UAB Briefs: Coping with election hangover, buying hotel, winning award
Welcome to another installment of UAB Briefs, in which we keep track of interesting people and events on campus.
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Coping with election hangover
UAB clinical psychologist Josh Klapow remembers the last 10 presidential elections.
Klapow also discussed the unusually divisive nature of the campaign, which he said was damaging many friendships and even marriages.
Well, the election ended Tuesday with a shocking upset victory by Trump, a developer and reality TV star.
And a lot of voters – at least the many stunned and saddened Clinton supporters – are experiencing a sort of emotional hangover after the brutal campaign.
So Klapow offers us all some tips on how to get ourselves back to normal.
- “Refocus your activities,” Klapow told UAB News. There will be lots of talk and coverage of the election and post-election activities. Remind yourself that the decision is made, and then go do what you need to for your personal life.”
- “Try not to re-engage in political discussion with family, friends and co-workers,” Klapow said, adding, “Listen if you like, and then remind yourself that you need to live your life.”
- “If you are so inclined, turn your passion into action,” he said. “Get involved in the political process at any level, but do so actively.”
- Klapow also suggests that you let time pass and realize that the post-election transition will be long. “You can remain engaged, but do not let yourself be consumed,” he said. “Spend a part of your day — not all of your day — focused on the political process.”
- Remember that, in the end, the anger, frustration and irritation you feel is yours alone,” he said. “You must find a way to deal with it. Blame whom you like, but only you — and not the political system — can diffuse your own emotions. Refocus, redirect and re-engage in life, and you will find that the anger and frustration will settle and resolve.”
In the aftermath of the election, "we start the process of how to reconcile the emotions associated with monumental wins, losses and change," Klapow said. "We will need to find a way to carry on with those who feel differently.”
UAB gets into the hotel game
The UAB Educational Foundation now owns the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel – located on campus at University Boulevard and 20th Street South – and plans major renovations to the facility, which is used often for meetings and conferences hosted by various university departments.
The non-profit foundation, which supports university operations, purchased the 298-room DoubleTree and its parking deck for $6.7 million, according to a news release. UAB already owned the land the hotel stands on.
In addition to 15,000 square feet of meeting space, the facility’s restaurants, parking and guest rooms draw university personnel and others, including patients of UAB Medicine. However, the facility is currently underutilized, officials say.
“The significant planned upgrades will transform the facility to better support UAB and the broader community’s needs,” Jodie Mote, Educational Foundation treasurer and controller, said in the release.
The hotel will remain open during renovations, according to Mote.
There are no details yet regarding the planned upgrades. “The scope of renovations is not yet determined, but it is estimated renovations would begin in early-to-mid 2017 and could take up to 18 months,” Mote told Iron City Ink.
To solicit suggestions regarding hotel upgrades, officials with the foundation, UAB Facilities and Boston-based management company Pyramid Hotel Group will meet in the coming months with many campus leaders, according to Mote.
These constituents will include deans and representatives from Student Affairs; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Athletics; Medicine and others, according to Mote.
“There is a demand among UAB constituencies for the services and amenities a hotel can offer, and it is our desire to make sure we support their success by meeting their needs through this opportunity,” Mote said.
UAB officials also solicited input on the project from these groups even before completing the hotel’s purchase.
Pyramid Hotel Group, based in Boston, will run the facility moving forward. The company manages hotels and resorts in the United States, the Caribbean, Ireland and the United Kingdom, according its web site.
Helping the children
Dr. David Kimberlin, a professor in the UAB Department of Pediatrics, was recently honored by the Ronald McDonald House Charities for his work in treating, controlling and eradicating infectious diseases affecting children, according to a UAB news release.
Kimberlin was awarded the 2016 Medical Award of Excellence at an RHMC awards ceremony in Illinois attended by about 1,300 people.
He was also awarded a $100,000 grant that will be given to Camp McDowell, a nature facility for children located near the Bankhead National Forest in north Alabama and affiliated with the Episcopal Church.
“I am incredibly honored to receive this award,” Kimberlin said. “The Ronald McDonald Houses and Family Rooms help so many families across the globe during times of unimaginable stress, when their children are hospitalized with very serious conditions.