: a quarterly newsletter published by the Opportunity Development
Center highlighting diversity and equity issues distributed to managers and supervisors
Section Two: Credibility
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y Women’s VU: a monthly newsletter published by the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center
mailed to anyone who requests to be included on the mailing list
y VMG Mail, monthly e-mail newsletters for the Vanderbilt Medical Group
Samples may be found in the supplemental materials.
Employee Quarterly (“EQ”)
As a result of recommendations from the Quality of Work Life Task Force to senior leadership made in
May 2003, a new insert called “EQ” was added into The Reporter. Beginning in the Spring 2004 issue
and continuing quarterly, the VUMC Employee Quarterly is designed to communicate good news,
personal employee stories, and relevant HR-related stories and issues, breaking the perception that HR
primarily communicates with employees only when the news is “bad.” Copies of the Spring and
Summer 2005 inserts are enclosed.
Chancellor Gee’s Communications
With the attitude mentioned above, Chancellor Gee actively seeks input from staff and faculty
members. Examples of how Chancellor Gee has sought and continues to seek this input are:
y Chancellor Gee meets with representatives from each school in assemblies billed as “Faculty
Forums” as “the continuation of an ongoing conversation” with deans and faculty from the
University’s 10 schools.
y Chancellor Gee hosts a series of “Breakfasts with the Chancellor,” inviting staff members to
join him for a discussion about Vanderbilt and for a Question and Answer session.
y Chancellor Gee visits at least one meeting of both the University Staff Advisory Council and
the Medical Center Staff Advisory Council each year.
Examples of how Chancellor Gee communicates with faculty and staff members in addition to the
aforementioned items include a Web site (Vanderbilt Chancellor
) and periodic Question/Answer
columns in the Vanderbilt Register, a bi-weekly University publication.
Chancellor Gee is a strong advocate of open and meaningful opportunities for communication. In
addition to using more formal modes of communication, such as electronic mail or letter, he regularly
walks the grounds and visits departments unannounced. For him, these impromptu visits allow a
freedom of conversation that would not be found elsewhere. He is also a big believer in
personalization. It is not uncommon for employees to receive handwritten notes, birthday cards, or
phone calls from the Chancellor.
“State of the Medical Center” Address
Each year, Harry Jacobson, M.D., Vice-Chancellor for Health Affairs, gives the State of the Medical
Center Address. All faculty and staff are invited to attend. In his annual address, Jacobson outlined the
Medical Center’s progress over the past year. Growth and improvement were the key words applicable
to all aspects of VUMC’s three-part mission of patient care, research and education.
During his address this past February, Dr. Jacobson said, “We are about to embark on what will
become a great journey for all of us,” Jacobson said. “Elevate is much more of a change in the way we
do business than just a project. It’s not a ‘program of the month.’ It’s a dedicated, focused approach to
organizational development.”
“Vanderbilt has become synonymous with quality medical and nursing care, compassion and
technology. In every important respect we are the strongest name in the region and the elevate
program will help us achieve the goals we have set out for ourselves,” Jacobson said.
The results of the multi-year elevate initiative will be clear and measurable and it’s expected that both
employee and patient satisfaction will rise significantly. Making employees more involved, more
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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appreciated, more professionally fulfilled and happier translates into having employees who will
provide better service to patients and customers.
Medical Center Communications E-mails
The Medical Center uses the e-mail system to notify faculty and staff members of important
announcements and events, including the recruitment of research study participants. More than 50 e-
mails per month are distributed to all faculty and staff within the Medical Center. Content is relevant to
all staff, mission-related, and designed to explain an issue or direct and educate faculty and staff.
2b. Communication Avenues Available to Employees
Web Sites/Email
There are many campus Web sites that encourage faculty and staff communication. The Chancellor’s
Web site
includes an email address for Chancellor so that employees can contact him directly. On his
Web site, Chancellor Gordon Gee says, “The most enjoyable aspect of my duty is the promotion of free
and open exchange of ideas among our faculty, staff, and students.”
Another Web site that encourages communication from employees is the Human Resources
site.
Currently, there is a feedback form and individual email addresses to Human Resources staff.
Launching a new site in August 2005, the communication avenues will change to the departmental
email addresses for benefits, compensation, training, etc.
Quality of Work Life Web Site
Vanderbilt has included in their benefit package to faculty and staff, services such as HEALTH Plus,
Work/Life Connections-EAP, the Physician’s Wellness Program, the Occupational Health Clinic, the
Educational Assistance Benefit, health insurance options, life insurance, vacation, sick and personal
time off, as well as many business discounts. Programs focusing on health and productivity such as
stress management, smoking cessation, exercise, and other targeted topics are regularly offered to
faculty and staff. This effort is recognized as the Quality of Work Life Initiative
. Employees can offer
comments, suggestions and feedback online.
University Staff Advisory Council
University Staff Advisory Council (USAC) represents staff members of Vanderbilt University, acting as
an advisory group to administration and staff on issues, policies and practices that affect the university
and those served by the council. The Council is made up of 75 elected individuals, who in turn
represent more than 3,000 full- and part-time, exempt and non-exempt Vanderbilt University staff
members. USAC meets monthly and meetings are open to staff members served by the council. The
Council reports directly to Chancellor Gordon Gee.
Medical Center Staff Advisory Council
The Medical Center Staff Advisory Council (MCSAC) represents all full and part-time, exempt and
non-exempt non-faculty employees of Vanderbilt University Medical Center. As an advisory group, the
Council works to bridge gaps, facilitate communication between staff and administration, and improve
all facets of the work-place environment at VUMC. The Council also serves as a philanthropic
organization to the Vanderbilt community through an annual fundraiser.
The Council has been instrumental in bringing about positive institutional and employment changes
which richly affect the lives of staff at Vanderbilt. The Council is supported by administration and is
viewed as an essential component of this institution.
Council meetings are held monthly and staff are encouraged to utilize the Council as a mechanism for
the exchange of information among staff and between staff and administration.
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“Breakfast with Marilyn”
Beginning on December 2002, Vanderbilt University Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer Marilyn
Dubree hosts a monthly breakfast with an average attendance of 12 staff nurses. Plans are to hold at
least 8–10 one-hour-long breakfasts per year. The group discusses two questions during that hour: 1)
What is good about nursing at Vanderbilt?, and 2) What could make it better? Staff members share
stories of the challenges that they and their co-workers face in their day-to-day work, discuss best
practices that make them proud to be a nurse at VUMC, and talk about changes they would
recommend. This is also a wonderful opportunity for nurses to meet their colleagues and hear about
nursing in other areas. Participants receive a thank-you card from Marilyn within one week of the
breakfast.
“Ask Marilyn” Online
Started in January 2003, this mailbox enables any staff to send compliments, questions, comments,
and/or concerns to the Chief Nursing Officer. All messages get a personal response from Marilyn
Dubree and if needed, an appointment may be set up to meet for a confidential discussion. Questions
about benefits, suggestions about various patient care issues, and ideas about recruitment during the
nursing shortage have all “hit the box.”
Operation Connect
The Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Operations Officer of The Vanderbilt Clinic (TVC) recently put
into place a communication process to better understand the needs and concerns of the staff. Informal
meetings, either for breakfast or lunch, are scheduled twice per month, and staff members are invited
to attend. The invitations are extended either to an entire clinic or to a specific classification across
clinics. The purpose of the gathering is to provide an opportunity for the administrators, as well as the
staff, to have conversation regarding concerns, issues and ideas that would make working at TVC
better. The feedback from staff has been extremely positive and administration has received many
suggestions for improvement.
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3a. Professional Training and Personal Growth
Vanderbilt University offers employees many and varied professional development and personal
growth opportunities including new employee orientation and training programs in the areas of
management, administrative, professional, and personal development. There are two entities that
manage the broad training opportunities geared for the Medical Center and the University—the
Learning Center at VUMC and the Organizational Effectiveness Team in Human Resources. Also, there
are numerous departmental training opportunities that target specific needs. Consulting services such
as customized training classes, department needs assessments, meeting facilitation, retreat planning
and team building are also offered. Vanderbilt employees enjoy an environment which encourages
career growth within their own departments and mobility within the company. In 2004, Vanderbilt
promoted 2,578 employees representing a 21.6% promotion rate.
New: Workplace Learning Collaborative
The Workplace Learning Collaborative is comprised of individuals from several areas across the
University and Medical Center who are working together to facilitate a vision for workplace learning at
Vanderbilt. The group originated when we realized that we were each struggling to find solutions to
similar workplace learning issues. Our individual conversations inspired us to create a group and a
structure through which we could gain greater clarity about our common concerns.
New: Nurse Wellness Conference
Nursing leaders, health care providers and health care administrators from around the country
converged at Vanderbilt on October 28, 2005 for the Passport to Nurse Wellness Conference. The three-
day conference was aimed at helping health care leaders create a positive work environment for nurses,
addressing the effect the work environment has on safe patient care, discussing the impact nurse
wellness has on recruitment, retention and quality patient care and identifying resources for the
development of nurse wellness programs. Nursing leaders from as far away as Alaska, New
Hampshire, Florida, Washington, and Minnesota attended the conference, believed to be the first of its
kind in the country.
Leadership Vanderbilt
Leadership Vanderbilt, formally Leadership Development Institute, began in 1990 and is sponsored by
the Division of Administration. Leadership Vanderbilt provides staff members with professional
development opportunities dedicated to strengthening their leadership abilities and providing insight
into the inner workings of the University, including its academic, research and clinical enterprises.
Sessions are conducted bi-monthly, spread over a one-year period, and are overseen by Pam Brown,
Director of Organizational Effectiveness Team. Sessions focus on the identification and development of
leadership skills and practices through various presenters, trainers, and interactive exercises. This
program is unique because it includes team projects, community service and a mentoring option in
addition to interactive classroom sessions. There are 30 participants in this program each year.
Targeted Selection Training
The Organizational Effectiveness Team and Recruitment in Human Resources have provided Targeted
Selection Training to 457 managers in the last year. Teaching managers Targeted Selection interviewing
techniques provides a consistent approach for selecting new employees that focuses on accuracy,
Section Three: Respect
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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equity and buy-in. The training develops a variety of key behavioral interviewing skills and sharpens
existing skills to improve selection decisions. The skills and techniques learned during the two-day
workshop are immediately applicable on the job. Participants have access to the competency-based
interview guides for the various job families within the Vanderbilt organization.
Crew Resource Training
Vanderbilt launched its greatest offensive against medical error, committing all clinical staff and faculty
to changing the way work is performed in the hospital and clinic. The training is based on safety
practices used throughout U.S. military and commercial aviation. As aviation technology improved
during the late 20th century, the role of human error in plane crashes became more apparent.
Participants learn where patient safety breakdowns tend to occur, and good habits for avoiding them;
the topics include team building, recognizing adverse situations, cross-checking and communication,
decision-making and performance feedback. Participants are awarded flight wings upon completion of
the training program. The ultimate goal is nothing short of culture change.
Training Opportunities for Leaders and Managers
y Building Your Human Resource Leadership Foundation: The primary purpose of this workshop series is
to provide every supervisor with the necessary tools to “build” a successful supervisory
foundation.
y Continuous Improvement Workshops for Leaders: A number of workshops such as Managing
Performance and Behavior, Documenting Employment Practices, Coaching, and Managing Conflict
for Leaders are designed to provide managers with tools and techniques to continually improve
their management skills.
y Becoming a Leader: This course, along with others in the series listed above, is designed for new
leaders and provides them with information and resources to equip them for their new role.
y The Managers’ Roundtable: This series allow managers the opportunity to gather with a
representative of Vanderbilt senior leadership to discuss the challenges of leadership. Managers are
encouraged to share challenges and successes in order to learn from each other.
Customized Training, Group Facilitation, Team Building
Professional development opportunities are provided to directly to departments when needs are
identified. Once issues and concerns are clarified, Human Resources’ Organizational Effectiveness
Team (OET) will customize training sessions to meet the needs of the department. Facilitation is also
provided for retreats and planning sessions. For some departments this may be accomplished in one or
two sessions, while other departments may have more extensive interventions. Specialized in-service
training occurs for departments as a result of needs identified during an internal investigation. Classes
are provided for department on a variety of subjects pertaining to equal opportunity, diversity,
disability, and sexual harassment.
