UTMB Faculty Senate
March 12, 2007
Caduceus Room
4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

MINUTES

Members Present: T. Albrecht, G. Anderson, W. Au, S. Ayachi, C. Baker, T. Cuellar, P. Gallagher, R. Johnson, R. Konig, A. Koutrouvelis, H. Li, K. Mossberg, C. Phillips, R. Rahr, J. Stobo, P. Watson, S. Weaver, and M. Winter. Guests: James Goodwin; Kathy Shingleton.

I. Approval of Agenda was tabled due to lack of quorum.

II. Approval of Minutes of 2/12/07 was done electronically and is posted to Senate Website.

III. President’s Comments – Dr. Stobo gave a legislative update and an update on finances: the 10% overall cut from the budget was restored, the tuition revenue bond of $57 million for the Galveston National laboratory were both approved. UTMB has requested $14 million for hurricane Rita losses and a $20 million cost adjustment for formula funding for all schools. Dr. Stobo informed the senators that the Specialty Tower would not go to the Board of Regents until the summer. We were also informed that the finances for 06-07 were on target for the break even goal set after the Navigant report. Dr. Stobo showed a brief video clip to the senators about the globalization of UTMB Telemedicine with regard to Rift Valley Fever. He informed us that UTMB is collaborating with the WHO in order to have 12 Telemedicine sites around the world.

IV. Deans’ Corner and SACS Update
• Dr. Watson reported that in accordance with the Texas nursing shortage, the School of Nursing will be increasing its enrollment by 25% per year for the next 4 years. This action will be monitored by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners. She also informed the Senate that there would be a doubling of admissions into the accelerated programs at the School of Nursing. She reported that the writing of the compliance document for SACS was progressing nicely.
• Dr. Anderson provided a report from AACM as a handout, http://www.aamc.org/data/aib/aibissues/aibvol7_no1.pdf . He reported there were 15 to 18 faculty that would see a reduction in salaries as part of the Faculty Compensation Plan with two of these faculty from the Basic Science Departments.
• Dr. Protas was not in attendance but her report was read by Dr. Baker: All of the chairs of the SAHS are proposing an Honors program for clinical rotations in Austin as a proposal to Dr. Shomaker. Dr. Roger Marion received some press on the educational film he is working on, “The Healer”, about a Civil War faith healer. Dr. Vicki Freeman was appointed to Vice Chair of the Research and Development Committee of the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry. Dr. Freeman is in Tanzania during spring break participating in educational module simplification with the American Society of Clinical Pathology for clinical laboratory personnel in that country. The Departments of OT and PT have developed a very successful series with the clinical Department of Rehabilitation Services on evidence-based practice. Dr. Hans Dreyer was appointed as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and has submitted an NIH K01 award along with Dr. Pei-Fen Chang and Dr. Yvonne Berges, Division of Rehabilitation Sciences. The move of admissions to Enrollment Services has been a success by filling the fall classes for the Physician Assistant and Physical Therapy professional programs.

IV. Dr. James Goodwin gave a report on the Center for Translational Science/Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. He reported that an infrastructure grant and a training grant have been resubmitted for funding in January 2007. The fifteen core research area will be in conjunction with The University of Texas-Austin. The goal of the center is to move biomedical research towards a product more like industry. The center is to assist with support teams to move forward more efficiently. His PowerPoint presentation is enclosed.

V. Dr. Kathy Shingleton gave an update on the Faculty Grievance Process by thanking those senators for their input into the Faculty Grievance Process Policy. She gave handouts of the Policy changes and stated that the next steps would be to: 1) incorporate all suggested changes in the policy, 2) submit the policy to UTMB IHOP Committee, and upon approval 3) UT System for final approval.

VI. Chair’s Comments—Dr. Baker

• Dr. Baker reported that she will begin forwarding to all senators the daily ‘news clips’ from the UTMB Public Relations office; it is hoped that senators will share these with their constituents, helping to address the need to facilitate more positive communications about UTMB.

VII. Past Chair’ Comments – Dr. Winter reported that more progress has been made to the Faculty Senate Web Page with the addition of Google Search capabilities.

VIII. Chair-Elect Comments – Dr. Albrecht

• In order to hear Dr. Albrecht’s report, a vote was taken to suspend the meeting time limits. Dr. Albrecht recently attended the System FAC meeting in Austin. He reported that the graduation rates for UT System comprehensive universities continue to be a major point of discussion. Dr. Albrecht reported that the UT Investments have reached $22 X 109 dollars in the fund. He reported on possible changes to the formula funding issue, future faculty shortages and faculty compensation. He reported that many of the UT System schools have had in increase in students without an increase in faculty.

IX. Senate Business

Committee Reports

o Governance – Reported that the governance committee continues to look into the issue of Senate representation on the IHOP Committee. The committee reports difficulty in contacting faculty in Austin as to their needs and representation on the Faculty Senate.

Meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.

Committee meetings followed.

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