UTMB Faculty Senate
August 13, 2007
Caduceus Room
4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

MINUTES

Members Present: T. Albrecht, W. Au, C. Baker, C. Cooper, P. Gallagher, J. Gonzalez, R. Johnson, R. Konig, A. Koutrouvelis, S. Lewis, H. Li, K. Mossberg, D. Munsell, C. Phillips, R. Rahr, R. Saavedra, M. Winter, and C. Wisnewski. Guests: S. Lieberman, L. Phillips.

I. Approval of Agenda of 8/13/07 – The August 13, 2007 agenda was approved.

II. Approval of Minutes of 7/9/07 was done electronically.

III. President Designate’s Comments – Dr. Callender informed the Senate that the budget for FY2007/2008 was being finalized; Larry Revill can address any questions regarding the FY07/08 institutional budget and Cameron Slocum can address the School of Medicine budget. Dr. Callender informed the Senate that he would like to hold a special budget meeting for interested parties of the Senate to address any budget questions. Dr. Callender will have Larry Revill contact Dr. Baker. Dr. Callender would like to hold quarterly meetings with the Senate to address any budget issues. This will help to make the budget process more transparent.

Dr. Callender informed the Senate that the School of Medicine currently has a structural deficit that Dr. Anderson is working to address.

Dr. Callender informed the Senate that he has been meeting with members of the faculty, department chairs, and directors of support areas over the last several weeks discussing points of interest such as service, culture, clinics and communication. Dr. Callender announced that a town meeting is planned for late September.

Dr. Callender discussed the proposed Victory Lakes and other off-site locations, which serve as way stations and referral points for UTMB. Centers of Excellence are a core strategy to be developed over the next five to ten years.

Dr. Callender stated that he believes that telemedicine is only in the early phases of adoption and that much work remains to be done to promote patient and physician acceptance of this tool.

IV. Deans’ Corner (written reports provided by Dr. Protas)

• Dr. Cooper informed the Senate that two external reviewers were on campus July 22-24 to review the Cellular Physiology & Molecular Biophysics graduate program. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will site visit the proposed Clinical Science graduate program on August 22 pursuant to conveying final approval. This program received “preliminary authority” in 2003, a step required before final approval is granted.
• Dr. Cooper informed the Senate that he is now serving as the Conflict of Interest Official now that Richard Moore is retiring. This capacity also has him serving on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Formula Advisory Committee. This group meets once a month.
• Dr. Baker provided several points of interest provided from a written report from Dr. Protas who was unable to attend – Dr. Rodger Marion has been appointed Emeritus Processor on his retirement at the end of August. He is also premiering his new film “Healer” about a civil war faith healer later this month. Dr. David Wise was honored by over 100 alums, friends and colleagues on July 20 in recognition of his retirement after 22 years on the UTMB faculty. Diane Rath, a UTMB Physical Therapy Alumnae, has been nominated for an assistant cabinet post in the Health and Human Services Department with the Bush administration.
• Drs. Anderson and Watson were unable to attend and had no report.

V. Chief Academic Officer Report – Dr. Watson unable to attend

• Dr. Cooper informed the Senate that Dr. Watson was unable to attend the meeting. Dr. Gerik’s team is working feverishly on the Quality Enhancement Plan. The report is due the first part of September.

VI. Chair’s Comments—Dr. Baker

• Dr. Baker informed the Senate that the You Count Survey results are posted on the iUTMB site if anyone is interested in reviewing.
• Dr. Baker informed the Senate that the Past Chair of the Senate will serve as the Faculty Senate representative on the Academy of Master Teachers Committee.
• Dr. Baker reminded the Senate of the annual meeting scheduled for September 10 from 11:45 to 1 p.m. in the Levin Hall Dining Room. Certificates for Senators rotating off will be presented and the Senate plans to recognize Dr. Stobo for his ten year contribution to the Senate.

VII. Past Chair’ Comments – Dr. Winter

• Dr. Winter informed the Senate as a result of the AED Senate resolution, AED’s have been ordered on September 1. The number of AED’s ordered and funds used are unknown. The resolution asked for one AED per floor per building. AED training takes about 30 minutes. Dr. Koutrouvelis volunteered to provide training.

VIII. Chair-Elect Comments

• Dr. Albrecht informed the Senate that a clinical practice plan discussion would occur later in the meeting.

IX. Senate Business

o Dr. Baker reminded the senators to get the word out about our annual luncheon meeting on September 10th from 1145 to 1300.
o Dr. Baker informed the Senate that the Faculty Grievance Committee will be comprised of twenty faculty members; ten names would be chosen from a slate of 20 submitted from the Faculty Senate. The slate of names will be sent to the Faculty Senators for approval before being provided to Kathy Shingleton in HR. Dr. Baker assured faculty that they would be asked first before their names would go forward. The other ten faculty names will be chosen from the slate of 20 created by the Council of Deans. This process is outlined in the faculty grievance policy.

Committee, Task Force and Representatives’ Reports:
o Governance – Dr. Johnson filled in for Dr. Freeman who is on vacation. The issue at hand is whether or not part time faculty should be allowed to vote. Dr. Rahr moved that the schools should allow their part-time faculty to vote for Senators and other school related activities if it does not contradict School-specific bylaws or policy. The motion was seconded and passed. o Dr. Koutrouvelis informed the Senate that he had met with the Austin faculty in regard to their role in faculty governance. Logistically, it is too difficult for them to participate in our meetings. Discussion ensured about the possibility of teleconferencing them in Senate meetings. Dr. Saavedra informed the Senate that student services participates in videoconferencing.
o Administrative and Academic Affairs – Dr. Au presented the Senate with a summary of the Post Tenure Review process at UTMB and other UT Health Science Centers (report attached to the minutes).
o Faculty Quality – Dr. Li informed the senate that another set of revisions were prepared for handing out to the senators present. A motion was made to vote electronically for the newly updated compensation document. The document was to be sent to all voting senators along with a similar document coming from the Faculty Advisory Council. The FAC document is undergoing the same process to be sent on to the Board of Regents to have faculty input into a system-wide compensation plan.
o Dr. Richard Rahr thanked Dr. Baker for her leadership as Chair of the Faculty Senate this past year.

Meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m.

Committee meetings followed.

Next Faculty Senate Meeting: Annual Meeting on September 10, 2007 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Levin Hall Dining Room.