Academic Leadership Program
Dean Steven Gabbe, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, sponsors a leadership development program for
new chairpersons of both the clinical and basic science departments. The curriculum engages these
leaders in learning on three levels: management functions within the Vanderbilt system, leadership
skills for building a collaborative culture, and personal wellness to prevent burnout.
Junior Research Faculty Leadership Program
Modeled after Dean Gabbe’s Academic Leadership Course, this 10-module course is designed to give
beginning faculty the foundational skills of management including communication, organizational and
leadership skills to provide them with the tools they need to foster their careers.
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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Online Safety Training
VandySafe online safety training provides an additional venue for safety training, including training
required for VUMC staff. Vanderbilt Environmental Health & Safety (VEHS) administers VandySafe
for the Vanderbilt University Medical Center as well as the University.
Children’s Hospital FOCUS Training
All new staff members at Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt participate in a three-
hour orientation session known as FOCUS Training. More than simply hearing a description of
expectations of family-centered care, staff members vow to take FOCUS values to heart.
“As a commitment to the children and families whom I serve, I will:
y Deliver......................Family-Center Care
y Act as ........................One Team
y Participate in............Continuous Improvement
y Maintain a................Unique Environment for Children
y Provide .....................Service Excellence”
Members of the Family Advisory Council—families who have had a child hospitalized at Vanderbilt
Children’s Hospital—help facilitate the FOCUS training sessions to provide first-hand accounts of what
it is like to be on the receiving end of family-centered care.
Vanderbilt Campus Library Access
Faculty, staff and their families have reading and borrowing privileges in all divisions of the Jean and
Alexander Heard Library with additional e-resources for research. The Library system includes 10
libraries: Biomedical, Central, Divinity, Law, Management, Music, Peabody, Science & Engineering,
Special Collections, and TV News. Faculty and staff also can place online requests to access materials
from Vanderbilt as well as 12 additional southeastern academic libraries.
Vanderbilt University’s Center for Teaching
The Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching works collaboratively with individuals and units across
the university to foster and sustain a culture that practices, values, and rewards university teaching and
learning as vital forms of scholarship. The Center is available to both Vanderbilt faculty and interested
educators from the community.
Vanderbilt Professional Nursing Practice Program
The Vanderbilt Professional Nursing Practice Program (VPNPP) promotes, supports, recognizes and
rewards RNs in direct patient care. In addition to rewarding nursing performance, the program
highlights individual strengths and targets professional growth. This program has extended the
promotion opportunities for nurses who continue their career in patient care, rather than advance
through management. The Vanderbilt Professional Nursing Practice Program is a performance-based
career advancement system that recognizes and rewards the application of clinical nursing expertise in
direct patient care. The goals of VPNPP are:
y To attract and retain clinical nurses
y To build a Performance Development System that promotes, supports, recognizes and rewards
RNs in direct patient care by:
y Clearly defining expectations of job requirements for each of four RN job descriptions
y Challenging the status quo
y Accurately and objectively measuring performance
y Highlighting strengths and targeting areas for professional growth
y Maintaining focus on developing nurses and supporting their continuous growth
y To position Vanderbilt to be the "Employer of Choice" in the community
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y To reward nursing performance in accordance with expertise and contribution to the team, the
work area and the organization
y To provide opportunities for promotion for nurses who practice direct patient care
y To achieve consistent nursing performance standards and pay equity across the clinical enterprise
Progression through the VPNPP (RN I to RN IV) requires self-assessment of skills, manager
feedback, and peer review.
Internal Job Fair
Twice yearly an internal job fair is offered by Recruitment Services. This day-long event gives
participants the opportunity to explore career development opportunities with several options:
y Find out about available job openings and position requirements
y Explore career ladders
y Learn about the transfer process
y Meet with recruiters for resume review, skill assessment and potential future opportunities,
development planning
y Attend training sessions for resume writing tips and interviewing skills
Training Locator & Events Calendar
The Training Locator is the university’s online search engine for training including clinical, technical
and personal growth topics. The Training Locator offers staff members and managers “one-stop
shopping” to find opportunities for further development at Vanderbilt. This is a tool for staff and their
supervisors to learn about training across this organization. Additionally, the University’s online
calendar gives staff and faculty easy access to both today’s and upcoming dissertation presentations,
lectures, symposiums, grand rounds, training events and workshops, wellness activities, as well as arts
and entertainment. Choices abound at a university like Vanderbilt for both personal growth and
professional development.
Employee Development
The Vanderbilt Staff Opportunity Program (VSOP) is being established by Human Resources to
provide opportunities for employees in entry-level positions to receive training that will qualify them
for more skilled positions within the organization. The program will assist employees in their career
development process and enable those with specific career interests in beginning health care fields to
receive additional training for possible movement into those positions.
Also connected with VSOP is the opportunity for employees to work towards their G.E.D. if they do
not already have a high school diploma. This program has been available to employees for several
years and a mentoring component recently has been added which pairs G.E.D. students with a
supportive staff member to assist and encourage them.
E.S.L. classes are also available to employees and their immediate family members.
Diverse Classes
Vanderbilt continually expands programs to the meet the needs of our diverse University community.
Examples of these programs include:
y ESL Classes: As Nashville became home to a large immigrant and refugee workforce, Vanderbilt
added classes for ‘English as a Second Language (ESL) for the Workplace’ to support these staff in
their jobs and new community. The University has also expanded many of its services to faculty
and researcher internationals to help them integrate more quickly into the University community.
y Spanish for Medical Professionals: As the immigrant and refugee populations have grown in our
patient population, Vanderbilt has provided “Spanish for Medical Professionals” to help staff
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better understand the Hispanic culture and communicate with Spanish-speaking patients and their
families. This course supplements the existing Medical Terminology training.
y GED Preparation: Vanderbilt’s ongoing Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED) preparation program
helps staff to improve their math and reading skills and successfully complete their GED. This
program is also available to staff members’ immediate families as well.
y Self-discovery Workshop: Vanderbilt recognizes that personal growth is a need throughout our
lives and careers. In the past year, a new workshop for personal growth has been created for our
Medical Center staff. The Learning Center offers ‘At the Crossroad’—a workshop of reflection and
self-discovery. Using creative tools and support from others, participants can identify their talents
and create their own vision for how to maintain their personal and professional balance in this
hectic, fast-paced world. Entire workgroups have attended to support each other. Managers who
have attended for their personal growth have found this experience so renewing that they have
recommended it to staff members showing signs of burnout.
y Alphabet Soup: EEO/AA Training for Managers and Supervisors: This EEO/AA training
program is offered regularly to inform hiring officials about federal and state civil rights laws
applicable to Vanderbilt, including a detailed presentation about sexual harassment and the
Americans with Disability Act. Also covered are Vanderbilt’s equal opportunity/affirmative action
and sexual orientation policies, the University’s Affirmative Action Plan, employment guidelines
and procedures, diversity and cross-cultural communication, procedures for filing a complaint, and
other administrative responsibilities. This course strives to dispel myths and to educate supervisors
and managers about their responsibilities in the area of EEO/AA.
y Cross-Cultural Communication Workshop: How do I communicate with my customers, peers,
staff, managers, supervisors? Am I an effective communicator? Do I get my point across? Do I listen
to what others are saying? Communication often leads to success or failure on the job. Success can
be obtained through actively participating in this hands-on and interactive workshop. New and
experienced staff learn techniques for communicating effectively across real or perceived barriers.
y Disability Law 101: The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
of 1990 are fundamental civil rights laws pertaining to people with disabilities. This workshop
gives an overview of these laws, with particular attention paid to the ADA. How is ‘disability’
defined in this law? What are the essential elements of a job? How do I provide a reasonable
accommodation? These questions are the focus of this workshop designed particularly for
supervisors and hiring officials.
y Sexual Harassment Workshop: This workshop is offered at various times throughout the year for
Vanderbilt employees and students and by request to individual departments as in-service
training. Federal regulations are presented along with specific examples of sexual harassment
followed by a discussion of ways to prevent and/or deal with sexual harassment.
y Life Phase Series: The Life Phase Presentation Series is a direct result of recommendations made
by the Quality of Work Life Task Force. The series is coordinated through HEALTH Plus and is
designed to help support quality of work life by providing programs to manage areas of our lives
other than work. Topics include Teen Talk, Buying Your First Home, Elder Care, Grow Old
Gracefully, and Summer Activities for Your Kids.
Work/Life Balance Training
Vanderbilt recognizes that personal growth is a need throughout our lives and careers, in good times
and in difficult times. Staff and faculty can participate in Work/Life Connections–EAP’s Brown Bag
series on emotional wellness. These one-hour sessions are designed to build understanding and
identify resources. Topics include: Understanding Depression, Handling Grief and Loss, My Child Has
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ADHD, Helping Children Grieve, The Sandwich Generation: Dealing with Aging Parents, Dealing with
Substance Abuse: The Disease Model of Addictions, and Stress Resilience.
3b. Employee Recognition
New: Reward and Recognition Program
Under elevate, VUMC managers and supervisors will participate in an organization-wide recognition
and reward program designed to encourage exceptional employee service. Some 380 VUMC leaders
now have the authority to give gift certificates to faculty and staff. The certificates range from $25–200
and will be accepted at a multitude of retail outlets including Borders, Amazon.com and Ebay. VUMC
has set aside $1 million for employee recognition gift certificates this fiscal year.
“In addition to supporting recruitment and retention, VUMC programs for performance-based pay,
success sharing, and now recognition and reward, all have the goal of underlining the value of the
contributions made by employees to the mission of the medical Center and strengthening the
alignment between individual efforts of staff and faculty and the goals of the organization,” said
Vanderbilt Medical Group’s Chief Operating Officer David Posch.
New: Research Awards Luncheon
Medical Center faculty recognized three members of the research staff for their contributions and
service at the inaugural Research Staff Awards luncheon held on September 12, 2004.
Each recipient was presented with an engraved crystal award and a check for $1,000.
“The research enterprise is built on the foundation of a bright, competent, highly motivated, hard-
working, and devoted research staff,” said Jeffrey R. Balser, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Vice Chancellor for
Research, addressing the faculty and staff at the ceremony. “Without you, we would not be the nation’s
fastest growing research enterprise. This is an opportunity for us to do something we don’t do often
enough, and that is to thank you for helping to make this possible.”
Blessing of Hands
Blessing of Hands, held every year during Nurses Week, is an affirming ceremony that focuses on the
work of every Medical Center employee—not only those in patient care areas. The simple ritual is a
way of thanking employees. The tradition began five years ago and has grown every year. “It’s an
opportunity for all employees—no matter where you work or what you do—to come and receive
acknowledgement of your part of what makes Vanderbilt successful,” said Raye Nell Dyer, chaplain
with the department of Pastoral Care. “We have people from environmental services, the cafeteria, post
office, and administration. We see nurses, doctors, support services, just anyone associated with the
hospital comes for Blessing of Hands. Our hands are symbolic of our lives and who we are,” Dyer said.
“They are symbolic of our lives’ work. For many, this blessing is like a cleansing, a renewing. To be
appreciated and loved and have it spoken to you is a powerful thing.” Dyer said the emotional
gathering gives employees a sense of empowerment.
Nurse Wellness Fair
The annual Nurse Wellness Fair was held in February of 2005. Local community and Vanderbilt
community health and wellness vendors and representatives provided information and displayed
resources for nurses, including demonstrations of how to maintain and improve health, massage
therapy, financial advisors, music therapy, local child and elder care resources, weight loss programs,
exercise and fitness opportunities, balancing work and personal life and uniform resources.
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Employee Recognition in Vanderbilt News Media
Each Vanderbilt Register includes a special feature called “The Last Word” on the back page profiling a
member of the Vanderbilt community; some are profiled because of a special accomplishment, but the
majority are chosen because of the special talents and spirit they bring to Vanderbilt. Those featured in
the past year include: a member of our carpentry shop who has been with Vanderbilt for 45 years; the
manager of the on-campus Vanderbilt Beauty Salon; an architect who has built a home and living
environment based on the philosophy of sustainable housing; and a graphic designer with a
burgeoning singer/songwriting career.
Faculty and staff accomplishments are listed in a special column of the Vanderbilt Register.
Every year, Chancellor Gordon Gee gives special recognition to staff celebrating 5- to 45-year
anniversaries, and thanks them for their years of service to the University. This recognition is covered
in the campus publications.
