UTMB Faculty Senate
February 13, 2006
Caduceus Room 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

MINUTES

Members Present: T. Albrecht, W. Au, S. Ayachi, C. Baker, C. Boodley, B. Budelmann, A. Cass, E. Cuellar, D. Freeman, J. Gallagher, P. Gallagher, R. Johnson, R. Leonard, H. Li, R. Moore, K. Mossberg, M. Olson, C. Phillips, L. Phillips, R. Rahr, K. Rasmussen, J. Stobo, P. Watson, and M. Winter. Guests: Alice Speer and Ellarene Duis.

I. Approval of Agenda of 2/13/06 – The agenda was approved with the addition of a presentation from Dr. Alice Speer, Chair of the Core Committee for the Advancement of Women Faculty and Administrators

II. Approval of Minutes of 12/12/05 – The minutes were approved. Approval of Minutes of 01/09/06 – The minutes were approved.

III. President’s Comments – Dr. Stobo

1 Dr. Stobo informed the Senate that although faculty want Faculty Development Leave, it is not as successful as he would like it to be. Dr. Stobo voiced his disappointment over the number of applicants. He also informed the Senate that he would be receiving a draft today from Linda Phillips with changes. The leave gives junior and senior faculty an opportunity to learn clinical skills. In order to be successful, it was noted that it is important for both supervisors and faculty to be committed and for faculty not to use their award as a reason not to participate in other projects.
2 Dr. Stobo informed the Senate that the university had suspended billing the NIH and other federal entities for November, December, and January due to uncertainties in our billing accuracy. A group consisting of Valerie Parisi, Bill New, and Terry Reeves visited the NIH in Washington on January 31, 2006. The compliance issues were related to systems, time and effort reporting, and salary reports. Dr. Stobo informed the Senate that the systems problem had been fixed and correct bills are now being sent. The systems problem was created by the employees entering the information; it was not a PeopleSoft problem. In 2003-2004, we underbilled the NIH by $10 million. The NIH allows a salary cap of $171,000; we had 73 faculty above the cap. The 2005 data has been reconciled. The biggest issue, which is time and effort reporting, was also underbilling the NIH. Dr. Stobo informed the Senate that several institutions have been fined for fraud. The NIH is pleased with the progress that we’ve made.
3 Time and effort reporting by faculty will be made a condition of employment and faculty will have to certify that the information provided is correct.

IV. UTMB Homecoming – Dr. Ellarene Duis

1 Dr. Duis announced that the UTMB Homecoming is scheduled for the 4th weekend in March, from Thursday to Saturday. There are more current students involved this year, including alumni from all four schools.
2 Dr. Duis provided the Senate with a schedule of events and a registration form. There will be approximately 70-100 attendees from the School of Nursing with a lot more attending from the School of Medicine.

V. Faculty Excellence Center – Dr. Alice Speer, Chair of the Core Committee for the Advancement of Women Faculty and Administrators

1 Dr. Speer informed the Senate of the research and work the Core Committee for the Advancement of Women Faculty and Administrators had completed in the development of a virtual faculty excellence center at UTMB that would be collaborated and integrated across all four schools.
2 She also shared the action plan developed by the committee during the Appreciative Inquiry Process.

VI. SACS Update – Dr. Pamela Watson

1 Dr. Watson informed the Senate as part of the SACS Reaffirmation that UTMB is required to develop a faculty roster for all faculty who assign grades. The faculty files would contain transcripts, credentials, etc. Credentials must match with courses being taught. Faculty with international credentials will need to have their degrees evaluated to match U.S. credentials.
2 Dr. Watson informed the Senate that we don’t have written guidelines regarding new programs. Our Faculty own the curriculum of a new program and faculty must vote before the program can leave a specific school. The Council of Deans will review, then the President, then the UT System Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, then the Board of Regents, and finally, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approves the curriculum based on merit.

VII. Chair’s Comments – Dr. Winter

1 Dr. Winter informed the Senate that the Institutional Budget Committee will for the first time send data electronically from all schools and that it would be Dr. Watson’s turn in March.
2 Dr. Winter informed the Senate that he is still accepting Hurricane Preparedness Reports for Dr. Parisi.

VIII. Chair-Elect Comments – Dr. Baker

No Report.

IX. Past-Chair Comments – Dr. Budelmann

Dr. Budelmann informed the Senate that the Faculty Lounge has 77 members and hasn’t been promoted well. There is an Open House scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 28. Dr. Budelmann asked the Faculty Quality committee for help promoting the lounge. The fees are $20 month and they need 200 members.

Some faculty have reported delays in getting service. The lounge is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

X. Committee Reports

In the interest of time, the committee reports were tabled until the March meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 6:05 p.m.

Committee meetings followed.

Next Faculty Senate Meeting: March 13, 2006 at 4:30 p.m. in the Caduceus Room.