Faculty and Staff Update
Happy New Year and welcome back! The academic year, 2017-18, has been unusual, with
weather, and not the academic calendar, dictating when and how we start the semester.
Having been in the classroom as a professor in Florida, I know how challenging it
can be to redesign the course to fulfill the learning objectives. I appreciate your
patience and flexibility in adjusting your course delivery and timeline twice in one
year. I know that you are giving your students the content and support that they need
to be successful. I wish you all a very productive 2018 because your individual successes
define our collective success.
Here is a quick update on some items of interest as we begin our journey through 2018.
Institutional Values and Expectations: In light of the recent hiring of two new staff members for our football program,
it is important that I address the issue directly and reassert the values and expectations
of the University of Houston. It is natural for questions to be raised and doubts
to surface. Of course, in this instance, we undertook an additional review above and
beyond our traditional hiring practices for faculty and staff in any academic or athletics
program. We also examined and strengthened our already strong Title IX compliance
infrastructure by requiring our coaching staff to undergo additional training about
the law and our policies as well as about our culture of reporting. And finally, we
included a morality clause in the contracts to provide an additional safeguard.
While all of these steps were important, none could ever replace the role of the institutional
culture that we have built based upon our values, expectations and behavior. Our values
of mutual respect and accountability are clear. Our expectations of an environment
that is free of harassment, discrimination and fraud are even clearer. Our faculty
and staff in all units – academic, administrative and athletic – expect that their
colleagues maintain the highest level of ethical and moral behavior. Our zero tolerance
policy toward harassment, discrimination and fraud is protected by a strong compliance
infrastructure. However, in the end, it is up to us – individually and collectively
– to uphold these values. I urge you to speak up if you see something…don’t be a bystander
and don’t let unacceptable behavior occur. These types of matters can all be reported
through our online compliance portal as well as to our campus police or our Title IX Coordinator.
Commencement Exercise: The 2018 Spring University commencement exercises will take place in May in a sequential
format, all carrying the title of “University Commencement” but also identifying the
participating colleges. Our staff will continue to provide support and supervision
while a jointly developed protocol manual will ensure the highest level of experience
for all students and their guests. I urge college leaders to line up the best speakers
possible, and I stand ready to assist.
While assembling in a single, large venue to share the common experience is important,
nothing is more important than allowing each student to walk across the stage amid
the applause of his or her family and friends. With the ever-expanding number of graduates
at each ceremony, it is impossible to honor both practices without forcing students
to wear regalia twice. For any logistical questions about commencement, please contact
the Provost’s Office.
Faculty Senate Officers: Congratulations to the new slate of Faculty Senate leaders, who take office Thursday,
January 25. Dr. Daniel O’Connor, professor and chair of the health and human performance
department, will serve as president. Dr. Raul Ramos, associate professor of history,
is president-elect and Dr. Bradley McConnell, associate professor of pharmacology,
is secretary. I offer my sincere thanks to Dr. Cathy Horn for her invaluable leadership
of the Faculty Senate during the last year. The Faculty Senate continues to play a
crucial role in our process of shared governance, one of the fundamental principles
of this University, and we appreciate the hard work and valuable guidance they provide.
Current and Forthcoming Construction Projects: The 9-story Health II building – which is home to Pharmacy, HHP, various clinics, Student Health Services, the College
of Medicine start-up, and research labs – has been completed and is now mostly occupied.
It is a wonderful space, and if you have an opportunity to walk by, please do so.
The Fertitta Center is progressing well and is slated for completion by the end of this year.
Now, we shift our attention to three sets of upcoming projects: (1) Core Renovation
Project, which involves six buildings; (2) Life Sciences Renovation Project, which
involves four buildings; and finally (3) Health III, which will eventually serve as
the home of the expanded College of Medicine. Several other projects are currently
in the fundraising phase, and we expect them to get to the approval phase sometime
in the future.
