VISITORS:   

Don Foss (UH System Senior Vice Chancellor and UH Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost), Donald Birx (UHS Vice Chancellor and UH Vice President for Research), Elwyn Lee (UHS Vice Chancellor and UH Vice President for Student Affairs), Michael Rierson (UHS Vice Chancellor and UH Vice President for University Advancement), Elaine Charlson (UHS Executive Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and UH Executive Associate Vice President for Academic and Faculty Affairs), Teri Longacre (UH Ombudsperson and Associate Professor, Management), Ed Hugetz (UHS Associate Vice Chancellor and UH Associate Vice President for Planning & University Outreach), Wendy Adair (UHS Associate Vice Chancellor and UH Associate Vice President for UH Advancement), Spencer Yantis (UHS Associate Vice President and UH Vice Chancellor for University Advancement), David Bell (UHS Assistant Vice Chancellor and UH Vice President for Academic and Faculty Affairs), Agnes DeFranco (UH Assistant Vice President for Undergraduate Studies), Libby Barlow (Executive Director of Institutional Research and Institutional Effectiveness and Interim Registrar),Craig Ness (Executive Director for Academic Budgets and Administration), John Powell (Assistant to the Chancellor/President), Oscar Gutierrez (Assistant to the Vice Chancellor/Vice President for University Advancement), Evelyn Brass (Associate Librarian, UH Libraries), Josh Hardwick (Reporter, Daily Cougar), Ruth Hirsch (Student), Genardo Reyna (Student)

MINUTES:  The minutes for the October 17, 2007 Senate meeting were approved.

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

Pres. Kotarba reported on (1) the Faculty Senate Retreat which worked out well with three legislators in attendance.  There has been a bit of media coverage for the Retreat and an editorial featured in the Daily Cougar.  An email will be sent soon to the Senators to ask for their thoughts and comments on the Retreat.  (2) The UCC has its next meeting on December 7.  (3) The Executive Committee had a productive meeting with Renu Khator, UHS Chancellor- and UH President-elect.  She will be gathering information during her first 100 days. (4) Mark Clarke, Chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee, was sworn in this morning as an American citizen. 

PRESENTATION OF SLATE OF CANDIDATES:  Dr. Kotarba

          Pres. Kotarba announced the candidates’ slate for 2008 Faculty Senate officers and Committee on Committees: 

President-Elect:  Katy Greenwood, TECH, and Dan Wells, NSM

Secretary:  Ruth Manny, OPT, and Monica McHenry, CLASS

Members-at-large:  Jerome Freiberg, EDU, *Martha Haun, CLASS, Sujit Sansgiry, PHA, Allen Warner, CLASS

Committee on Committees:  Damon Camille, LIB, Andrew Gordon, CLASS, Katy Greenwood, TECH, Robert Keller, BUS, Randall Lee, NSM, Sara McNeil, EDU, Jonathan Middents, CLASS, and Michelangelo Sabatino, ARCH

No nominations were made from the floor.  The election will take place at the December 12 Faculty Senate Meeting.  Absentee voting will be available in the Faculty Senate office beginning December 5 from 8am – 5pm. 

*[Editor’s note:  Due to on-going commitments, an announced candidate withdrew from the slate and Martha Haun, CLASS, accepted nomination to run for member-at-large.]
 

FACULTY SENATE PRESIDENT-ELECT SPEECHES are available on-line as:

Dan Wells (http://www.uh.edu/fs/2008_President_elect_Candidate_Speech_DWells.html)
Katy Greenwood (http://www.uh.edu/fs/2008_President_elect_Candidate_Speech_KGreenwood.html)

REPORT ON CLASS SCHEDULING:   Libby Barlow, Executive Director of Institutional Research and Interim Registrar

All classes were scheduled, however; it was not a smooth process due to new scheduling software.  This is not a PeopleSoft problem; it is separate software that interacts with PeopleSoft and automates the old process.  The problem was an out-of-date room inventory.  This is being corrected now.  A long term goal will be to have the software exercise more intelligence, such as specifying audio-visual equipment available in the classroom.  Meetings with department schedulers will begin on December 12 to discuss future use of this software. 

