UTMB Faculty Senate
June 11, 2007
Caduceus Room
4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

MINUTES

Members Present: T. Albrecht, W. Au, C. Baker, C. Cooper, T. Cuellar, D. Freeman, J. Gonzalez, L. Grumbles, D. Hudnall, R. Johnson, R. Konig, S. Leitch, H. Li, M. Moore, D. Munsell, C. Phillips, E. Protas, R. Rahr, R. Saavedra, K. Sandor, J. Stobo, P. Watson, S. Weaver, M. Winter, and C. Wisnewski.

I. Approval of Agenda of 6/11/07 – The June 11, 2007 agenda was approved.

II. Approval of Minutes of 5/14/07 was done electronically.

III. President’s Comments – Dr. Stobo informed the Senate that Dr. Callender will be on campus beginning July 1 as President Designate until September 1 when he assumes the Presidency. Dr. Stobo announced that the legislative session concluded over Memorial Day and was better than the 2003 and 2005 sessions for UTMB. Dr. Stobo gave the Senate the following legislative update:

Funding Requested Appropriated Tuition Revenue Bond (GNL) $9.9M $9.9M Additional Formula Funding $56.0M $10.0M Hurricane Rita Losses $13.0M $13.0M Restore Multi-Categorial Teaching Fund (lottery) $20.0M $01 UTMB Hospital Inflation $20.0M $02 CMC $88.0M $66.0M Stark Diabetes Center $5.0M $2.0M

Dr. Stobo informed the Senate that $375M is sufficient to cover increased costs. Dr. Stobo explained that the Multi-Categorical Teaching Fund is unclaimed lottery receipts, to which the institution has access to $10M a year. These funds cannot be used to fund the uninsured. The governor has until June 15 to line item veto any amount. There is no interest at the State level to provide additional compensation for indigent care. UTMB provides unsponsored care to 160 counties, of which 76% comes from the following six counties: Galveston, Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Montgomery and Jefferson. The counties are not stepping up to fund this care and it is no longer financially sustainable. Dr. Stobo provided a PowerPoint slide that shows the history of UTMB’s total general revenue appropriations over the last ten years: FY97 – 196M, FY00 – 233M, FY02 – 241M, FY03 – 220M, and FY07 – 229M. Dr. Stobo also informed the Senate that UTMB receives more general revenue than other UT institutions – the institution uses $100-120M for our hospitals/clinics and the other $100M is for our schools.

IV. Deans’ Corner

• Dr. Cooper informed the Senate that the GSBS had the largest graduating class in its history. Dr. Daniel Freeman was the recipient of the Graduate Student Organization’s Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, and Dr. David Walker was the recipient of the Distinguished Faculty Research Award.
• Dr. Cooper informed the Senate that two external reviewers will be on campus on July 22-24 to help review the Cellular Physiology & Molecular Biophysics graduate program. Also, 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 “planning authority” 3 years ago, a step required before final approval is granted.
• Dr. Protas provided an update on SAHS activities which is included in the attached report. Departmental chairs have completed annual faculty performance reviews and are making recommendations for MOA’s for the 2008 academic year. The SAHS held a Town Meeting through a joint meeting of the Faculty and Staff Assembly to discuss and solicit feedback on the You Count Survey for SAHS. The SAHS student scholarship funds have increased significantly for the 2008 academic year to $164,000 from $115,000 last year. Ninety-two percent of SAHS students have some form of student loan or scholarship.
• Dr. Anderson was out-of-town and was unable to attend. • Dr. Watson informed the Senate that the SON received a new $500,000 ENTER grant from UT System for a multipurpose interdisciplinary research area for health promotion interventions to target recruitment of three new faculty.
• Dr. Watson also informed the Senate that at the 120th SON Commencement on April 20, 197 BSN degrees and 65 MSN degrees were awarded. The following SON faculty received 2007 awards including Outstanding baccalaureate program faculty – Charlotte Wisnewski, Outstanding baccalaureate RN-MSN faculty – Gloria Brandburg and Shelley Tholcken and Outstanding master’s program faculty – Kathy Nash. At the GSBS Commencement ceremony on May 5, three Ph-D nursing degrees were awarded.

