Faculty Views on University Growth
A Report to the Board of Regents

University of Houston
August 16, 2007
 

Joseph A. Kotarba, Ph.D
Faculty Senate President

Regents’ Chair Hermes, Vice-Chair Semo, and the Regents of the University of Houston.  I am honored to have the opportunity to formally present to you some of the ideas and concerns of the faculty.  On behalf of the faculty, I want to first thank you for all the good work you have done pursuing the interests of the University of Houston at the State Legislature this past spring.  I understand that Regents Hermes and O’Connor were especially busy representing the university’s legislative agenda in Austin.  Your work has paid off.  Faculty morale is generally very good, as we recognize the additional resources coming to the university that will help us continue our good work with students, colleagues and the community.          

            I would like to talk a bit about university growth.  I’m sure we all agree that the University of Houston system will grow and must grow.  Growth comes in many shapes and colors--in programs, building, and people.  I would now like to speak to the importance of growing our graduate student body.  Graduate students are essential to a flagship research university, in at least three ways. First, graduate students accomplish much of the work of the university.  They assist with large classes by providing labor intensive services, such as managing discussion and study groups, conducting detailed lab sessions, and simply being available to talk to undergraduate students in ways and at times busy professors simply cannot.    Second, graduate students enhance the quality of our faculty.  Quality graduate students help attract and retain exciting and productive faculty by serving as meaningful research colleagues and mentees.  They are the professors of the future.  The reputation of a university is sustained and transmitted by it students when they leave us to pursue their careers in academia, commerce and industry.  Third, and perhaps most importantly, graduate students can contribute immeasurably to the creativity of the university.  Graduate students must conduct innovative research that contributes to the literatures of their chosen disciplines, in their theses and dissertations.  By definition, they stay current with new research reports and books that, again, busy professors do not always have time to do.  The next, cost-effective, renewable source of energy, the next new policy for helping the poor, and the next new miracle pharmaceutical drug are likely to result to a significant degree from the dedication and youthful intellectual curiosity of graduate students.  Any increase in funding for graduate students and graduate programs is a good investment for all of us.

            I would like to close with an invitation.  The Faculty Senate at the University of Houston is sponsoring a system-wide, scholarship and community conference titled: “Music: Culture, Identity and Performance.”  We will celebrate the importance of music to a wide range of faculty and student interests in the university.  Music is something many of us study, perform, and love.  We will discuss authenticity in contemporary music, and the physiology and aesthetics of voice.  Our performances will range from hip hop and rock, to the American musical and the blues.  The conference will be held on September 26th at the University Hilton.  You should receive your invitations later today.  Please join us.