UNIVERSITY HOUSTON FACULTY SENATE MINUTES – August 29, 2007

President Kotarba called the August 29, 2007 Faculty Senate meeting to order in the Eliazabeth D. Rockwell Pavilion of the M. D. Anderson Library at 12:15 p.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT:  [38]
  ARCH:    M. Sabatino                                                 
  BUS:        R. Keller, C. Pirrong                                              
  CLASS:   E. Brown-Guillory, S. Craig, A. Gordon,  M. Haun, W. Herendeen, N. Houston,  J. Kotarba, A. Kugler,D. Mazella, D. Montoya, F. Schiff, G. Trail
  EDU:       M. Clarke, J. Freiberg, S. McNeil, A. Warner
  ENGR:    A. Kamrani, Y.L. Mo, J. Richardson, R. Willson
  HRM:      K. Titz
  LIB:        M. Bennett, D. Camille, S. Ferimer
  NSM:     P. Copeland, J. Eichberg,  X. Gao, A. Ignatiev, G. Johnson,K. Kadish, J. Subhlok, D. Wells
  OPT:      R. Manny
  PHA:      S. Sansgiry
  TECH:    K. Greenwood

MEMBERS ABSENT:  [8]
  BUS:       W. Chin (w/ notice), S. Kadipasaoglu
  CLASS:   M. McHenry, J. Middents
  LAW:      P. Linzer
  NSM:      T.R. Lee, M. Ru
  OPT:       S. Quintero 

MEMBERS ON LEAVE:  [2]
  LAW:      M. Duncan, S. Huber

VACANT SEATS:  [4]
  CLASS:   2
  ENGR:    1
  GCSW:   1

MINUTES:  The minutes for the May 9, 2007 Senate meeting were approved.

REPORT FROM AND DISCUSSION WITH THE FACULTY SENATE PRESIDENT:  Joseph Kotarba

(1)  The Faculty Senate has had a busy summer.  Numerous events are taking place.  Check out the Senate’s homepage as it is very informative.  (2)  The Scholarship and Community Conference is coming up on Wednesday, September 26.  The title of the conference is Music Across Boundaries.  A letter of invitation is being sent out via email.  This conference will focus on scholarly approaches to studying music, such as authenticity in contemporary pop music, and the actual performance of beautiful music.  The conference is free with advanced registration, so sign up early.  (2) The Fall Retreat will be October 26 and the Senate will be focusing on the legislature.  The Legislature meets every other year and faculty need to understand the legislative process. (3) The Faculty Senate office has a new computer.  Dr. Foss provided the funds for the new computer and Dr. Chin purchased the parts and built the computer.  (4) Several members of the Executive Committee and the Senate staff have been meeting with the interior designer and the architects to discuss plans for moving the Senate to its new space in the Library.  (5)  The search for the new Chancellor/President is on-going.  Pres. Kotarba is a representative to that committee.  Telephone interviews have been conducted and airport interviews are being scheduled.  (6)  The University Coordinating Commission finished its pilot year in May.  The purpose of the UCC is to circulate new proposals and changes to policies around UH.  A report on the activities of the first year is being finalized for presentation.

REPORT FROM AND DISCUSSION WITH THE UHS VICE CHANCELLOR AND UH VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH:  Don Birx 

            Dr. Birx began his new monthly report saying that a priority for the University of Houston becoming a Tier 1 Research University is to decide how to best use its limited resources.  Dr. Birx said there are three types of universities:  teaching universities, universities that are building on their key strengths, and top research universities that have exceptional funding. He added that UH needs to build on its key strengths.

            The way UH is structured does not provide incentives for faculty to work across disciplines. Dr. Birx talked about forming clusters to collectivize faculty resources and facilitate groups of researchers to work together to compete for grants.  The six main clusters provide a framework, but clusters of any number of faculty can be created, even with as few as two or three faculty.

            Another way to maximize resources involves creating core facilities where different faculty, departments or colleges share equipment.  This is critical as the cost of start-up packages, particularly for the hard sciences, have skyrocketed.  The average start-up package can be over $500,000.

            Dr. Birx stated that the University now has a plan to finish out the Science-Engineering-Research-Classroom Building (SERC).  The plan provides $6 million per year from HEAF for the next five years to complete the interior.  It should serve to attract new research and faculty to UH.