In addition to a variety of faculty awards—for teaching and research service—the university awards
what is known as the Commodore Award each year to two staff members. The Register covers news of
this award which recognizes significant staff achievements in Vanderbilt’s pursuit of excellence in
education, health care, research and community service.
National Nurses Week
Vanderbilt University Medical Center has an annual week-long series of events to honor nurses during
National Nurses Week each May. National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6–12, marking
the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Celebrations held at Vanderbilt
this year involved the national theme, “Many Roles, One Profession.” The American Nurses
Association says registered nurses represent the largest, single component of the health care profession
with an estimated 2.7 million R.N.’s in the United States. VUMC is home to about 4,000 nurses offering
patient care in a variety of roles.
Pay for Performance
The main goal of Pay for Performance is to recognize through compensation the contribution of
employees to the success of our organization. Key functions are the competencies at the core of an
individual’s work. Assessment of competency, at both the individual and organizational level, is
important for the development of the organization and is completed in a manner that allows for
objective quantification. By reviewing the aggregated scores for job classes, the organization is able to
identify competency trends.
Awards
Vanderbilt has a wide array of awards to recognize faculty and staff members for their contribution
toward the organization. Some examples are:
Commodore Award
The Commodore Award recognizes and rewards significant individual staff achievements in
Vanderbilt University’s pursuit of excellence in education, health care, research and community
service. Any person who has held a regular full-time staff position below the level of director or
department head for at least three years, and who is described by one or more of the following:
y An individual whose overall performance accomplishments regularly and consistently far exceed
performance expectations, reflecting a high level of service, dedication, conscientiousness,
compassion and applied skill.
y An individual who has handled a high impact or critical situation, which had important
consequences for Vanderbilt or the community.
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y An individual who developed new or improved existing processes that resulted in a significant
improvement in productivity and/or cost savings.
The nomination process occurs annually, and nominations can be received from Vanderbilt staff,
faculty or students. A Commodore Award Selection Committee chaired by a dean or department head
and including the previous year’s winner(s) and representation from exempt/non-exempt staff,
administration, faculty, and union/non-union staff reviews all nominations and solicits any
corroborating evidence it deems necessary, including documentation from supervisors that the staff
member meets or exceeds all regular job performance expectations. The award(s) are presented during
half-time of a football game to which all faculty and staff members may receive free tickets as well as
during the annual Service Awards ceremony. Each recipient receives a crystal bowl, engraved with the
Vanderbilt logo, and a check for $1,000.
Service Awards
Faculty and staff who pass a five-year milestone in their careers at Vanderbilt are recognized for their
service with a gift from the University. Five-year honorees receive pins. Ten-year and 15-year honorees
also receive pins along with a gift from the Chancellor. Twenty-year, 25-year, 30-year, 35-year, 40-year
and 45-year honorees are invited to a Service Awards ceremony where they receive a gift.
Faculty Awards
Awards for faculty members are presented at various times throughout the academic year:
Fall Faculty Assembly
The Thomas Jefferson Award has been presented at Vanderbilt since 1967 and is made annually
“for distinguished service to Vanderbilt through extraordinary contributions as a member of the
faculty in the councils and government of the University.” The prize carries with it an engraved
pewter goblet and $2,500 cash. The recipient is named by the Chancellor on the basis of nomination
by the consultative committee of the Faculty Senate. Faculty in all schools are eligible to enter.
Fall Board of Trust Meeting
The Earl Sutherland Prize for Achievement in Research was established by approval of the Board
of Trust in 1976. The recipient is chosen annually by the Chancellor on the basis of nominations of
the University Research Council. The competition is University-wide. The prize consists of $5,000
and an engraved pewter julep cup, and the winner’s name is added to a silver bowl following a
famous design by Paul Revere.
Homecoming/Reunion Weekend
The Alumni Education Award has been given each year since 1982 to a faculty member who has
contributed substantially to developing or participating in those programs of the Vanderbilt
Alumni Association that further the education of alumni. Any full-time faculty member actively
engaged in teaching in any of the schools or colleges is eligible. Final selection is made by the
Chancellor on the basis of a recommendation from the board of directors of the Alumni
Association. The award consists of a cash prize of $2,500 and an engraved julep cup.
Established by the Nashville Vanderbilt Club in 1963, The Chancellor’s Cup is given annually for
“the greatest contribution outside the classroom to undergraduate student-faculty relationships in
the recent past.” The award consists of a cash prize of $2,500, an engraved pewter cup as a
permanent trophy, and one year’s custody of a silver bowl by Tiffany bearing the names of all
recipients since 1963. Full-time faculty in all schools who are actively engaged in teaching are
eligible.
Spring Faculty Assembly
Established in 1963 to honor retiring Chancellor Harvie Branscomb, the Harvie Branscomb
Distinguished Professor Award is made to a full-time, regular faculty member without restriction
as to age, rank, or school, for distinguished accomplishment in furthering the aims of Vanderbilt
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University. The winner receives a cash award of $2,500, an engraved silver tray, and official
designation as Harvie Branscomb Distinguished Professor for one academic year.
The Alexander Heard Distinguished Service Professor Award was created on the occasion of the
retirement of Chancellor Heard in 1982. The purpose of the award is to encourage, recognize, and
honor faculty members’ contributions to the analysis and solution of contemporary social
problems, broadly construed. The recipient carries for one year the title Alexander Heard
Distinguished Service Professor and receives a $2,500 cash award and an engraved silver tray.
The Joe B. Wyatt Distinguished University Professor Award was created to honor Chancellor
Wyatt upon his retirement in 2000. The award is intended to recognize accomplishments that span
multiple academic disciplines. The title is conferred upon a full-time faculty member, regardless of
rank or school, for the development of significant new knowledge from research or exemplary
innovations in teaching. The recipient carries for one year the title Joe B. Watt Distinguished
University Professor and receives a $2,500 cash award and an engraved silver tray.
Two teaching awards are made annually at the Spring Faculty Assembly. They are the Madison
Sarratt Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and the Ellen Gregg Ingalls Award for
Excellence in Classroom Teaching. Each recipient receives a cash prize of $2,500 and an engraved
pewter julep cup.
School of Medicine and Nursing Faculty Awards
Each year, faculty of the School of Medicine and School of Nursing are convened for the Spring Faculty
meeting, where awards for teaching and research excellence are presented. Recipients are each
presented with a $1,000 cash award.
Excellence in Teaching—School of Medicine
y Teaching Medical or Graduate Students or Practicing Physicians in a Small Group Setting
y Innovation in Educational Programming That Has Proven Effective
y Teaching Medical or Graduate Students or Practicing Physicians in a Lecture Setting
y Mentoring Postdoctoral Fellows and/or Residents in the Research Setting
y Mentoring Graduate and/or Medical Students in the Research Setting
y Teaching Medical Students, Residents, and/or Fellows in the Clinical Setting
Excellence in Teaching—School of Nursing
y Teaching in the Lecture or Small Group Setting
y Teaching in the Clinical Setting
y Educational Innovation that has made a Significant Contribution to Excellence in Teaching and
Learning
Awards for Research
y Grant W. Liddle Award for Excellence in Clinical Research
y Charles R. Park Award for Basic Research Revealing Insights into Physiology
y Colowick Award for Research that Serves as a Platform for Discovery in Diverse Areas
y Ernest W. Goodpasture Award for Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Research Involving Two
or More Faculty Colleagues
y Stanley Cohen Award for Research Bringing Chemistry to Solving Biology’s Most Fundamental
Problems
Other Awards:
y The Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center Mentoring Award was established by the
Women’s Center to recognize a member of the University community who fosters the
professional and intellectual development of Vanderbilt women.
y The Mary Jane Werthan Award is given to an individual who has contributed significantly to
the advancement of women at Vanderbilt.
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y The Opportunity Development Center presents Affirmative Action and Diversity Initiative
Awards to faculty and staff who promote inclusiveness at Vanderbilt.
3c. Unique Benefits and Perks
Vanderbilt University has a number of distinctive benefits for its staff. Among the traditional benefits
are medical and dental health care coverage, vacation/sick-time, long- and short-term disability, life
insurance, and holiday and personal days off. Vanderbilt also offers an adoption benefit, pet insurance,
a 10% discount on bookstore purchases, on-campus child care, and a tuition discount program for staff
along with a tuition benefit for dependent children. Among the most unique and highly utilized
benefits at Vanderbilt are:
New: Go For The Gold Introduces $20 Level
The Go For The Gold Wellness Incentives Program rewards faculty and staff for maintaining, or taking
up, healthy lifestyle practices by paying them for their level of participation in the program. It’s a one-
of-a-kind program and has been well received by Vanderbilt faculty and staff. In its first year, 68% of
Vanderbilt employees participated in the program and Vanderbilt paid $1,156,475 to these
employees in a $10/month wellness credit on their paycheck. Program components include a Health
Risk Assessment—the Bronze level, Wellness Actions Sheet—the Silver level, and Game Plan for your
Health—the new Gold level. The Silver level was added in 2004, and the new Gold level in 2005—pay
$15 or $20.
The Health Risk Assessment is a tool to help evaluate current health status and decide on actions to
take for making improvements if needed. Faculty and staff receive an overall wellness score derived
from their responses to questions in 40 categories. This score is one way to measure how well healthy
lifestyle practices are being incorporated into one’s own daily activities.
The Wellness Actions Sheet provides a method for faculty and staff to assert that they are
maintaining or adopting healthy lifestyle practices. The Wellness Actions Sheet contains 10 categories
including safety, nutrition, exercise, stress management, weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, tobacco
use, and family and co-workers.
Game Plan for your Health is a video training program that urges participants to become actively
involved in making health care decisions. Game Plan for your Health is comprised of three scenarios
depicting prevention, self-care and surgery preparation.
“Go For The Gold is designed to help us migrate from an employee ‘sickness (health care) plan’ to an
‘employee wellness plan,’” said Kevin Myatt, Associate Vice Chancellor Chief Human Resource
Officer. “It’s a fun way to help impress upon our covered population the crucial importance of
guarding against health and safety risks and taking steps to maintain and improve one’s health. It has
me eating carrots instead of doughnuts.”
New: “C2HR”
Striving to achieve the goal of making human relations functions more accessible to the faculty and
staff, Vanderbilt University Human Resources and MIS developed Connect to HR
(C2HR), a self-
service Web site. The site gives faculty and staff easy and confidential access to view and update some
human resources information. Employees can update their mailing address, phone number, emergency
contact and direct deposit information; and view their job profile information, payment history,
benefits, dependents/beneficiaries, leave balances and W-4 information. To protect confidentiality, the
employee’s “VUnetID” and e-password is required.
NEW: Flex Pool
A program beginning July 1, 2005, to promote carpooling among employees, Flex Pool discounts
parking fees up to 75% depending on how many days per month employees choose to carpool.
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New: MyMD
VUMC employees are encouraged to use the medical services of Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
If an employee is not yet a patient of a Vanderbilt doctor and needs help in finding one they can call a
service set up for just this purpose, 615.936.MYMD (615.936.6963).
Take A Ride to Work on Vanderbilt
The “Take a Ride to Work on Vanderbilt” program was launched by Chancellor Gordon Gee in an
ongoing effort to provide an environmentally friendly commuting option for faculty and staff. Through
Vanderbilt’s partnership with the Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority, full- and part-time
Vanderbilt employees may ride MTA buses to and from work for free.
“This is a terrific benefit for the Vanderbilt community at large,” said Kevin Myatt, Associate Vice-
Chancellor for Human Resources. “The opportunity to reduce expenses for those who take the bus is
great, as is the opportunity to reduce traffic congestion on and around campus.”
To ride free, faculty and staff simply swipe their Vanderbilt identification card as they board an MTA
bus going to and from work, and Vanderbilt will be charged for the ride. Statistical information is then
electronically gathered so the University can monitor the program’s effectiveness. For those who
already use the transit system, the new benefit could be a potential savings of several hundred dollars
per year. A Metro bus ride normally costs $1.45 for local service, $1.75 for express service. In 2004–2005,
the program’s first year, approximately 300 employees utilized this benefit each month.
Vanderbilt Valet
Vanderbilt University Medical Center offers a personal errand company for employees and students to
use free of charge. ‘Vanderbilt Valet’ is the name of this concierge service. Customers pay only the retail
costs of the goods and services requested, and Vanderbilt Valet charges no fees and accepts no tips.