REPORT ON AND DISCUSSION WITH THE UH SYSTEM VICE CHANCELLOR AND UH VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT:  Michael Rierson

The University is still in the quiet phase of its capital campaign.  The goal has yet to be determined.  Once Dr. Khator arrives on campus, the campaign will be reviewed.  Last year the UH System raised $54 million in private funds, $49 million of that was raised for UH.  Faculty should get to know their college’s Development Officer.  Faculty can make suggestions on prospects and offer to go on visits.  While most universities receive 80% of gifts from individuals, UH receives only 8%.  This is an area that can be improved, especially with the help of faculty.  Mr. Rierson noted that in speaking with alumni, even those who are reluctant to give, they all seem to remember a favorite professor.  Mr. Rierson said everyone at UH should talk positively about the campus and what is happening here; everyone should be an ambassador for the University.

REPORT ON AND DISCUSSION WITH THE UH OMBUDSPERSON:  Teri Longacre

The full report is available on-line at http://www.uh.edu/ombuds/news_reports.html.  From September 2006 through August 2007 the Ombudsperson handled 48 cases from 30 faculty, 14 staff, and four students.  The students were referred to the Dean of Students Office.  Two cases that alleged discrimination were referred to the Affirmative Action Office.  Most cases involved interpersonal conflicts and problems with management styles.  Faculty cases included concerns about compensation, course assignments, scheduling and personal issues.  Staff cases included complaints about supervisors and other relationship-related problems.  A flowchart will be created to more clearly show what the Ombudsperson does.  Also the cases have pointed to some ambiguities in current UH policies, so the Ombudsperson is making some recommendations on revisions for the Faculty and Staff Handbooks.  One recommendation is to refer faculty and staff to the Ombudsperson as a resource for conflict resolution in the informal grievance process.

          A suggestion was made to add a “Suggestion Box” to the Ombuds Website.

REPORT FROM AND DISCUSSION WITH UH SYSTEM SENIOR VICE CHANCELLOR AND UH SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT:  Don Foss

Dr. Foss reported:  (1) It has been his experience that people who give to Athletics also give to other areas as well.  (2) Many positive things came out of the Faculty Senate Retreat.  The Provost recommended the Senate formulate a matrix that shows the top needs of Texas and how UH contributes toward meeting those goals.  It would be a good way to show the community how UH is important to the State.  (3) The Provost has met with the Deans about recommendations from the Enrollment Management Task Force.  Of particular concern is finding a way to move the thousands of students in the University Studies Division toward graduation.  (4)  Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA) is a model to follow for higher education.  It is a creation of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NACULGC/http://www.nasulgc.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=183&srcid=-2) and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU/http://www.aascu.org/) to provide information on access, affordability and accountability to those who are shopping for higher education.  The VSA College Portrait has three parts including Student and Family Information, Student Experiences and Perceptions and Student Learning Outcomes.  There will be a template that will include (a) Reporting of Consumer Information drawn from the Common Data Set (CDS) or Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and have links to out-of-state tuition costs, listings of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, the Clery Report on campus crime statistics and the university’s mission statement. (b) Measurement and Reporting of Undergraduate Success and Progress Rates.  (c) College Cost Calculator.  (d) Future Plans of Bachelor’s Degree Recipients derived from a common survey question provided by the VSA.  (e) Measurement and Reporting of Student Experiences and Perceptions. (f) Measurement and Reporting of Student Learning Outcomes. 

FACULTY SENATE COMMITTEE REPORTS

   BUDGET & FACILITIES COMMITTEE, Chair:  Richard Willson

  BFC finished and presented the Salary Report, and is now staffing the Deans' Budget Hearings.

   FACULTY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, Chair:  Mark Clarke

The Provost’s Faculty Travel Award was discussed, including the absolute amount available per award and when the award program would come on-line.  Pres. Kotarba indicated that he was waiting on a final decision from Dr. Foss.

The meeting adjourned at 2:10 p.m.