Naturally, there are always questions around renovation and construction. I have
asked Facilities Department to put as much information as possible on its website. Since the Core Project has already started, let me address it first. A steering
committee consisting of deans and faculty is guiding the project under two outcomes
that I hope to achieve: (1) we should fulfill the need for classrooms first; (2) spaces
should be re-assigned based on needs and proximity for academic collaborations. It
is a rare opportunity for us to plan six buildings all at once, and I hope that we
can take a more strategic view of space allocation than simply replacing new spaces
for the old.
The first Core building under renovation is the Science Building; however, it will
not be ready for permanent occupancy until 2024. Between now and then, the renovated
Science Building will be used as swing space to relocate units from other buildings
while their spaces are under renovation.
Provost Short and Vice President of Research and Technology Transfer Elnashai are
currently finalizing the plan for renovating life sciences space based on the ideas
and proposals that you have submitted to them. We hope to start this project soon.
Health III (home to UH College of Medicine) will enter the design phase now and will
be completed by 2022.
Please direct any questions on construction and renovation projects to Senior Vice
President for Finance and Administration McShan or Provost Short.
College of Medicine (COM): The Next Steps: Our proposal to house an M.D. degree is currently under review by
the UH Graduate and Professional Students Committee. Our plan is to present it to
the Board of Regents at the next meeting on March 8. After the board approves, the
proposal will then be forwarded to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for
their approval. Simultaneously, the newly established Medical Education Committee,
under the supervision of Dr. Stephen Spann and Provost Short, is continuing its work
on preparing material for the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME) accrediting
agency. Finally, we are starting to build the leadership and staff of COM as expected
by the LCME. With the help of a faculty search committee and an expert search firm,
I have launched the search for the Founding Dean of the Medical School. Please follow
the development of the College of Medicine on the website.
New Athletics Director: Chris Pezman has joined us as our new Athletics Director. He is a UH alumnus with
a bachelor’s degree in economics and master’s degree in hotel and restaurant management, who
lettered on the football team for three seasons, even serving as captain in 1992.
He later served as assistant athletics director for football operations at UH during
the 2012 and 2013 seasons and was most recently at UC-Berkley as a senior associate
athletics director. Along with an obvious passion for his alma mater, he brings a
wealth of professional experience. Equally important, however, he is dedicated to
upholding the exacting standards that this University demands of all its athletic
personnel and our student-athletes.
Our $1 Billion Campaign: Thanks to your leadership and support, we have raised $806 million toward our lofty
goal thus far. Our progress to date demonstrates the transformative power of philanthropy
and the collective vision for a vibrant, healthy University, committed to the long-term
success of our students. As I thank thousands of donors, I also want to acknowledge
this year’s Faculty and Staff Campaign Co-Chairs – Founding Dean of the College of
Nursing Kathryn Tart and Reuben Parrish, assistant director for health education –
who have graciously accepted the charge to lead this ambitious undertaking.
Mark your calendar for this year’s Faculty and Staff Campaign Rally festivities
at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 31, in Cullen Performance Hall.
To learn more and become a part of this exciting venture, I encourage you to visit
this website.
How About Some Basketball? This Saturday, Coach Kelvin Sampson’s team defeated No. 7 ranked Wichita State in
a decisive victory. How fitting, since it was also the 50th anniversary of the “Game
of the Century” when the Cougars beat UCLA in the first regular season game broadcast
on nationwide TV in prime time. It literally changed the course of basketball history.
This season, the men’s team enjoys a 15-4 record, and this is truly an exciting team
to watch. We have many conference games lined up, including one against No. 12 ranked
Cincinnati. The UH women’s basketball team is also having a successful season with
the overall record of 15-6. I want to acknowledge that Texas Southern University has
been a great host to us by opening their arena while ours is under renovation. If
your time permits, please come and enjoy a game.
This is all for now. Than you for all you do!
With warm regards,
Renu Khator
President