Committees continue to engage in discussions related to faculty communication, graduate student support, and institutional policy transparency. We appreciate faculty who continue to raise thoughtful questions and share constructive feedback.

Communication
The Faculty Council is the only recognized body that represents the UH faculty. The appointed Faculty Council Officers (Presiding Officer, Associate Presiding Officer, and Secretary) are the only faculty authorized to speak on behalf of the Faculty Council.

UH employees can speak to anyone in their individual capacity but not on behalf of the university or the system (including any department thereof). If the news media requests a comment or information from the university, it should go through media relations per our policy (see SAM 01.H.02 and the UH News Media Policy). Also see our Freedom of Expression policy: https://www.uhsystem.edu/resources/compliance-ethics/_docs/sam/01/01d15.pdf

Faculty Self-Evaluation Guidelines
The Faculty Self‑Evaluation Guidelines originated from multiple faculty requests to the administration and were developed by a faculty committee as a peer‑to‑peer resource. The document is currently under review by the Faculty Council’s Curriculum Committee. Faculty comments should be addressed to the Committee through councilors at the respective colleges. The version shared with the Committee is a draft and is neither current nor final. The Faculty Council Curriculum Committee will distribute an official version and specify the document’s function once a final draft is approved.

Faculty Email Addresses as Public Information
As employees of a public institution, faculty email addresses constitute public information under Texas law and may appear in publicly accessible directories or be subject to open records requirements. Faculty may unsubscribe from non-mandatory communications, including messages not directly issued by the University. Required administrative or compliance-related notices are not subject to opt-out. Transparency and compliance with public information law remain foundational to institutional operations.

Graduate Student Health Insurance (SHIP) & Assistantship Compensation
All international students on F-1 and J-1 visas are required to enroll in the UH Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) unless they qualify for an approved waiver, in accordance with UH System policy.

For several years, SHIP premiums increased annually. In 2021, a one-time adjustment was made to graduate assistant salaries when the former health insurance stipend was incorporated into base salary, due to concerns about the payment structure.

Notably, for the past two consecutive years, SHIP premiums have decreased, providing modest financial relief to students required to purchase coverage.

Graduate assistants appointed at 0.5 FTE or greater are eligible for health insurance through the Employees Retirement System (ERS). However, because they are part-time employees, they are required to pay 50% of the single coverage premium, which has historically exceeded the cost of SHIP. As a result, many graduate assistants elect SHIP coverage.

While full institutional coverage of health insurance for all graduate student assistants would be ideal, financial constraints have limited that possibility. Accordingly, the primary approach has been to increase assistantship salaries—where feasible and within local control—to improve overall competitiveness and offset benefit costs.

This topic was examined by last year’s Faculty Senate Budget and Finance Committee in discussions with Raymond Bartlett and Paul Kittle. The committee’s findings suggested that increasing teaching and graduate assistantship stipends to remain competitive with peer institutions represents a pragmatic path forward.

Under Texas requirements for state-supported institutions, international students must have a minimum level of health insurance coverage, but domestic students do not. Both international and U.S. graduate students supported through teaching and graduate assistantships typically pay health insurance premiums from their stipends—similar to the structure of faculty appointments that are not benefits-eligible.

Faculty Council continues to monitor compensation competitiveness and graduate student support structures in consultation with university leadership.

The Faculty Café is still being repaired from a water issue. There will be an email, hopefully this week, about the reopening date. We all miss the opportunity to grab a coffee with colleagues. 

EIT Presents: The Future of Work with AI. We are delighted to share the recordings with you (see links below). May they spark new ideas and support your continued exploration of AI’s evolving role in our work. To see the recording of this event, please visit: Virtual Attendance | University of Houston or paste https://www.uh.edu/eit/ai-event/virtual.php in your browser.

Faculty and Departmental Instructional Support (FDIS). The FDIS office provides consultations, workshops, and knowledge base services to UH faculty and graduate teaching assistants. Review the calendar for a topic of your interest (link).

 Your input helps shape the UH experience for all of us. Do you have ideas, feedback, or topics you would like to see featured in UH Together? We would love to hear from you!

Share your thoughts here: https://forms.office.com/r/iDkuvcvbWB .