There are two campus locations and VUMC employees and students can also request services anytime
over the Web. The most common types of services that the Valet handles include providing discount
movie tickets, car washing and detailing, car repairs and oil changes, dry cleaning, postage and jewelry
repair. The goal of the program is to raise employee satisfaction and lower costs associated with
employee turnover. Since its inception in July 2004, approximately 5,100 valet services have been
provided to Vanderbilt employees.
Adoption Benefit
Vanderbilt University offers an adoption assistance benefit to eligible employees. Employees with at
least one year of continuous service in a regular, full-time position are eligible for reimbursement of up
to $3,000 for expenses related to the adoption process.
Short-term Disability
Effective April 2004, Vanderbilt University offers employees a Voluntary Short-term Disability Plan
through The Hartford. The Plan replaces a portion (66%) of the insured’s income if they are disabled
and unable to work. There are two options available; a 15-calendar day wait and a 30-calendar day
wait. The program is designed to work in conjunction the existing Long-term Disability Plan.
Tuition Benefit
Vanderbilt offers tuition benefits for regular or term full-time staff, spouses/domestic partners, and
dependent children. Vanderbilt discounts 70% of tuition for staff to take one undergraduate, graduate,
or professional course per semester at Vanderbilt University and waives tuition for Vanderbilt courses
that are audited. For courses taken at another accredited college or university, Vanderbilt reimburses
staff members 70% of tuition for one course per semester.
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For employee’s spouses or domestic partners who enroll in Vanderbilt courses, Vanderbilt provides
tuition assistance of 47%.
The dependent tuition benefit is distinctive in that it provides up to 70% of Vanderbilt’s tuition cost for
a dependent to attend any accredited undergraduate program of their choice. In the academic year
2004-05, Vanderbilt paid $8,807,227 to employees for dependent post-secondary education.
Vanderbilt pays tuition for employee’s dependent children to attend undergraduate courses based on
the following criteria:
y Staff become eligible for the benefit after five years of continuous full-time employment.
y The child must be enrolled in undergraduate courses, leading to the student’s first baccalaureate
degree.
y Vanderbilt will pay the college or university that the child attends 70% of the charge for tuition, up
to an amount equal to 70% of what Vanderbilt would charge for similar-level coursework.
y Each eligible dependent child may receive tuition assistance for up to eight academic semesters or
12 academic quarters of undergraduate courses.
Domestic Partner Benefits
When a staff member wishes to obtain Vanderbilt University benefits for his/her same-gender
domestic partner or a dependent of a domestic partner, the staff member must complete and register
the “Vanderbilt University and Medical Center Statement of Domestic Partnership” with the office of
the Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources and attend a certification meeting with the
Director of Benefits. Once certified, the employee can enroll his/her domestic partner and dependents
in the benefits.
HEALTH
Plus
HEALTH Plus is Vanderbilt’s comprehensive worksite wellness and fitness program, which consists of
a fully-equipped fitness center (complete with pool, health assessments, special programs, and events).
All program components support the HEALTH Plus mission to promote healthy lifestyle practices in
the workplace and at home among Vanderbilt faculty and staff. Any full-time permanent faculty or
staff member who is eligible for the Vanderbilt health plan and completes a Health Risk Assessment
may participate in HEALTH Plus wellness and fitness programs free of charge. Other campus-wide
activities, such as National Employee Health and Fitness Day activities, are available to all faculty and
staff.
Sporting Events and Performances
Whether it’s Vanderbilt Commodore football tickets or Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville,
Vanderbilt employees enjoy many discounts throughout the year for performances and sporting
events. Discounted ticket offers are advertised via email and events are described on the University
online calendar. Also, each May, Vanderbilt hosts “Symphony on the Lawn”—a free performance by
the Nashville Symphony for faculty, staff, families and friends.
Occupational Health Clinic
The Occupational Health Clinic is an on-campus clinic that is available for a number of services
including prevention programs, medical surveillance for those working in areas with identified
hazards, a walk-in clinic for evaluation and treatment of work-related injuries and illnesses, and
scheduled appointments for acute primary care.
VFAM Program
The Vanderbilt Family Appointment Program (VFAM) offers medical appointments for the treatment
of acute and chronic conditions to Vanderbilt University and Medical Center faculty and staff and their
immediate family members within 48 hours of placing a phone call for an appointment.
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On-Campus Child Care & Support
Vanderbilt offers two on-campus early childhood education and care centers. The total capacity is
approximately 210 and children ages six-weeks through five-years-old are served at both locations. Due
to the close proximity of the centers, parents are able to visit their child(ren) throughout the day or
respond quickly to an illness or emergency.
In addition to our on-campus facilities, a Family Services Coordinator was recently hired to assist
families in locating local care facilities, not only for preschoolers, but also for school-age children,
spouses and parents. As the University and Medical Center have expanded, so has the demand for on-
campus early childhood education and care. Because of this, plans are currently being considered for a
third on-campus site.
Summer Camps
Parents of school-age children are offered an array of sports, music, academic and recreational summer
camps in convenient on-campus locations. Staffed by Vanderbilt coaches, musicians, scholars and
others, most camps offer discounts to Vanderbilt employees. Camps include basketball, football, soccer,
tennis, children’s chorus, Kindermusik, “Girls and Science,” and CampVandy, a day camp with
emphasis on fun and participation. And, in its 38
th
year, the Vanderbilt Swim School offers swim
lessons to children and adults of all ages and swimming abilities. All of these programs are available to
community members as well as Vanderbilt faculty and staff.
3d. Programs Promoting Work/Life Balance
Flexible Nurse Scheduling Options
Nursing leaders at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt have been thinking out of
the box as they look for new ways to attract and retain the best nurses in the business, despite an aging
nursing workforce and a nationwide nursing shortage. “We’ve tried some unique shifts, especially in
the intensive care units over the years, and that’s been very successful, so we decided to offer new
options on some of other areas,” said Pat Givens, Assistant Hospital Director, Nursing and Clinical
Services, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.
”We found that many of our nurses have a commute of an hour or longer, to and from work,” Givens
said. “If you add that kind of commute to a 12-hour day and home responsibilities, that’s a long day.
We know from other industries, like the aviation industry, that there is a link between performance,
safety and extended work hours. It is evident that we need to try to offer flexible work hours and shifts
for both the benefit of patients and employees.”
There are four- and six-hour shifts available to meet the needs of nurses who are trying to work around
a home life and other responsibilities. There is also a “WOW” shift. This shift is another family-friendly
choice. It stands for ‘work on weekends,’ and is designed to suit the needs of nurses who want to be at
home during the week for a variety of reasons. This option involves a 12-hour shift, including extra pay
in the form of a weekend differential.
The nursing turnover rate at the Medical Center is currently 11%, whereas the national average is 18%,
but Givens would like to see that rate dip even further at the Children’s Hospital.
Work/Life Connections–EAP
The Vanderbilt Work/Life Connections–Employee Assistance Program is a benefit aimed at supporting
faculty and staff in their efforts to balance the competing demands of home and work life. Services
include counseling, referrals to community resources, and departmental workshops on stress, change,
anger, depression, parenting, and grief. Approximately one-quarter of our adult lives are spent in our
workplace environment. Given the significant life investment we have in our workplace, it is important
that it be a place where employees experience professional success, personal balance and opportunities
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for choices and resources. In this world of increasing demands on our time and energy, there is a
challenge of balancing daily responsibilities between work and home. The Work/Life Connections–
Employee Assistance Program provides several unique programs and services for the University and
Medical Center.
Physician’s Wellness Program
The Vanderbilt University Medical Center Medical Board established the Physician Wellness
Committee in 1999 to develop and implement a comprehensive program of education and prevention
strategies to complement the established procedures of the Employee Assistance Program. The
Committee addresses the needs of physicians whose lives and professional activities are adversely
affected by stress, fatigue, and inadequate support systems and seeks to advance the emotional and
physical health of physicians throughout the VUMC. The Physician’s Wellness Program within
Work/Life Connections–EAP was created because the practice of medicine today is fast-paced, highly
technical, and extremely demanding on the mental, emotional, and physical resources of physicians.
The Physician’s Wellness Program provides identification, treatment, and re-entry of physicians
impaired by physical handicaps, alcohol or drug problems, or mental and emotional difficulties that
may affect professional skills and judgment.
Nurse Wellness Program
The Nurse Wellness Committee began in April 2002 in response to previous work related to the quality
of work life and nurse retention. The Committee serves as an advisory board to the Nurse Wellness
Program. The job demands on nurses expose them to a number of stresses that affect their emotional
well being. In addition to workplace stress, nurses also experience personal stresses, depression,
anxiety, family pressures, relationship or marital conflicts, addiction, loss and other significant
problems. While struggling to provide the highest possible care for their patients, nurses need to focus
on the need to care for themselves as caregivers. Nurses are used to helping others but often neglect to
care for themselves. Some resist taking the time to focus on their own problems or feel embarrassed
seeking assistance for their own needs. The Nurse Wellness Program offers both proactive services
such as health and productivity workshops that focus on issues such as stress management, managing
change, parenting and eldercare issues as well individual counseling services in response to problems
or personal issues.
Critical Incident Stress Management
Work/Life Connections–EAP coordinates crisis intervention services and critical incident stress
management (CISM) services for the Vanderbilt community. A critical incident is defined as “any event
with significant power strong enough to produce unusual or distressing emotional symptoms such as
an accident, injury, death, disaster, threat or act of violence, or other traumatic events at the
workplace.” Vanderbilt facilitators who respond to critical incidents affecting faculty/staff have
experience in CISM techniques such as defusing, debriefing, crisis intervention, and have an
understanding of the Vanderbilt community. These proactive intervention tools help faculty and staff
better deal with emotionally charged events.
Stress Management
There is no formula or easy ‘quick fix’ when dealing with stress. Stress management is a highly
personal process that takes effort and planning. Within the Vanderbilt community, there are a number
of resources aimed at helping students, faculty, and staff better manage stress.
y Work/Life Connections–EAP offers both individualized counseling and departmental in-service
workshops on stress and dealing with change. Workshops are also provided through the HEALTH
Plus health promotion program and the Human Resources Organizational Effectiveness team.
Another stress reduction method in use at Vanderbilt is a relaxation chair available for faculty and
staff.
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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y The Kim Dayani Center offers a 10-week series on Stress and Anger Management facilitated by a
psychologist who focuses on lifestyle and behavioral changes.
y The Kim Dayani Center offers massage therapy as a stress management service.
y There is an annual “Stress Fest” that promotes campus services and international techniques for
relieving stress. Stress reduction through chair massage, Tai-Chi, Zen meditation, nutrition, and
yoga is demonstrated.
y HEALTH Plus offers a fully-equipped exercise facility, daily exercise classes, and individualized
exercise prescriptions by an exercise professional.
y The Department of Pastoral Care offers chapel worship services, spiritual retreats, and chapels or
gardens for meditation opportunities.
MyVandy
MyVandy provides secure, online access to up-to-date information and reports that are beneficial to
faculty and staff. The main page is customizable, with a ‘personal’ and ‘public’ section, so users can
format and use the areas that are most beneficial to their jobs and personal preferences.
In the personal area, users can customize the view to show only the reports, documents and Web sites
they want to see. The public area contains information that is ‘pushed’ out to users depending on: 1) the
documents that they have authority to view; and 2) the expiration date on the documents.
Examples of information available are departmental directories, Outlook e-mail, training presentations,
the Hospital Policy Manual and a calendar. The public area also contains links to online Communities.
Communities allow groups of users to collaborate in a secure and structured area. Only the
communities users are a member of will be displayed in their public area.
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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4a. Total Compensation
Vanderbilt University maintains and administers a state-of-the-art compensation program that attracts,
rewards and retains an exceptional workforce. The program balances internal equity and market
competitiveness. Jobs of like responsibility and labor market conditions are paid within comparable
pay ranges/grades based on evaluation of each job and relevant market data. Individuals with
comparable backgrounds (experience, skills, ability, and education) are hired at comparable rates for
the same or a similar job classification. Our annual increase program is designed each year in support
of the overall philosophy. Performance evaluation is a driving component of the program.
