April 15, 2015

Dear Colleagues,

I write to you today to share important news about the Division of Administration and Finance and the Division of Research and Technology Transfer.

Division of Administration and Finance

On May 1, Dr. Carl Carlucci, vice chancellor and vice president for Administration and Finance, will complete seven years of service at the University of Houston. Last year, he asked to transition full time to a faculty position in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, where he has taught regularly for the past five years. He made this request again last month during his annual evaluation, and I have accepted it. Consequently, Dr. Carlucci will step down from his position with the Division of Administration and Finance May 1.

Under his leadership, the physical landscape of the University of Houston has been completely transformed. Eighteen new buildings - the Biomedical and Health Sciences I, the Student Center, multiple residence halls, multiple garages and TDECU Stadium - have been built under Dr. Carlucci's administrative supervision. In fact, he has supervised a total of 23 new or extensively renovated buildings at the UH System's four universities during his tenure. In addition, Dr. Carlucci has helped us respond to financial challenges and opportunities during all this time, good and bad.

I have appointed Jim McShan as the interim chief financial officer (CFO). Mr. McShan held multiple positions in Administration and Finance at the University of Houston during his 25 years of service, including as interim vice chancellor and vice president for Administration and Finance.

I also am taking this opportunity to obtain an external review of this division. An Association of Governing Boards (AGB) consultant is on campus April 15-17 to interview various people and provide recommendations to me. A search for the new vice chancellor and vice president for Administration and Finance will begin upon the conclusion of the review.

Division of Research and Technology Transfer

Dr. Rathindra Bose, vice chancellor and vice president for Research and Technology Transfer, has announced his desire to step down from his position effective Sept. 1. He will return to his faculty role as full professor in the Department of Chemistry.

I am grateful for the tremendous strides Dr. Bose has made in his four years at the University of Houston. Under his leadership, research has become a differentiator for the University, allowing us to earn a place on the list of national Tier One universities. Research funding has risen and the pipeline has also grown significantly. Dr. Bose has nurtured a growing emphasis on cross-disciplinary projects, resulting in a 50 percent increase in research proposal submissions last year. Research expenditures at UH in 2014 reached $140 million, a record amount, and research facilities have expanded substantially, including development of the Energy Research Park.

We have also become a national leader in technology transfer. During the last four years, our royalty income has increased by more than 400 percent to $22 million (annual). The University is now ranked No. 1 in the nation among all public universities that do not have a medical school, according to the Association of University Technology Managers. Dr. Bose's integrity and committed efforts have been instrumental in our Tier One designation and national recognition.

Currently, Dr. Bose has three active grants that generate more than $1 million a year in research expenditures for UH. He believes he should focus on his new anticancer drug and potential neurodegenerative drug research to boost UH's position in technology commercialization.

So, beginning Monday, Dr. Bose will be on leave for an unspecified period of time for personal reasons.

Effective today, I am appointing Dr. Ramanan Krishnamoorti as acting vice chancellor and vice president for the Division of Research and Technology Transfer. A search for the new vice chancellor and vice president of this division will begin in the fall.

It is with a great sense of gratitude that I accept these new roles for Dr. Carlucci and Dr. Bose. Please join me in thanking them both for their service and wishing them well in their new roles.

As always, I invite your feedback, which you can share by writing to me at president@uh.edu. Your advice and input are invaluable.

With warm regards,

Renu Khator
President, University of Houston