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• Objective 1: Transform CLASS into a Top 50 institution for humanities and social science research

  Metrics:

  • Promote the importance of the research produced in our diverse departments and units.
    
  • Promote our faculty who are preeminent scholars in their disciplines.
    
  • Promote how CLASS humanities and social science research aligns with university initiatives and community strengths and makes significant academic and practical contributions.

  Actions:

  • Develop a communications plan to raise the profile of CLASS research and scholarship to the university, other institutions, and the Houston community.
  • Promote CLASS creative works and scholarship to campus community, other institutions, the community, and national foundations and agencies.
  • Identify college opportunities related to national agendas and strategies at NIH, NEH, NSF, SSRC, National Humanities Alliance, etc.

• Objective 2: Improve research infrastructure and networks

  Metrics:

  • Provide all faculty and students with the resources and time necessary to pursue their research at a world-class level.
  • Reduce barriers to collaboration of faculty and students across different areas.
  • Expand our research capability by leveraging relationships with regional arts, business, and government communities.
    

  Actions:

  • Create university center for humanities research and a digital humanities core facility.
  • Enhance administrative and facilities support for CLASS research, including pre- and post- award transaction management.
  • Work with DOR to clarify support for CLASS research in the humanities and social sciences.
  • Make efficient use of research resources by identifying opportunities for interdisciplinary centers that support the work of scholars across units, colleges, and institutions.
  • Double the financial support provided by CLASS for research activities, including improvements to research facilities and expansion of successful research centers.
  • Double research support coming from outside agencies (e.g. NIH, NSF, NEH).
  • Increase research collaboration of CLASS scholars with regional community members.

• Objective 3: Direct our research towards solutions for local and global challenges

  Metrics:

  • Our scholars will use research to inform debates and solutions to challenges associated with energy, health equity, infrastructure, data, and the arts, in alignment with Houston’s strengths and university initiatives.
  • Our scholars will investigate and contribute to research on the social, policy, economic, and humane aspects of local and global challenges including racism, threats to democracy and human rights, economic insecurity, community improvement, and environmental justice.

  Actions:

  • CLASS scholars will pursue these objectives through rigorous humanistic and social science research.
  • Invest in research related to human dimensions of social challenges, including determinants of health and health disparities.
  • Invest in disciplinary research that ties technological innovations to the human and social context in which they exist.
  • Launch the Population Health minor in Fall 2023 and increase enrollment in health professions programs by 10% through the implementation of marketing and recruiting strategies and campaigns.
  • Enhance and expand health-related collaborations with programs across campus, such as medical humanities, (bio)medical ethics, health equity, health policy, and health economics.

• Objective 4: Increase student engagement in research

  Metrics:

  • Give all CLASS students an opportunity to engage in research activities
  • Promote an understanding of the research process and research purpose of CLASS in all disciplines

  Actions:

  • Increase student understanding of faculty research efforts throughout core classes and underscore the applicability of humanistic and social science research in the wider society.
  • Give each student at least one experience related to research, including curricular or co-curricular activities in which exploration, discovery, evaluation, and/or creation is a key component.
  • Review all majors in CLASS for the presence of research opportunities.
  • Review all majors in CLASS for courses involving community engagement.
  • Support the availability of research opportunities through grants of resources or time to develop courses or community connections.
  • Increase courses involving an explicit connection to the community.

• Objective 5: Increase honors and national/international recognition of faculty and staff

  Metrics:

  • At least 5% of our faculty will receive prestigious national and international awards (e.g., TARU-recognized awards).
  • At least 5% of our staff will receive prestigious national and international honors and awards (e.g., achievement awards, service awards, national organization committee chairs or board memberships).

  Actions:

  • Identify and promote nomination or application to awards that are applicable to CLASS faculty and academic disciplines.
  • Implement a career pathway program to support and encourage early career and mid-career awards and activities that facilitate accomplishments and enhance likelihood of later career major national and international awards for faculty and staff.
  • Design and implement a career development program for staff, which facilitates retention and strong operational support of the CLASS administration.