Our compensation program is continuously evaluated and revised as needed to ensure that the
intended objectives are met. Annually, and more frequently for specific classifications as required,
Human Resources receives and analyzes relevant market data to compare the competitiveness of
Vanderbilt salaries against the market. Market surveys determine rates paid by competitors for similar
jobs. Vanderbilt’s goal is to be competitive in the markets in which it competes.
Vanderbilt compares average salaries in the market to its pay range midpoints. The market is defined
by the industry(ies) and region(s) in which we compete for qualified applicants. Market adjustments
may be recommended for jobs with high turnover or low supply of qualified applicants.
Although employees do not have established earning limits, jobs at Vanderbilt do have limits in terms
of their minimum and maximum market value. Education, experience, performance, and proficiency
drive where individual employees fall within a range. An employee who meets minimum requirements
and is at or near minimum qualifications is paid at or near range minimum. On the other hand, an
employee with significant experience and expertise in a position who has a fully satisfactory
performance record is paid in the upper portion of the range. The midpoint (middle) of the range is
designed for employees who are fully proficient in their roles.
Vanderbilt University employees help make the Medical Center more successful, and when our bottom
line grows successfully, we use a portion of the additional funds to increase compensation of our staff
through a formal success-sharing initiative.
The Vanderbilt University Retirement Plan, a 403b-defined contribution program, offers tax deferral to
all employees. An institutional match of 3% or 5% of salary is provided for regular faculty and staff
working over 1,000 hours after the first year of service. Contributions are 100% immediately vested and
may be invested at the employee’s direction in one of four investment companies (TIAA-CREF,
Vanguard, AIG-VALIC, and Fidelity). This benefit is rich in local and regional markets in which we
compete and meets national market competition.
The combination of base pay and success-sharing helps to ensure our compensation program achieves
its stated objectives of paying competitively, rewarding performance and sharing our successes with
our employees. When combined with our benefits package, we provide a highly attractive total
compensation package to our employees.
4b. Diversity Programs
Vanderbilt University is more than an institution of higher learning: it is a community. A community of
individuals who may come from diverse backgrounds, but who come to the table with one desire—to
help make Vanderbilt better than it was the day before.
Section Four: Fairness
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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New: Project OPPORTUNITY
Project OPPORTUNITY is a new initiative developed by Vanderbilt University Medical Center leaders
to provide educational, developmental, and employment opportunities within the medical center to
individuals with disabilities. The initial pilot project will begin in the Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s
Hospital at Vanderbilt. Through a partnership with a coordinating community rehabilitation firm,
Community Options, program participants will receive on-site education and on-the-job training for
positions adapted to meet participants’ developmental and functional needs. Throughout their
experience in the program, participants will be provided ongoing job coaching to ensure their
continued success at Vanderbilt on an extended basis.
Project OPPORTUNITY will begin as an educational “work-based learning” extension of Williamson
County’s Transition Program. As part of the participants’ educational development, the Williamson
County School District will transport participants to and from the hospital, where they will receive a
mixture of classroom instruction and on-the-job training that will prepare the participants for
assignments in various areas of a health care facility.
Vanderbilt Wins Academy for Women of Achievement Award
Vanderbilt’s recruitment and outreach efforts, upward mobility options, family leave provisions, child
care, prenatal care policies and policies on sexual harassment were highlighted in the application that
won the 2004 YWCA Nashville Corporate Award for demonstrating a commitment to assist the entry,
career advancement and working conditions for women employees. The YWCA awards companies
that have programs or policies that have removed barriers that delay or diminish women’s
opportunities.
Opportunity Development Center
In conjunction with Vanderbilt’s mission, goals, and values, the Opportunity Development Center
(ODC) serves as one of the University’s catalysts in promoting diversity and equality in employment,
in educating the Vanderbilt community on the laws and policies regarding equal opportunity and
affirmative action, and in developing and enhancing the University’s commitment to diversity and
inclusiveness through various programs and activities. The ODC strives to provide a respectful and
welcoming environment for faculty, staff, students, and external constituents.
Mission Statement and Major Functions of the ODC
The ODC’s core values are diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusiveness. We incorporate these core
values by taking a proactive stance in assisting the University with the interpretation, understanding
and application of federal and state laws and regulations that impose special obligations in the areas of
equal opportunity and affirmative action. The mission is supported by the ODC’s commitment to
continuously develop, implement, evaluate, and revise as necessary action-oriented programs aimed at
promoting and valuing diversity in the University’s faculty, staff, and student body.
With the mission clearly defined, the major functions of the ODC include:
y Serving as a source of information and assistance for Vanderbilt’s faculty, staff, and students who
have questions or complaints pertaining to equal opportunity in employment practices or in
University-sponsored programs, activities, and/or educational opportunities.
y Coordinating disability services and monitoring accessibility of University programs, activities,
and buildings for the University and Medical Center community and campus visitors.
y Coordinating and monitoring the University’s compliance with equal opportunity laws and
affirmative action guidelines.
y Keep the University Administration informed of its obligations under state and federal equal
opportunity laws.
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Affirmative Action and Diversity Initiative Awards Program
Held annually, this program recognizes individuals and/or groups who have demonstrated exemplary
efforts in support of the University’s commitment to affirmative action and diversity. The areas of
recognition include hiring, programming, special events, employee relations, or other appropriate
facets of equity, diversity, and affirmative action.
The ODC is also available to provide training and counseling to departments and individuals on an
informal and confidential basis.
Office of International Services
Vanderbilt houses its own Office of International Services (OIS) providing non-immigrant visa services
and comprehensive employment immigration advising. OIS provides in-house advising and services
for H-1B, TN-1, and O-1 petitions for temporary employment and maintains a caseload of around 600
active cases. OIS also coordinates sponsorship for permanent residency petitions based on
employment. OIS has recently relocated to a new suite of offices dedicated to international support
services. Other services provided by other departments within the suite are immigration and
programming services for international students and visiting scholars and Vanderbilt’s Study Abroad
program for students leaving the U.S. to study overseas. The collaborative atmosphere of these services
has been enhanced through centralization of these services and provides the Vanderbilt community
with a highly visible international center. OIS has implemented new systems and programs to keep
Vanderbilt abreast of rapidly changing regulatory frameworks affecting international employment.
International academic exchange is critical to excellence in research and OIS, as a division of Human
Resources, ensures a smooth transition and stay for foreign national faculty and staff joining the
Vanderbilt Community.
Associate Dean of Diversity
George C. Hill, Ph.D., former professor of microbiology at Meharry Medical College, is the Associate
Dean for Diversity for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Hill oversees efforts to promote
Vanderbilt as a “receptive, positive environment” for minority faculty, house staff, students and
patients. He reports directly to Dr. Steven G. Gabbe, Dean of the School of Medicine.
Dean Gabbe has been committed to increasing diversity in medical education for many years. He said
he wanted the efforts at Vanderbilt to be expanded, and to be led by someone at a senior level. “We are
one of a rather small number of schools that have placed this leadership at the associate dean level,” he
said. “There are data that show if you train medical students from under-represented minorities, they
go out and care for patients from under-represented minority populations and they improve the health
of those populations,” Gabbe said. “One of our major concerns is the disparity in the outcome of
important diseases like cancer and diabetes. We think this is one way to address that problem.”
VUSN’s Leader of Cultural Diversity
Jana Lauderdale, Ph.D., R.N., has been named the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s first
Assistant Dean for Cultural Diversity. Lauderdale has worked with VUSN for a number of years as an
advisor on cultural diversity issues that affect nursing education, and will continue to build on the
work that has already been taking place. 15% of master’s students and 19% of doctoral students at
VUSN are minorities, representing Asian, African American, Native American, Hispanic, and several
other ethnicities. VUSN is also home to 10 international students from seven different countries.
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Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center
The Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center advances equity at Vanderbilt, and in the larger
community, through advocacy, education, and empowerment.
In fulfilling their mission, the Women’s Center:
y Creates a space for the community of women to gather, nurture, and support one another.
y Increases awareness of the impact of the social construction of gender on the lives of women and
men.
y Invites women and men to engage in meaningful dialogue and to model equitable relationship
patterns.
y Advocates for inclusive policies and procedures throughout the university.
y Celebrates women’s achievements.
y Develops and present programs that provide scholarly research about women and women’s issues,
enhance women’s practical skills, and foster women’s creative expression.
y Provides the information and tools needed to empower women to take action on their own behalf.
y Provides the information and tools needed to empower men to be allies for women.
y Collaborates with campus and community groups in advancing the equality of women.
y Includes the input, needs and interests of women of all racial and ethnic groups, ages, sexual
orientations, abilities, and spiritual traditions.
The Women’s Center’s programs and services are open to students, faculty and staff, as well as
interested members of the local community.
Interpreter Services
Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Interpreter Services Office was created to provide timely,
professional interpreter services to all Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients and families. The
Interpreter Services Office will coordinate translation of forms that must be presented in languages
other than English in order to fulfill VUMC’s responsibilities to its patients and to comply with all
applicable laws. Such forms and other documents include but are not limited to consent forms,
statements about patients’ rights and responsibilities, forms recording the patients’ diagnosis,
prognosis, treatment, and/or discharge plan. The Office handles translations needed in Arabic,
Croatian, Japanese, Korean, Kurdish, Laotian, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Vegetarian Options
In an effort to meet the needs of its diverse employee body, Vanderbilt continues to make inroads to
better serve its vegetarian and vegan population. On the University campus, many of the dining halls
offer vegetarian entrees with their menus and these facilities are open to faculty and staff, not just
students. In the Medical Center, the main cafeteria boasts a salad bar and other vegetarian options
including a spicy tofu dish at the popular Chinese food bar. There are also vegetarian offerings at the
restaurants in Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.
The Vanderbilt campus is also home to Grin’s restaurant, located in the Jewish Student Union. This
kosher-vegetarian restaurant not only serves the observant Jewish population, but is a favorite among
the vegetarian, vegan, (and non-vegetarian), faculty and staff. All of their offerings are animal product-
free, making it a place where vegetarians can eat without asking about food ingredients.
It is a Vanderbilt tradition to give all faculty and staff a holiday turkey in the period between
Thanksgiving and Christmas. In a move to honor the vegetarians among the staff, in 2004 Vanderbilt
began distributing tofurkey box suppers as an alternative gift. Vegetarians took full advantage of this
offering, and were glad to receive a food item that they could use. The box suppers included not only a
tofurkey for 6, but stuffing, dumplings, and a “tofurkey jerky drumstick.”
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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4c. Appeals Process
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy
The University’s Administrative Review and Dispute Resolution Policies provide avenues for
employees to address concerns that effect their employment. The Dispute Resolution Policy outlines
steps for resolving a dispute. The Policy explains that the first step is a departmental/supervisor
meeting and if no resolution is reached, the employee is asked to contact the Employee Relations
department for assistance with additional steps to resolve the issue. The Opportunity Development
Center (ODC) is the contact department for complaints or concerns that involve potential unlawful
discrimination covered under our Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Policy and our Anti-
Harassment Policy. The ODC Web site includes links to policies and information on how to file a
complaint.
Benefits Appeals Process
If a faculty or staff member wishes to appeal a decision concerning their benefits, including health and
dental insurance, life insurance, or personal spending accounts, a Benefits Office customer service
representative would refer the employee to the Benefits Administration Appeals Committee.
Submitting an appeal to the Committee is a simple process that includes writing a letter or email and
submitting supporting documentation to the Director of Benefits. The Appeals Committee meets on an
as-needed basis to review appeals. Decisions are based on federal guidelines and plan documents for
the Vanderbilt Group Health Plan for Faculty and Staff.
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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5a. Employees’ Pride in Vanderbilt
Hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans and worldwide visitors come to Vanderbilt each year for health
services, to attend sporting events, plays, concerts, art exhibits, movies, lectures, and other cultural
events open to the community. The University’s impact is greatly extended by the 43,132 Vanderbilt
alumni, staff, faculty, and students who live, work and participate in civic and community life. In fact,
there are approximately 1,725 Vanderbilt alumni working at Vanderbilt today.
New: VCH Ranks #8 Among Children’s Hospital’s in the U.S.
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt ranked #8 among the nation’s children’s hospitals
and #7 in the care of children with cancer by Child magazine in 2005, one year after the hospital’s grand
opening in February 2004.
