Faculty Senate Updates

For faculty senate updates please visit fs.uh.edu

Faculty Senate Goals

FACULTY SENATE GOALS and DIRECTIONS 

  1. Improve Faculty Governance Structure:
    • Begin the process of Faculty Unification: create tighter links to Faculty Councils.
    • Expand role of CoC to focus of faculty governance
    • Develop a set of guidelines to insure UH committees are responsive and accountable.
    • Consider bylaw changes to the Faculty Senate Constitution and Bylaws
      • term limits senators; FS president.
      • membership expansion.
      • timing of elections.
      • clarification of election responsibilities.
      • inclusion of Council Chairs.
      • others as deem necessary.
  2. Improve Undergraduate Educational Process.
    • Develop proposal for a Center for Teaching Excellence.
    • Develop recommendations to improve Financial aid process.
    • Assist the Strategic Action Group in developing a comprehensive plan to improve student success.
    • Assist the Voluntary System of Accountability assessment.
    • Assist Discovery-Research/QEP program.
    • Assist the Orientation Task Force.
    • Assist Enrollment Management Task Force.
    • Assist Achieving the Dream progress.
    • Liaison with Undergraduate Council
  3. Improve the General Faculty Environment.
    • Review and make recommendations of faculty benefits.
    • Make recommendations for improvements in OGC.
    • Assist and monitor the joint GPS/FS committee on Graduate Faculty/Titles-Ranks.
    • Monitor Faculty Development and Retention issues and make recommendations.
    • Evaluate and make recommendations on minimal computer upgrades across campus.
    • Survey Faculty as needed.
      • Climate Survey
      • Faculty club survey
      • Service commitment survey
      • Child Care survey
  4. Get General Faculty More Aware Of, and Involved In, Faculty Senate and UH.
    • Improve attendance at Fall and Spring faculty assemblies.
    • Explore the possibility of establishing a Faculty Club.
    • Help plan Faculty Recognition dinners.
    • Reach out to junior faculty.
      • Set up Junior Faculty forums with Provost/President
      • Speaker series for Junior Faculty with library
    • Liaison for Homecoming; MLK day, special events
    • Improve communications to Faculty and UH community
      • Continue Newsletter.
      • Improve FS web site.
      • College updates to faculty from FS Senators.
  5. Get Faculty More Involved with the Community.
    • Develop a proposal to submit to the Provost/presidents office for a set of Community service awards
    • Have community speakers at Faculty assemblies
    • Sponsor Community/UH conference
    • Increase FS endowment to allow for more Community interactions.
  6. Provide Advocacy on Faculty Issues Regarding Budget and Facilities:   
    • Continue salary data report analysis.
    • Monitor UH budgeting process (staff budget meetings).
    • Monitor Parking rate increases.
    • Monitor task force on Child Care Center expansion.
    • Monitor and make recommendations on new and ongoing construction.
    • Liaison to Purchasing and Plant Management; Campus facilities
    • Monitor construction project signage.
  7. Ensure Effective Shared Governance: 
    • Increase activity of FS committees.  
      • Name Vice Chair for each committee that will attend FEC etc. meetings in absence of Chair.
      • Have VC head a subcommittee (have some specific responsibility).
      • Establish meeting dates for entire semester at first meeting or before.
      • Become more proactive: establish at least one new and proactive priority per semester.
    • Improve Instructional and Informational Technology Resources.
    • Provide members for Dean review members.
    • Appoint Joint Task Force for Child Care Expansion. 
    • Provide liaison to Development office.
    • Provide liaison to Government relations office/Legislature.
    • Provide liaison to Strategic Action Group
    • Provide liaison to Student government; Staff Council.
    • Provide liaison to Research council;
    • Provide liaison to Undergraduate Council 
    • Provide liaison to GPS Council. 
    • Provide liaison to Women’s Commission.
    • Provide liaison to Presidents cabinet.
    • Provide liaison to UCC. 
    • Provide liaison to Board of Regents.