REPORT FROM AND DISCUSSION WITH THE UHS EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND UH EXECUTIVE ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AND FACULTY AFFAIRS:  Elaine Charlson

(1) Enrollment as of 4:00 a.m. on August 29 was 34,619.  Seventy-seven percent of those students are undergraduates.  (2)  There are 52 new tenured/tenured track faculty.  UH lost 41 tenured/tenure track faculty, so there has been a net change of 11.  In response to questions, Dr. Charlson noted steps were taken by departments, deans and the Provost to keep some faculty from leaving UH.  (3)  The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) process of reaffirming UH’s accreditation is underway.  Phase 1 involves compliance with 83 criteria.  Dr. Charlson said that Dr. Foss asked her to thank the faculty for all their efforts in completing Phase 1 by its deadline of September 10.  By November 5-8, the off-site review committee will provide its report on UH.  The University has until December to give its response to the off-site committee.  The on-campus visit will take place April 7-10, 2008.  (4) Part of the SACS process involves UH implementing a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that is intended to improve student learning.  UH’s QEP involves Undergraduate Research. Over the summer two subcommittees met to work on goals & plans and to define research.  The real action will take place in colleges/departments.  The current QEP committee is developing a template to help colleges/departments put their plans together.  Input is welcome.

REPORT FROM AND DISCUSSION WITH THE UHS ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR AND UH ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR PLANT OPERATIONS:  David Irvin 

            Mr. Irvin said that four or five years ago, Dr. Rudley noticed the condition of classrooms on campus and worked with the faculty to identify 100 to be improved.  Since then, UH has spent $500,000 per year to renovate these classrooms.  With that list complete, Mr. Irvin will be working with the Faculty Senate to identify the next set of classrooms to upgrade.

            Mr. Irvin reported that exciting things were happening at UH.  He mentioned that the Framework Plan adopted by the Board of Regents in May 2006 is being used to plan campus expansion, including:  (1) Calhoun Lofts, the $96 million facility that will include luxury loft apartments for graduate and professional students, teaching facilities, 12,000 square feet of retail and new courtyards.  The Lofts, which should open Fall 2009, will have seven to ten floors and encompass 600,000 square feet.  Mr. Irvin noted that the University has moved 26 mature oak trees to the medians on Calhoun to accommodate the building. (2) There will be a 900 space parking garage on Calhoun, too.  (3) Cemo Hall will include a 450 seat auditorium.  (4) A jogging trail is being built around the Wellness and Recreation Center.  This will join to the Harris County Trail that will extend from the Medical Center to the bayou to the ship channel.  (5)  In addition to completing the SERC, UH will be using the $57.6 million in Tuition Revenue Bonds to renovate the three older science buildings.  

            Mr. Irvin also noted that the parking lot across Frenchy’s on Scott street has been leased by UH for its students use.  Shuttle buses will run from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, beginning September 4.  In responses to questions, Mr. Irvin said that Metro is still negotiating right way for its rail line that is to built from I-45 to Scott to Wheeler to MLK to OST.  There is supposed to be a university line that will connect UH to the University of St. Thomas and go on to Greenway Plaza and the Galleria.  Mr. Irvin said he would look into the status of emergency call boxes in the area of Farish Hall, Roy Cullen and SERC that were reported as not working. He noted that many of the old boxes were in the process of being replaced.

REPORTS FROM THE FACULTY SENATE COMMITTEES:

 
Budget and Facilities Committee:  Chair, Richard Willson

Next Meeting:  Sept. 6 (TH) at 2:00 p.m. in room 353, Cullen Performance Hall

Committee on Committee:  Chair, Katy Greenwood

The Committee met on August 27 to discuss filling several vacancies on University Standing Committees.  The COC also discussed at length a proposal from the Information Technology & Computing Committee for changes to its existing charge and composition.  A recommendation on how to proceed on reformulating the ITCC will be sent to the Executive Committee for action.

Next Meeting:  Sept. 11 (T) at 1:00 p.m. in room 353, Cullen Performance Hall

Educational Policies and Student Affairs Committee:  Chair, David Mazella

September 4 is the last day to drop a class without it affecting the 6 drop limit for undergraduate students.  There is a link on the Senate website that will take faculty to the FAQ page on the new drop policy.

Next Meeting:  Aug. 30 (TH) at 2:00 p.m. in room 220U, M. D. Anderson Library

Faculty Affairs Committee:  Chair, Mark Clarke

Next Meeting:  Sept. 7 (F) at 12:00 p.m. in room 353, Cullen Performance Hall

Scholarship and Community Committee:  Chair, Suzanne Ferimer

The Faculty Appreciation Dinner will be Thursday, November 8, at the Houstonian Club.

Next Meeting:  Sept. 5 (W) at 9:00 a.m. in room 353, Cullen Performance Hall

Ad Hoc Committee on Planning:  Chair, Steven Craig

The meeting adjourned at 1:50 p.m.