Among the reasons given by Child magazine for VCH to earn this prestigious ranking:
y VCH houses an International Adoption Clinic that evaluates medical and developmental problems
among internationally adopted children, counsels adoptive parents, and screens pre-adoption
records
y VCH is one of only six U.S. hospitals that belong to the Congenital Heart Disease Resource Services
Network
y VCH has an impressive epilepsy program and is testing new drugs to treat the disease
y VCH sponsors a summer camp for autistic kids; American Idol star Clay Aiken recently gave the
program a $20,000 donation
Also from Child magazine’s Web site:
There’s no doubt that this 660,000-square-foot hospital for kids, which opened last year, is gorgeous: A
bronze sculpture depicting a circle of kids holding hands stands near the front entrance. The entry
staircase resembles a waterfall. The second floor has a movie theater complete with surround sound.
One child described being in the colorful interior as “walking through a rainbow.”
But the new hospital also offers medical advantages. The oncology unit has a special air filter so
children receiving bone marrow transplants can roam the entire area rather than being restricted to
their rooms for three months, as they are in some pediatric centers. The neonatal intensive care unit
features private rooms, something virtually unheard of in children’s hospitals. And all rooms are
equipped with removable electronic booms that are used to connect IV lines, oxygen tanks, and other
equipment the patient needs. “If a patient has to be moved, we can take the boom rather than
disconnecting and re-inserting all the lines,” explains CEO Jim Shmerling. “This reduces the amount of
needles kids need and the chance of infection.”
When the announcement of the ranking was made to faculty and staff of VCH, the entire facility was
buzzing with excitement. VCH’s canine mascot “Champ” joined CEO Jim Shmerling on the fun and
enthusiasm when the hospital hosted a party for faculty and staff where refreshments were served and
ID-badge add-on cards noting “Ranked one of the 10 Best Children’s Hospitals in America by Child
Magazine” were distributed.
Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital lives by the principal of “family-centered care” and all VCH faculty and
staff participate in FOCUS training (see Professional Training and Personal Growth section on page 12).
The hospital is designed with our very special patients and their families in mind. We are sensitive to
the fact that many people are involved in the healing process of a child, not just medical professionals,
Section Five: Pride
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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but family, friends, and the patients themselves. We believe when a family is intricately involved in
medical care, kids do better.
New: Children’s Hospital Annual Report Receives Award
The first-ever annual report for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt received top
honors from the League of American Communications Professionals’ 2004 Vision Awards. The annual
report, titled “Our Hospital,” earned the only Platinum Award in the health care class. More than 1,400
entries from 17 countries were sent in to the overall competition.
New: On the Road to Magnet Status
Vanderbilt University Medical Center could soon hold one of the highest honors an organization can
receive for nursing care, as hospital administrators continue working toward applying for and earning
Magnet Recognition. The American Nurses Credentialing Center created the Magnet Recognition
Program
®
to recognize health care organizations offering the highest level of nursing care, based on
quality indicators and standards of nursing practice. Acting like a magnet, the program is thought to
attract and retain the top nurses in their field. Magnet hospitals are held as the gold standard by which
nursing and patient care is measured in the United States. The Magnet application covers nearly 100
criteria points, with an onsite visit of all areas of operation. Previous research shows hospitals with the
Magnet honor tend to attract and retain the most elite and well-rounded nurses and other health care
providers. Retaining experienced and highly skilled nursing staff has been shown to be directly linked
with positive patient outcomes, which explains why previous research has shown hospitals with
Magnet status report lower mortality rates, a shorter length of hospital stay, and fewer reports of
patient falls. Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s site visit and final efforts to earn the Magnet honor
will take place at the end of 2005.
New: Tennessee Nurses Association “Employer of the Year”
The Department of Nursing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center was named “Employer of the
Year” by the Tennessee Nurses Association. The award is given to a health care agency that recognizes
and supports the instrumental role registered nurses play in the delivery of quality health care to the
people of Tennessee. The criteria for the award highlighted many of the strengths that Vanderbilt has:
clinical quality, strong recruitment and retention, decision-making, leadership, collaboration and
innovation.
New: Emergency Department Renovation
Started in December 2003 and completed in April 2005, the Vanderbilt Emergency Department has
expanded from 16, 400 square feet and 27 beds to 33, 900 square feet and 43 beds. Employees at every
level including physicians, environmental services, nurses, and patient registration were involved in
the design of the renovated space. The people who actually do the work were the decision-makers
regarding how the space would be redesigned and utilized. Important to the employees was the ability
to treat more patients more efficiently while maintaining patient privacy.
Also important to the employees was the ability to “get away” but not “be away.” Originally, the
architects had suggested an employee break room that was in a corner of the new space. The
employees objected saying that they wanted to have a place to take a break, but they wanted it to be
centrally located so the employee break room is now in the middle of the ED. At employees’ request,
the break room is accented by a commercial size refrigerator so lunches/snacks are always close at
hand.
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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New: Student Life Center
The Vanderbilt Student Life Center opened in April 2005 and features over 18,000 square feet of event
space, the Career Center, Study Abroad offices, International Student and Scholar Services, Office of
International Services, Office of Honor Scholarships, and Pre-Health Professions Advisory Office.
“The project is a direct response to the wishes of our students,” said Chancellor Gordon Gee. “They
have told us that their No. 1 priority is the development of a large social space on campus.” With
adjoining catering space, the hall will be able to accommodate dances, dinners and other large social
functions.
The Commodore Ballroom comprises nearly all of the first level of the Student Life Center and can
accommodate 520 people for a banquet and over 1,200 for a concert or reception. The ballroom has
state-of-the-art audio-visual technology, theatrical lighting, catering corridor, and banquet tables and
chairs. The ballroom can be divided into 3 spaces and Vanderbilt offices and groups—as well as the off-
campus community—can book the Ballroom.
The second level houses an expanded Career Center, as well as offices for pre-professional advising.
“While the centerpiece of this exciting building is the large social space dedicated to student use, what I
think is even more significant is that this project represents a partnership of many segments of the
University coming together to provide an enhanced level of service to our students,” said Steve
Caldwell, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Life.
Caring for the Uninsured
Based on the state of Tennessee’s 2003 Joint Annual Report, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
provided uncompensated care totaling $91.2 million. This represented 40% of the $210 million in
uncompensated care provided by Middle Tennessee hospitals. Uncompensated care includes charity
care and care for the medically indigent.
Electronic Medical Records Innovations
Vanderbilt has a national reputation as a leader in creation and utilization of electronic medical record
systems. Under an initiative called E3, Vanderbilt Medical Group and the Informatics Center worked to
remove paper-based processes from outpatient practice areas. The complete patient record (orders for
tests and drugs, clinical notes, test results, letters from referring physicians, phone messages, faxes) is
now electronic. Adding wireless capability to this initiative has promoted work/life balance, quality of
care, physician productivity and patient satisfaction.
As a testament to Vanderbilt’s national reputation in this area, President George W. Bush visited
Vanderbilt in May 2004 to participate in a discussion on electronic medical records and to observe a
demonstration of Vanderbilt’s clinical information system.
“There’s no better place to talk about health care than a place that delivers excellent health care—right
here at Vanderbilt,” Bush said. “This hospital knows how to use IT [information technology] for the
benefit of patients and docs.”
While at Vanderbilt, President Bush participated in a panel discussion titled “A Conversation on
Health Care Information Technology.” Topics discussed included Bush’s efforts to create electronic
medical records for all patients and standardize health care terminology throughout the nation’s
hospitals.
National Awards
US News and World Report’s listing of the nation’s leading graduate and professional schools (released
April 2005) contained the following Vanderbilt rankings:
y Peabody College, No. 5 among schools of education
y School of Law, No. 17 among law schools
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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y School of Medicine, No. 17 among medical schools
Additionally, US News and World Report’s health program rankings included Vanderbilt in:
y Audiology, No. 1
y Clinical Psychology, No. 14
y Nursing, No. 29
y Speech Language Pathology, No. 6
In US News and World Report’s listing of the nation’s best hospitals dated July 2005, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center was ranked in seven specialties out of the 17 that U.S. News tracks.
y Kidney Disease, No. 12
y Otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat), No. 16
y Urology, No. 17
y Respiratory Disorders, No. 17
y Cancer, No. 20
y Hormonal Disorders, No. 25
The third edition of America’s Top Doctors lists 46 VUMC physicians among its rankings.
Center for Health Services
The Center for Health Services is an outgrowth of the Appalachian Student Health Coalition, which
formed in 1969 when a group of Meharry Medical College and Vanderbilt students organized a
community outreach program led by student and community volunteers.
The Center is a group of community service projects whose goal is to support people working at the
grassroots level to take control of their physical, social, political, and environmental health. The four
main projects within the Center today are the Student Community Health Coalition, the Maternal and
Infant Health Outreach Worker Program (MIHOW), Service Training for Environmental Progress
Project (STEP), and the Community Health Emphasis Program.
National Arboretum
Located a mile and a half southwest of downtown Nashville, the Vanderbilt’s campus is a park-like
setting. Vanderbilt is home to more than 300 tree and shrub varieties and 6,400 trees and shrubs and
was designated a national arboretum in 1988 when it gained membership in the American Association
of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta after meeting requirements for record-keeping and labeling of the
tree collection. Each year, over 100 new trees are planted on campus to add new varieties and to replace
trees that die or are removed for new construction, so that the campus will always remain the oasis of
green that is so valued by our students, faculty and staff.
Historical Landmark
Buildings on the original campus date to its founding in 1873. The Peabody section of campus has been
registered a National Historic Landmark since 1966.
Dyer Observatory
Off-campus facilities include the Arthur J. Dyer Observatory, located on a 1,131-foot hill, six miles
south of campus. Dedicated in 1953, the Dyer Observatory hosts a monthly Public Night and a Youth
Night targeted to children ages 5–19, whereby the public has the opportunity to learn about astronomy.
Youth Mentoring Program
The Vanderbilt University Medical Center Youth Mentoring Program matches adult volunteers with
economically disadvantaged youth who are in need of coaching, role modeling, and emotional support.
The program utilizes a one-on-one model to provide encouragement for students to achieve academic
Vanderbilt University Culture Audit – Part 2
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success, to graduate from high school, and to be prepared for employment or post-secondary
education. The Youth Mentoring Program has entered into its 10
th
year of mentoring students at
Hillsboro and Pearl-Cohn High Schools.
Level I Trauma Center
Vanderbilt University Hospital is the only Level I Trauma Center in Middle Tennessee and meets or
exceeds all the criteria set forth by the American College of Surgeons for such designation. Providing
trauma care for 65,000 square miles, the Division of Trauma at Vanderbilt University Hospital handles
close to 3,000 acute trauma admissions annually. Essential for the quality of trauma care provided by
Vanderbilt University Hospital are its facilities. These include a 20-bed burn unit, a 31-bed integrated
Acute and Sub Acute care unit, which contains a 14 bed ICU, a 7-bed Acute Admission Area and a 10-
bed Sub-Acute unit, and LifeFlight, an active air medical transport program. The Trauma Units’ unique
geography allows close integration and management of patient progress from admission to discharge.
LifeFlight provides rapid access to the tertiary care facilities of the Trauma Center for all patients
within a 140-mile radius of Nashville. In 2004, LifeFlight further expanded their reach in Middle
Tennessee by adding three helipads in surrounding counties. With over a decade of active service, the
LifeFlight helicopters make over 2000 flights annually. In FY 2004–2005, Vanderbilt University
Medical Center provided more air-assisted emergency medical transportation than any other
hospital in the United States.
Nobel Laureates
Biomedical research at Vanderbilt has long been recognized for its contributions to the advancement of
medicine. The School of Medicine claims two Nobel Laureates, Earl Sutherland Jr. in 1971 for his
discovery of the metabolic regulating compound “cyclic AMP,” and Stanley Cohen in 1986 for his
discovery with a colleague of epidermal growth factor.
Middle Tennessee Poison Center
The Poison Center was established in 1987 by Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Tennessee Poison
Center provides poison information, referral and treatment recommendations on a 24/7 basis. It is the
only poison control center in Tennessee and it serves 5.6 million Tennessee residents and healthcare
professionals in 95 counties. Tennessee Poison Center is currently the seventh busiest poison control
center in the United States. The geographic service area of the Poison Center increased from 57
Tennessee counties to statewide coverage in 2004. Call volume has risen steadily from 11,000 in 1988 to
more than 103,000 in 2004. Approximately 7,000 patients are referred to health care facilities each year.