V. President Designate – Dr. David Callender

Dr. Callender, President Designate, joined the Senate meeting in progress. Dr. Callender informed the Senate that his desire is to restore a higher level of trust between the faculty and administration. Dr. Callender also informed the Senate that some of his most pressing goals for the institution are to improve UTMB’s financial performance, to chart a critical course for the future, and to craft a viable solution to indigent care. He also informed the Senate that he would be making appointments to visit departments on campus. He’d like to hear from each department what they consider to be the three or four most important things at an institution and in their department.

VI. Chief Academic Officer Report – Dr. Watson (written report provided)

Dr. Watson informed the Senate that SACS has been notified of the pending administrative leadership change. Dr. Watson informed the Senate that the COD has approved the Moody Medical Library self-study. Dr. Watson informed the Senate that the entities will be presenting their budgets at the July meeting. Quarterly financial reports are provided to the Senate via the Chair.

Dr. Watson informed the Senate that a formal request was submitted to SACS requesting that UTMB be allowed to utilize an alternative approach to meet the requirements of Core Requirement 2.7.4 (The institution provides instruction for all coursework required for each degree program at each level at which it awards degrees. If the institution makes arrangements for some instruction to be provided by other accredited institutions or entities through contracts or consortia, or uses some other alternative approach to meeting this requirement, the alternative approach must be approved by the Commission on Colleges. In all cases, the institution demonstrates that it controls all aspects of its educational programs.) of the Commission on Colleges Principals of Accreditation.

VII. UTMB Campus Critical Incidence Response Planning – Dr. Rebecca Saavedra

Dr. Saavedra informed the Senate that in response to the Virginia Tech incident that UTMB had formed a Critical Incidence Response Ad Hoc Committee and the group has met three times. Dr. Saavedra informed the Senate that each area has protocols and that the Committee is looking at a new system called First Call which would send out electronic messages in an emergency. The group also intends to focus on prevention of mental health issues and how to respond in a situation.

VIII. Faculty Grievance Policy – Dr. Kathy Shingleton – discussion and vote

Dr. Baker introduced Dr. Kathy Shingleton and Amanda Porter from Human Resources to the Senate. The Senate has spent the last five months reviewing IHOP Policy 5.3.8, the Faculty Grievance Policy, which hasn’t been revised since 2005. Dr. Shingleton provided copies of the policy to all Senators and advised that everything is grievable in the work environment and that only seven grievances have been filed in the last five years. If a grievance reaches mediation, no records are kept and the process is totally confidential.

After discussion and review, the policy was approved as amended with the following verbiage to be included:

If Employee Relations has determined that a situation is not grievable, the faculty member, and/or the ombudsman, may refer the case directly to the Dean’s Office.

In the interest of time, Amanda Porter agreed to return at the July 9 meeting to report on The Faculty Compensation Plan Relative to Certain Faculty Benefits.

IX. Chair’s Comments—Dr. Baker

Dr. Baker asked the Senate for Chair-Elect nominations for 2007-2008. The following nominations were recorded: Richard Rahr nominated David Hudnall, Dan Freeman and William Au nominated Robert Johnson, and Tina Cuellar nominated William Au. All accepted the nominations with the exception of Dr. Hudnall who accepted with a condition.

Dr. Baker informed the Senate that Dr. Freeman has agreed to head a task force to address Faculty Lounge issues and problems.

X. Past Chair’ Comments – Dr. Winter had no report.

XI. Chair-Elect Comments – Dr. Albrecht tabled his report to next month’s meeting in the interest of time.

XII. Senate Business

Committee Reports
o Governance – tabled until next month.
o Faculty Quality – Dr. Rahr reported that his committee is still addressing the Faculty Compensation Plan to accommodate a system-wide plan.
o Administrative and Academic Affairs – tabled until next month.

Meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.

Committee meetings followed.

Next Faculty Senate Meeting: July 9, 2007 at 4:30 p.m. in the Caduceus Room.