UNIVERSITY HOUSTON FACULTY SENATE MINUTES – November 19, 2008

President Chin called the November 19, 2008 Faculty Senate meeting to order in the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Pavilion of the M. D. Anderson Library at 12:15 p.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT:  [29]

MEMBERS ABSENT:  [22]

SEATS VACANT:  [1]

VISITORS: 

MINUTES:  The minutes for the October 15, 2008 Senate meeting were approved.

REPORT FROM AND DISCUSSION WITH THE FACULTY SENATE PRESIDENT:  Wynne Chin

REPORT FROM AND DISCUSSION WITH THE INTERIM UHS SENIOR VICE CHANCELLOR AND UH SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND PROVOST:  Jerald Strickland

The Provost reported:  (1) Fall graduations will be held on December 19 - 20.  Members of the Board of Regents and the administration will participate in these events.  He urged the faculty to attend the ceremonies.  (2) President Khator will be appointing individuals to the Strategic Action Group, including Sandy Coltharp, President of the Staff Council; Sam Dike, President of the Student Government Association; Richard Scamell, Professor of Decision & Information Sciences; and from the Faculty Senate, Dan Wells, President-elect, and Richard Willson, Chair of the Budget & Facilities Committee.   Richard Alderman, Dwight Olds Chair in Law, and Joe Pratt, Cullen Professor of Business and History, are the Co-chairs of the group.  (3) Dr. Khator is planning to visit all departments over the next year.  These visits will be arranged through the Provost office.  (4) The UH System is working with the Texas State University System and Texas A&M System on plans to cooperatively provide higher education opportunities to the northwest part of Harris County.  (5) UH-Clear Lake is proposing a downward expansion.  It was established as an upper level institution but would like to add lower levels.  (6) UH-Victoria is applying for a downward expansion.  The Board of Regents approved the request, which now goes to the Coordinating Board.  (7) UH-Downtown is in the process of investigating a possible name change.  It will remain in the UH System, but is seeking a way to better differentiate itself.  (8) An update on the searches for new deans:  the search for a dean for the Honors College should be concluded by soon; Pharmacy is continuing to search; and the College of Architecture is gearing up for a search.  (9) There will be several Deans Reviews in 2009 for OPT, LIB, HRM, TECH and CLASS.  (10) December 9 should mark the conclusion of process for the reaffirmation of accreditation for UH by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).  (11) UH is applying to create a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.  PBK members at UH will work on the application that will be submitted on November 1, 2009.  (12)  The Faculty Senate is part of the Academic Affairs division.  The FS President is entitled to one course release per Spring and Fall semesters (not to exceed $10,000 per year or $5,000 per semester) and the FS President should also receive a summer stipend equal to 1/9th of their academic year salary.  Dr. Strickland added that he wanted to formally acknowledge this agreement.   The Provost added that conversations regarding compensation for the President-elect has started and will continue.  (13) The budget process is beginning.  The college budget hearings will begin in late January/early February.  A FS representative should attend each of these.  The Senate representatives are very knowledgeable about budgets and very active in these hearing.  The Deans and Associate Deans expect discussions to occur.  Dr. Carlucci added that he has put the planning documents from a year ago on the Web (available at http://www.uh.edu/af/budgetinfo.htm) and will put up as much information as is legally possible.  He said that he would rely on the Faculty Senate to share this information with the faculty, so everyone can watch the process.

In response to questions, Dr. Strickland said (1) the Enrollment Management person is part of the Provost’s Office.  There was a failed search last year and the administration is seeking advice on how to restructure the position.  The UH System needs an enrollment management plan.  (2) UH has 82 funded faculty searches going on currently.  There is not a hiring freeze, but new positions are not being created until the budget is settled.  (3) The Governor requested state agencies to curtail travel paid for by taxes.  UH spends around $7 million per year on business travel, but only a small portion is paid from state taxes.  Dr. Charlson added the amount was around $100,000.  Dr. Strickland said UH will curtail unnecessary travel.

Grover Campbell, UHS Vice Chancellor and UH Vice President for Governmental Relation, responded to a question about restricting tuition increases, saying that Tuition Deregulation passed in 2003 and continues to be a point of controversy for legislators. 

REPORT FROM AND DISCUSSION WITH THE UHS EXECUTIVE VICE CHANCELLOR AND UH EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT:  Carl Carlucci 

Dr. Carlucci presented an update on the transportation management plan.  He added that information on this topic is posted on the Web at http://www.uh.edu/af/TMP_Summary.pdf .  A meeting with Metro will be held tomorrow.  At that time UH will propose the creation of three multimodal stations to be included Metro’s light rail plan.  These stations would serve undergraduate housing, athletics and the arts.  UH would like to have one station serving both transit lines.  This proposal could cut down a great deal of the traffic on campus.  Dr. Carlucci pointed out that 125,000 trips are made to campus each day.  Mr. Campbell said that at the federal level UH could apply for funding when Congress reauthorizes the Highway Transportation Bill. 

Dr. Carlucci mentioned that the Master plan needs to be discussed as a number of changes have taken place.  He suggested the southern part of campus was for undergraduate housing, the northeast would have graduate housing, and the north part of campus might include faculty housing, a faculty club and possibly child care. Sen. Sabatino pointed out that there was time and professional expertise put in to the Master Plan.  He asked if the consulting firm was notified of these changes.  Dr. Carlucci said no.  He added that he would welcome comments from the faculty.  This is a multiyear plan that will not start construction until 2012.  It was recommended that the Student Government Association be included in these discussions, too.

PRESENTATION OF SLATE OF CANDIDATES:  Dr. Greenwood

Sen. Greenwood announced the candidates for 2009 Faculty Senate officers including:

President-Elect:  Mark Clarke, EDU, and Suzanne Ferimer, OPT,

Secretary:  Monica McHenry, CLASS, and Michelangelo Sabatino, ARCH,

Members-at-large:  Anadeli Bencomo, CLASS, Adriana Kugler, CLASS, Ruth Manny, OPT, Kaye Newberry, BUS.

Dr. Chin announced the candidates for 2009 Committee on Committees:

Dr. Chin also announced the candidates for the Delegate/Alternate Delegate to the Coalition of Intercollegiate Athletics: 

No nominations were made from the floor.  The election will take place at the December 10 Faculty Senate meeting. 

FACULTY SENATE PRESIDENT-ELECT CAMPAIGN SPEECHES are available on-line at http://www.uh.edu/fs/2009_Voter_Guide_President_elect_Candiates.html.

REPORTS FROM THE FACULTY SENATE COMMITTEES are available on-line at http://www.uh.edu/fs/FS_Cms_Reports_111908.html.

The meeting adjourned at 1:45 p.m.