Also, in 2004, more than 700,000 pieces of poison prevention literature were distributed to Tennessee
residents. Tennessee Poison Center is a Statewide Poison Control Center designated by the Tennessee
Department of Health and the American Association of Poison Control Centers. Tennessee Poison
Center depends on community support to provide its vital programs. It receives institutional support
from Vanderbilt University Medical Center and receives additional funding from area hospitals,
Tennessee Department Health, federal and private sources and public philanthropy.
Cancer Center
The Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) continues to be recognized as a leader in cancer
prevention, care and research. In 2004, the VICC ranked among the top cancer centers in the country in
a survey by U.S. News and World Report. The VICC is currently ranked No. 20 in the nation. VICC’s
seven research programs unite over 100 independent cancer research laboratories and more than 300
research projects throughout the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. As one of a select group of
National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center is a recognized
leader in cancer research, treatment and prevention. The VICC treats about 25% of all cancer patients in
the Middle Tennessee region, nearly 40% of all Tennessee pediatric cancer patients, and evaluates one-
fourth of all leukemia cases in the state.
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Hospitality House
Vanderbilt staff and faculty proudly get involved in meeting community needs. The Vanderbilt
Transplant Center and the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in collaboration with Nashville’s
Hospitality House, kicked off a campaign this past fall to raise funds for a 46-unit, $2.5 million housing
facility to serve transplant patients and their families. This expanded facility opened in the spring of
2004. Although the facility houses a large portion of Vanderbilt’s patient/families, it will continue to be
available and used by any patient, no matter the hospital affiliation, seeking respite in the Nashville
area.
VIPPS
Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies (VIPPS) is Vanderbilt’s “think tank.” It is the place where
faculty from different disciplines and schools work together to apply theory to real world policy
problems. The public policy research undertaken at VIPPS addresses issues of laws, regulations,
programs, and services, and focuses on such “real world” problems and issues as health care,
education, social services, environment, mental health, and economic development. In a typical year,
the institute will have 40 to 50 active research projects under way.
VIPPS operates through nine centers named for their major research interests: Child and Family Policy;
Crime and Justice Policy; Environmental Management; Evaluation Research and Methodology; Health
Policy; Mental Health Policy; Psychotherapy Research and Policy; State and Local Policy; and U.S.-
Japan Studies and Cooperation. Each center is led by a member of the faculty and has associated with it
other faculty fellows and senior fellows, research associates and assistants, and support staff.
First Amendment Center
The First Amendment Center works to preserve and protect First Amendment freedoms through
information and education. The center serves as a forum for the study and exploration of free-
expression issues, including freedom of speech, of the press and of religion, the right to assemble and
petition the government. The First Amendment Center, with offices at Vanderbilt University in
Nashville, Tennessee, and Arlington, Virginia, is an independent affiliate of The Freedom Forum,
which is also located in Nashville. Its affiliation with Vanderbilt University is through the Vanderbilt
Institute for Public Policy Studies.
Distinguished Alumni
Vanderbilt’s 110,000 alumni live in all 50 states and 139 foreign countries. They contribute significantly
to all spheres of society. Alumni include:
y U.S. Senate Majority Leader William H. Frist, M.D.
y the Reverend Edward A. Malloy, former president of the University of Notre Dame
y former U.S. Vice-President Albert Gore, Jr., his wife Tipper Gore, and his mother Pauline Gore
y the late novelist and poet Robert Penn Warren
y former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson
y the late Susan Gray, pioneer in early childhood education whose work pointed the way toward the
creation of Head Start
y former U.S. Senator and Ambassador to China Jim Sasser and his wife Mary Sasser
y former U.S. Secretary of Education and former Tennessee Governor Lamar Alexander
y Justices of the U.S. 6
th
Circuit Court of Appeals Martha Craig Daughtrey and Gilbert Merritt
y recording artist Amy Grant
y Dr. Norman Shumway heart transplant pioneer
y Roy Blount, Jr., author and humorist
y Professor Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank
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5b. Company-sponsored Philanthropic Programs
American Heart Walk
The American Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s (AHA) national walking and
fundraising event. It teaches the benefits of a heart-healthy activity and raises money to fund the
research and educational programs of the AHA. The October 2004 event marked the 7
th
year that
Vanderbilt has hosted the Heart Walk in Nashville welcoming 10,000 area walkers to campus. 1,200
Vanderbilt walkers raised over $225,000. Nashville topped the national charity list of fundraisers by
raising over $1.2 million dollars. This phenomenal outcome was made possible because of the hard
work, dedication and support of the Vanderbilt community.
United Way Community Giving Campaign
Vanderbilt consistently leads all private universities in the country in support of the United Way and
combined charities. Last year, Vanderbilt employees contributed over $897,000 in the university’s
Community Giving Campaign, leading all schools in the Southeastern Conference, and most
colleges and universities nationwide.
Financial Support in the Community
In addition, Vanderbilt contributed over $887,000 in cash and in-kind donations to more than 150
community agencies and programs. These donations included $50,000 in support of the American
Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge, $10,000 to the Walk to D’Feet ALS, $25,000 to the Boy Scouts of Middle
Tennessee, and $5,000 to the Community Foundation’s Women’s Fund.
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6a. Company-Encouraged Fun and Camaraderie
Employee Celebration Month
Employee Celebration Month is held each September and is a huge success on campus. The month is
designed to honor the dedication and commitment of Vanderbilt employees; to recognize employees
with significant anniversaries; to deliver a program that supports Vanderbilt’s desire to become an
Employer of Choice; and, to do all of this in a method that allows both campuses to celebrate as one.
The Employee Celebration Month committee led the planning and implementation of a calendar full of
daily activities. From the Kick-Off Celebration with music and dancing to the Finale Event featuring a
concert by Billy Dean and Linda Davis, the month was filled with activity. The topics of sessions
ranged from Football 101, learning how to use your digital camera, to interpreting the 2004 Presidential
and Congressional elections. Just after three years, this event has become tradition with faculty and
staff looking forward to the month full of many educational and entertaining events.
Some of the events:
y “Oh Say Can You Sing” — Employees auditioned to determine who would sing the National
Anthem at the Tailgate football game.
y “Tuneful Tuesday” — Each Tuesday a variety of musical performances were planned that included
Vanderbilt staff and faculty.
y “Evening at Dyer Observatory” — staff and faculty took advantage of visiting Vanderbilt’s
observatory to hear about missions to Mars and shuttle experiences.
y “Taste at Vandy” — For $1.00 admission, local restaurants provided samples of their popular
dishes. $847 was raised to benefit the Vanderbilt Faculty/Staff Hardship Fund.
y “Yes, Your Teen is Crazy” — A professional on dealing with teens drew a full house to discuss the
function of the adolescent brain and its effect on parents.
y Softball tournament — 16 teams participated in our annual softball tournament.
y “Fun Run/Walk” — Faculty and staff took a scenic trip through our campus while participating in
this fundraising event. Over $800 was raised for the Vanderbilt Faculty/Staff Hardship Fund.
Vanderbilt Faculty/Staff Hardship Fund
The Vanderbilt Faculty/Staff Hardship Fund is supported by donations from faculty and staff
members with matching funds provided by the University. It is a means for “colleagues to help
colleagues.” Since its inception in 1994, Vanderbilt has offered a resource that helps faculty and staff
deal with emergency events (e.g., the death of a loved one, a fire, an acute illness) that can cause
unexpected financial hardship. The Vanderbilt Faculty/Staff Hardship Fund is administered by a
committee of Vanderbilt employees who volunteer their time to review the applications weekly and
match them with the established criteria so that the approval or denial of requests is consistent.
Applications are made thorough Work/Life Connections–EAP, and counselors serve as a liaison
between the applicant and the committee.
In 2004–05, emotional support was provided to 141 applicants and financial gifts to 76 employees who
met the criteria for the Fund. The average disbursement was $462. Another 137 employees received an
emergency gift card for groceries. The total amount of the gifts exceeded $43,000 (donated by fellow
employees with University matching dollars).
The Holiday “Adopt a Vanderbilt Family” Elf Program: During the 2004 Holiday season, 43 Vanderbilt
departments provided gifts for 30 Vanderbilt families in need which included gifts for 112 children
their parents. The recipient’s confidentiality was protected via the Work/Life Connections-EAP office
Section Six: Camaraderie
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staff who served as liaison between the departments and families. Gifts were carefully matched to the
children based on a wish list submitted by the parent.
The Vanderbilt faculty and staff are truly generous and concerned about the welfare of their colleagues
in need.
Founder’s Walk
Founder’s Walk occurs in August during student orientation and is Vanderbilt’s formal welcome of
new students to the University community. It begins with a procession of all incoming students
through the West End Avenue gates of the University and as students march through the Kirkland
esplanade, cheering students, faculty, and staff welcome them to Vanderbilt. Founder’s Walk includes a
program on Curry Field and then new students and the entire University community are invited to
gather on Alumni Lawn for free food and music.
The Party
The Party is an outdoor dance event to celebrate each year’s graduating class. The Vanderbilt
community—graduating students, parents, friends, alumni, faculty and staff—gather to extend a
festive farewell to the outgoing students. With a huge dance floor, free soft drinks, snack foods, and
cash bars, The Party is the place each May that the Vanderbilt community kicks off three days of
commencement festivities.
Tailgate
Each autumn, prior to one of our home football games, Vanderbilt University sponsors Tailgate.
Faculty and staff can bring their families for lunch or an afternoon picnic before the Vanderbilt football
game. In the carnival-like atmosphere, children and adults can enjoy fun games, receive giveaways,
and fellowship with other Vanderbilt families. Tickets to the football game are free for Vanderbilt
faculty, staff, and family members. Nonperishable food items are collected for donation to the Second
Harvest Food Bank.
Barbecue chicken, hot dogs, veggie burgers, coleslaw, chips, brownies, and drinks will be served
beginning at 4:00 p.m. There will also be fun and games for the entire family. Mr. Commodore will be
on hand for pictures, and the Vanderbilt University “Spirit of Gold” Marching Band will lead us to the
stadium, where the party continues.
“Turkey Toss”
Affectionately known as the “Turkey Toss,” Vanderbilt executive leaders pass out turkeys to faculty
and staff members on a specified day each December. All left-over turkeys are donated to Nashville’s
Second Harvest Food Bank.
Symphony on the Lawn
Each year, Vanderbilt sponsors a Spring Concert, presented by the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, for
the faculty, staff, families and friends of Vanderbilt University. Faculty and staff are encouraged to
bring their family and friends to the concert, along with picnic suppers, lawn chairs and blankets.
Wellness Events
HEALTH Plus, Vanderbilt’s Faculty and Staff Wellness Program, organizes and/or participates in a
number of special events and programs each year. The special events are designed to promote healthy
behaviors and lifestyles in a fun way. Examples of these events include:
y Hold the Stuffing: HEALTH Plus challenges faculty and staff members to maintain their
weight the week before Thanksgiving through the first week of January! The typical weight
gain over the holidays is 5-7 lbs. Participants weigh in the week before Thanksgiving and again
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the week after New Year’s Day. Faculty and staff whose ending weight is within two pounds of
their beginning weight are rewarded with a prize.
y National Employee Health and Fitness Day: One Wednesday each May is recognized as
National Employee Health and Fitness Day throughout the country. This event motivates
workers to begin a program of physical fitness, re-energizes employees already involved in a
fitness program, highlights the importance of fitness and wellness programs in the workplace,
and demonstrates the caring and support that businesses feel for their employees. Activities
that take place at Vanderbilt on this day include walking into work from the parking lots rather
than taking a shuttle bus, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, eating healthy lunches and
snacks, and participating in the walking club or walking relay. This May, 2,486 faculty and staff
participated in activities to celebrate this event.
y Count on Your Health: Count on Your Health is an annual program held each February and
March to help support faculty and staff members’ heart healthy New Year’s resolutions and in
celebration of National Heart Month (February) and National Nutrition Month (March).
During February, mobile health risk appraisal stations are located around campus to assist
faculty and staff members in learning about their health behaviors. During March, “Lunch and
Learn” session are held weekly and samples of healthy food items are available. The program
is sponsored by HEALTH Plus, the Kim Dayani Center, Nutrition Services, and the
Occupational Health Clinic.
