Dear Colleagues,
Spring break is upon us! The campus should become a little quieter, despite the ongoing construction.
While many of you might take some well-deserved time off, I know that our faculty’s work is never quite done. Whether you are grading assignments, finalizing research, or overseeing creative activities, I hope your break is both restful and productive.
Spring 2026 has been another active semester. Given the rapid changes in higher education, we’ve been busier than usual; with that in mind, I’d like to offer my sincere thanks for your continued hard work and flexibility.
I also want to extend my gratitude to the Faculty Council for its efforts. In a short time, this recently elected and appointed group has worked diligently to support our faculty and the University. With three committees—Faculty Affairs, Curriculum, and Research & Scholarship—the Faculty Council has provided remarkable service and advanced several productive initiatives. These include recent efforts to streamline the curriculum proposal process, as well as active guidance on the faculty-led curriculum review.
All of this work benefits the University and ultimately, our students. Speaking of our Coogs, this edition of Academic Update spotlights a few who are succeeding because of your guidance. These featured students are just three of the nearly 300 Coogs who have earned Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Scholarships.
You’ll also read how we’re working to maximize the efforts of our Presidential Frontier Faculty through new symposia. Regarding professional development, we will be launching a new seminar session for our non-tenure track faculty this Friday, March 13. I also need to offer an update on my upcoming spring presentation to the faculty. UH's Academic Outlook will take place at 3 p.m., April 15 in the UH Alumni Center's O'Quinn Great Hall.
Enjoy the rest of this week—and please be sure to take some time for yourselves and your families while our students are away next week!
Warm regards,
Diane