Good morning, colleagues - I was most interested in the question of how to organize policies because it brought to mind some spirited discussions three years ago when we were initially developing our resource from its previous actual Handbook format, with seven chapters available in print in a three-inch binder, to the online site we were developing. We insisted on continuing to use the language of the book - calling it a "Handbook" and dividing it into "Chapters." It drove IT nuts. But we did it on purpose for the current three or four generations of users and the position they inhabit in the current Western transition from being a culture of print literacy to one of electronic literacy.
Some will say that we have crossed over completely, but we reflected that as long as people still downloaded "books" for their Kindles, and Oprah was still recommendeing "books, there was still value in the concept of a "book" as a text, even if it was primarily meant to be presented electronically. So we fought with IT to call it a "Handbook," per our Regents' Rules; and we insisted by golly that it would have "Chapters," even though we know that most people would use the search engine most of the time. It was still important to us to be able to demonstrate that the knowledge/information it contained did not exist atomistically but had been grouped and arranged thematically, acknowledging relationships and overlaps. Much thought went into the process; we looked at many systems; we tried to deduce what concepts and activities our institution valued and to see into the future for what we might need to develop. The chapters aren't earthshaking: § Chapter 1 - Organization and Governance<http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-01/> § Chapter 2 - Administration<http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-02/> § Chapter 3 - Ethics, Compliance, and Standards of Behavior <http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-03/> § Chapter 4 - Campus Security and Preparedness <http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-04/> § Chapter 5 - Environmental Health and Safety <http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-05/> § Chapter 6 - Information Security, Privacy, and Resources <http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-06/> § Chapter 7 - Fiscal Management <http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-07/> § Chapter 8 - Facilities and Support Services <http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-08/> § Chapter 9 - Employees<http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-09/> § Chapter 10 - Students, Postdoctoral Scholars, Residents, and Fellows<http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-10/> § Chapter 11 - Faculty <http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-11/> § Chapter 12 - Research <http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-12/> § Chapter 13 - Intellectual Property <http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-13/> § Chapter 14 - Health System Operation<http://www.utsouthwestern.net/intranet/administration/policy-library/handbook/chapter-14/> But I am proud of the fact that in three years we have only found a handful that our initial review seems to have miscategorized, and the only chapter we added was 14, to help accommodate our hospitals and clinics (which we are now going to handle in another way anyhow). All of which is to say that I think the analysis is critical; the conversation valuable; and policy people can hold their ground if they find themselves defending the notion of information presented in logical arrays rather than just as one-off search results. I am deeply impressed by the different, thoughtful ways all you policy folks have done this important work! End of rant. Hope everyone has a great day! Christine p.s. The woman down the hall from us keeps her three-inch binder, even though we have explained that 60% of it is now obsolete and shown her the current site. She says the notebook is "easier to look things up in." Well, there you go....! * * * Christine Tata, Ph.D. Director of Policy Administration UT Southwestern Medical Center 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard Dallas, Texas 75390-9002 214-648-2866 ________________________________ UT Southwestern Medical Center The future of medicine, today.