6b. New Employees Welcome Program
New Employee Orientation
New employees attend orientation on the first Monday of their employment. All employees attend a
half day session called “You Make a Difference” which includes a welcome video from the Chancellor;
information about the history and mission of Vanderbilt; Vanderbilt’s values, expectations and policies;
a virtual tour of the campus; information about professional development, safety in the workplace,
diversity, and Vanderbilt’s culture of wellness and available programs. This is followed by an
afternoon session called “Partnering for Health” which introduces new staff to additional health care
resources available to them as well as all of their benefit options.
Medical Center employees continue orientation for an additional day and are introduced to the history,
mission and Credo of the medical center. The orientation process for new employees continues during
their first six months and includes service, safety, roles and responsibilities, and performance measures
and goals. Additional orientation and training is provided for some medical specialties, such as nursing.
House Staff Orientation
Each July 1, Vanderbilt welcomes approximately 250 new housestaff to the medical center. The
orientation process for these employees is a week-long series of training sessions and welcoming
gatherings. The Dean of the School of Medicine Steven Gabbe, M.D., opens the orientation by
welcoming the new housestaff and the Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education Frederick
Kirchner, Jr., M.D., introduces the week-long program. Sessions range from resuscitation training to an
introduction to Vanderbilt’s health and wellness programs. There are social events as well, with all new
housestaff and their spouses invited to a picnic on the first evening of orientation.
Medical Center Faculty Orientation
In 2004, the Faculty Orientation and Training Office was created through joint support of Vanderbilt
University Hospital and the School of Medicine. The mission of this venture is to provide tools for the
faculty in the School of Medicine and School of Nursing to meet compliance training requirements and
to expand and improve the School of Medicine orientation for new faculty. The office has expanded the
orientation event to provide sessions for both the basic science and clinical faculty. During this session
they become familiar with the workings of the medical school and the elevate program, and are able to
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meet several of the compliance training requirements including health screenings, respirator fit testing,
and coding and billing compliance.
Nurse Mentoring
It is difficult to find and retain highly qualified nurses. Through quantitative and focused research,
VUMC has identified that turnover is highest among nurses during their first year of employment.
Many cite the complexity of the environment, the demanding nature of the profession, and the sense
that there is not a “family” with which to bond. In a direct effort to retain these nurses, the Medical
Center has defined a mentoring program for first-year nurses that helps them learn in a protective,
supportive, and guiding environment.
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7a. Vanderbilt’s Unique Culture/Additional Programs
Since its founding in 1873, Vanderbilt University has sought to achieve excellence in every endeavor it
pursues. This mindset was, and is today, embraced by the strong work ethic of its faculty and staff.
Vanderbilt faculty and staff take great pride in their work, and this pride takes all forms—from well-
manicured grounds to life-saving surgery and breakthrough research, from award-winning food
services to nationally recognized teaching and mentorship programs. The underlying reason for such
deliberate commitment can be traced to the simple fact that employees believe in Vanderbilt.
Economic Impact on Middle Tennessee
Vanderbilt University has been an anchor of the Middle Tennessee economy for 129 years. Vanderbilt is
consistently ranked among the leading research universities in the nation, with 10 schools, nine
libraries, and a distinguished Medical Center. Vanderbilt has more than 18,100 employees, and the
University and Medical Center together have become the largest private employer in Middle Tennessee
and the second largest in the state. Vanderbilt has an estimated annual regional economic impact of
$3.4 billion (Medical Center: $2.3 billion, University Central: $1.1 billion).
Project Safe
Located at the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center, Project Safe is a coordinated campus-wide effort
aimed at education, prevention and response services for Vanderbilt students, faculty and staff affected
by sexual assault, intimate partner abuse, and stalking. Project Safe is committed to creating safe spaces
for survivors of all races, religions, sexual orientations and genders. Advocacy efforts include
individual, group, and institutional programs. Project Safe employs an educator to provide outreach
and training to Vanderbilt’s faculty and staff members. The educator designs programs appropriate to
the needs of each department or office.
Educational Partnerships
The economic and competitive pressures confronting the health care industry, including the ongoing
nursing shortage, continue to have a profound effect upon academic health centers. To keep pace with
the challenges resulting from a rapidly evolving environment, institutions must make the necessary
adjustments to their academic and health services enterprises. Recognizing the importance of forging
strategic partnerships as a means of managing change under such conditions, Vanderbilt has joined
forces with several area institutions to offer opportunities for a mutually beneficial collaboration.
Current partnerships include:
y The Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, which involves collaboration of clinical science training for
medical student clerkships, post graduate residencies, and fellowships at Metropolitan
Nashville General Hospital (MNGH), VUMC, and affiliate institutions of both schools.
y Vanderbilt University School of Nursing (VUSN) partnerships, including an agreement
between the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and Lipscomb University to offer
Lipscomb students a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree with courses provided by
Vanderbilt, a joint agreement also exists between VUSN and Fisk University. Under this
arrangement, students complete a specified curriculum of the liberal arts courses at Fisk and all
three semesters of the VUSN pre-specialty curriculum in order to be awarded a B.S.N. degree
from Fisk. VUSN has also joined forces with Vanderbilt’s English Language Center to reach out
to the foreign-born population in the middle Tennessee area, creating a course to help nurses
from foreign countries that have relocated to the Nashville area and want to work as nurses in
Section Seven: Additional Questions
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America assimilate to be able to practice safely in the United States. VUMC Administration has
developed a support system to help the foreign nurses adjust to socialization issues upon
completion of the program and employment among the nursing workforce at Vanderbilt.
National Leader in Reform of Inter-Collegiate Athletics
In May 2005, Chancellor Gordon Gee was named by NCAA President Myles Brand to a new
presidential task force to study the future of college sports. NCAA officials characterize the goal of the
task force over the next 18 to 24 months as shaping “the next phase in reform of intercollegiate
athletics.”
The presidential task force will conduct its work through four subcommittees, each chaired by a
university president. The entire task force is chaired by University of Arizona President Peter Likins.
The four subcommittees are Implications of Academic Values and Standards, Fiscal Responsibility,
Presidential Leadership of Internal and External Constituencies and Student-Athlete Well-Being.
Gee will serve on Presidential Leadership of Internal and External Constituencies, a committee that will
examine the relationship that college sports has with boards of trust, booster organizations,
foundations and other interested groups.
First Day of School
This will be the fifth year that Vanderbilt will join Metro government, area businesses and Nashville
Mayor Bill Purcell for the “First Day Festival.” In support of the program, these entities encourage staff
members to take time off from work to accompany their children on the first day of school. One
employee said that she has taken her children to their first day of school every year, and is pleased that
Vanderbilt participates in this program. “The difference now is the knowledge that top management at
Vanderbilt also supports and encourages this effort,” she said. “Programs like these send a message
that education and family are a priority.”
American Red Cross Blood Drives
At least once a month, the American Red Cross holds a day-long blood drive at Vanderbilt. Not only do
faculty, staff, and students line up to donate their blood, but employees schedule appointments, man
the sign-in and hospitality areas, and circulate to provide support in any way they can.
7b. Major Shifts in Vanderbilt’s Workplace Culture
New:
Elevate
Also, please refer to page 3.
The November 5, 2004, article in the Reporter that formally announced elevate to the Vanderbilt
community states “leaders are preparing to open a new chapter at Vanderbilt University Medical
Center.” That is exactly how elevate is perceived on campus. Many things have changed at the Medical
Center in the last eight months. The talk, the pulse, the feeling … it’s all abuzz with elevate. Meeting
agendas have been restructured to link tasks to the elevate pillars, posters are proudly displayed in all
departments from environmental services to nurse’s stations, and employees are thinking about their
colleagues while their care for their patients.
“I see elevate as an effort on behalf of senior administration to get into closer contact with staff and
create an atmosphere that’s enjoyable and productive, where everyone is in sync with the goals of the
institution,” said Rhonda L. Tully, Administrative Director of Radiology Services. “We all know we’re
here for our patients; this is more about the way we treat each other and how that can contribute to a
better work environment.”
In daylong sessions in November 2004 and January 2005, nearly 1,000 leaders from all areas of the
Medical Center were introduced to the elevate approach to service and operational excellence. Preceded
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by nearly a year of negotiation and planning, the sessions began a long-term engagement between
leaders from VUMC and organizational development pros from the Studer Group, a health care
consulting firm. In sessions throughout this year, managers and faculty leaders have learned how they
can adapt the elevate recipe into their daily work at VUMC.
Putting elevate to work has led management to set three major quality goals:
y reduce preventable deaths to the lowest rate in the nation
y eliminate medication errors
y perform in the top 10% of the nation on publicly reported quality measures.
“The elevate program will touch every person who works at the Medical Center, and during the next
year staff and faculty can count on not only hearing more about the initiative, but seeing its principles
put into action,” Harry Jacobson, M.D., Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs said. “The results of the
multi-year elevate program will be clear and measurable and it’s expected that both employee and
patient satisfaction will rise significantly.”
New: College Halls
The undergraduate experience at Vanderbilt will undergo its most significant transformation in a
generation as construction begins on College Halls at Vanderbilt, a residential college system designed
to create the most vibrant living and learning environment in higher education. The mission of College
Halls at Vanderbilt is to foster student-faculty engagement, collaborative intellectual discovery and
increased self-governance by creating a supportive environment in which to live, eat and learn
together.
College Halls at Vanderbilt will bring together students, faculty and staff in smaller, community
settings within the larger university. Select faculty will live in apartments located in the college halls,
where students will live in a more intimate residential setting than the traditional college dormitory.
Each college hall will feature student-driven programming designed to promote intellectual exchange
and leadership development. Areas for dining, study and informal gathering will enhance the living-
learning atmosphere.
“Our students need and expect regular interaction with faculty and each other in order to build the
community, character and leadership that we foster here at Vanderbilt,” added Nicholas S. Zeppos,
provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.
The first phase of College Halls at Vanderbilt, which will be known as The Commons, will bring
together all first-year students in a community of 10 residence halls to be known as “houses” located on
the Peabody College campus. Five existing residence halls will be converted to houses, and five new
houses will be built. A tenured faculty member will serve as dean of The Commons, and each house
will be managed by a faculty member or student life professional in residence.
Construction of The Commons began this spring. Renovations to the existing buildings are scheduled
to be finished by fall 2007. The Commons is expected to be complete by fall 2008.
The Commons represents a $150 million investment by the university with the funds coming primarily
from bond proceeds, philanthropy and internal sources.
Currently, Vanderbilt’s first-year students live in three areas across campus. University officials believe
The Commons’ neighborhood atmosphere will foster closer ties among first-year students.
The term “college hall” has significance in Vanderbilt’s history. Kirkland Hall, which currently houses
the university’s administration, was the only campus building when Vanderbilt first opened its doors
in 1875. The building has had several names over the years – including College Hall from about 1905
until 1937, when the building was renamed for James T. Kirkland, Vanderbilt’s second chancellor and
the longest-serving chancellor in the university’s history.
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Culture of Wellness
Since 1991, Vanderbilt University has shown commitment to the health and well-being of employees
via a comprehensive health promotion program, HEALTH Plus. Studies have shown that programs
such as HEALTH Plus help employees modify unhealthy behaviors and reduce lifestyle-related risk
factors. Approximately 25% of all illnesses and diseases are related to health risks that can be reduced
or eliminated by making positive lifestyle changes. Engaging employees in health promotion activities
over an extended period and in multiple programs is important for impacting positive health
outcomes.
In 2003, Vanderbilt took their commitment to wellness another step forward and announced the all
new Go For The Gold Incentives Program. The purpose of the program is to:
y Enhance the culture of wellness at Vanderbilt University
y Reward faculty and staff for healthy behaviors and/or making positive changes in health
y Help control rising health care costs which help keep monthly health insurance premiums from
rising
“Faculty and staff are becoming more involved in wellness such as becoming more active
and selecting healthier foods,” said Marilyn Holmes, manager of HEALTH Plus Wellness and Fitness
Program. “This year, we are on track to have an even greater participation rate in Go For The Gold.
All over Vanderbilt there is an increased awareness about our culture of wellness.”
The implementation of this program demonstrates the shared beliefs and values of the Vanderbilt
community … a community that values physical, mental and emotional well-being, and believes that
individual wellness is vital to the health of the community.
