UTMB Faculty Senate
November 12, 2007
Caduceus Room
4:30 pm – 6:00 pm

MINUTES

Members Present: T. Albrecht, G. Anderson, C. Baker, V. Brooke, D. Hudnall, A. Hudson -Jones, R. Johnson, R. Konig, R. Leonard, S. Lewis, S. Lieberman, K. Mossberg, D. Munsell, G. Olson, E. Protas, K. Sandor, G. Steer, G. Taglialatela, C. Utsey, P. Watson, G. Weaver, N. Wills, C. Wisnewski

I. Approval of Agenda of 11/12/07 – The November 12, 2007 agenda was approved.

II. Approval of Minutes of 10/08/07 – The minutes of the October 8, 2007 meeting were approved through e-mail.

II. Chief Academic Officer Comments – Dr. Pamela Watson - (written report provided by Dr. Watson is appended).

• The SACS off-site review committee met last week from 11/5/07 to 11/08/07 to review UTMB’s Compliance Certificate. They Dr. Watson expects to receive a report from them next week.
• The SACS on-site review committee is scheduled to be on campus February 26-28, 2007.
• The THECB has approved and authorized the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree and a Master of Science (MS) degree with a major in Clinical Science. The CAO office has notified SACS and UT Systems regarding this approval.
• The Council of Education for Public Health (CEPH) has accredited the Graduate program in Public Health at UTMB for a seven-year term, extending to December 31, 2014. The CAO office has notified SACS and UT Systems regarding this approval.
• The Council of Deans met with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee regarding a UTMB Ombudsperson, Dr. Watson has submitted their concerns with Dr. Callender. She will get back with them after she receives a response from Dr. Callender.
• The Office of the CAO is developing a process for tracking faculty publications and reporting the information annually.
• The Office of the CAO is developing a new process for developing the educational strategic plan, they will review the plans developed by each of the Schools and synthesize the common themes and priorities.
• A Critical Incidence Response Team (CIRT) has been created; the Council of Deans serves as the steering committee to the CIRT, Dr. Cooper is the chair of the steering committee, and Dr. Rebecca Saavedra is the head of the CIRT. The CIRT group will develop a charter, membership, and they will develop a process to accomplish a lock down and behavioral assessment, and will schedule a drill during this year.

IV. Dean’s Corner (written reports provided by Drs. Protas and Watson are appended)

Dr. Anderson reported on the following:
• The medical students in the School of Medicine continue to do well.
• Dr. James Halpert, Chair of the Department of Pharmacology has resigned. He will be leaving UTMB in the early part of 2008 to join the University of California in , San Diego as the Professor and Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
• Dr. Larry Stanberry, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics has also resigned. He will be leaving UTMB in January, 2008. He has accepted the position of Chair of the Department of Pediatrics of Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and Pediatrician-in-Chief of the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Dr. Cooper was unable to attend the meeting and had did not submit a report.

Dr. Protas reported on the following:
• SAHS is currently conducting searches in 5 out of 6 areas.
• Human Resources finalized focus group follow-ups to the You-Count Survey.
• SAHS and SON are piloting the 2-CARE phone line to improve access for UTMB employees.
• SAHS Faculty and Staff were rewarded with a dinner at Willie G’s to recognize all of the outstanding achievements during the past year.
• As a means to develop faculty, SAHS and PMCH are proposing new collaborative programs. One program will be with Clinical Laboratory Sciences and the newly approved Ph.D. program in Clinical Sciences. The other will pair the Ph.D. curriculum in Rehabilitation Sciences with the Master’s in Occupational Therapy (MOT/Ph.D.) and the Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT/PhD).
• A draft proposal for tuition and fees changes and increases for FY 2009 and 2010 was presented to the President’s Tuition and Fees Advisory Committee. It rReceived a positive response from the students.
• SAHS is developing metrics for FTE faculty and staff positions.
• The Advisory Council met on November 1, 2007.
• Dr. Richard Rahr and Shirley McGraw represented SAHS at the Texas Society of Allied Health Professions. Dr. Rahr is the TSAHP treasurer and Ms. McGraw is the secretary. SAHS hosts the website for TSAHP.
• SAHS submitted several earmark proposals. One seeks funding to begin offering their programs in Austin to address the growing health workforce shortage in these disciplines. The other seeks support for our Diabetic Home Care model that partners Clinical Laboratory Sciences with Occupational Therapy to provide home support for individuals with diabetes who are un-sponsored.
• Dr. Ivonne Berges, a current faculty scholar in women’s health, received a 10% percentile on her R03 application and they anticipate that it should be funded. Both Drs. Berges and Dreyer are re-submitting individual K-award applications.

Dr. Watson reported on the following:
• The School of Nursing had their Salute to Nursing Scholarship Tournament on October 12, 2007.
• Dr. Trish Richard received an award for $500K from the University of Texas System’s Enrich Nursing Through Exceptional Recruitment (ENTER) program.
• Dr. R. Jeanne Ruiz was awarded a competitive R56 one-year bridging study grant for $500K from the National Institute for Nursing Research at the NIH.

V. Dr. Karen Sexton – Presented the “FY 2008 Update: The Clinical Enterprise” to the Faculty Senate (written presentation appended).

VI. Chair’s Comments – Dr. Albrecht
• Dr. Albrecht asked that the School of Nursing Faculty Senators elect a representative to serve on the Faculty Senate Executive Committee.
• Dr. Albrecht will meet with the Governance Committee to discuss the faculty plan discussions from SysFAC.
• Dr. Albrecht reported that the Board of Regents passed a resolution that the Faculty Senate review all IHOP policies related to Faculty. Information from the Board of Regents will be sent to all Senators.
• Clinical Practice Plan – Dr. Albrecht reported that Dr. Shine had limited the distribution of the plan and the Faculty Senate would review it before it is distributed to the UTMB campus.
• Compensation Plan – Dr. Albrecht reported that the compensation plan may violate Texas law. A revised compensation plan was submitted to SysFAC by Dr. Shine. UTMB received a letter from Dr. Shine indicating that he thought the plan was okay. The compensation plan needs to be approved by the faculty senate. There seems to be a gap between Dr. Shine and the attorney. Dr. Anderson needs the compensation plan to be good to help the hospital grow. There are differences between the front lines, Dr. Shine, and the attorney.
• SysFAC is reviewing the IHOP’s.
• UT-System is looking at other issues; phased retirement, computer issues, health insurance, Board of Regents graduation rates.
• UT- System discussed the issue that Hispanic minority students do not generally take out student loans, therefore it takes them longer to graduate. UT-System does not see this as effective.
• UT- System indicated substantial issues with faculty recruitment and retention. Currently they are reviewing policies to retain tenure for faculty changing from full-time status to part-time status.
• Leadership Academy – there was a discussion regarding a leadership academy everyone is for it but not sure how to implement it.
• Accreditation issues were tabled to individual campuses.
• The Vice Chancellor for Research asked that the IRB’s make it easier to report time and effort, conflict of interest, and patents and licenses.
• Barry McVie said that the legislature feels that accredited agencies cannot dictate to them they number of classroom size.
• UT-Austin is looking in general at salary and gender.
• David Prior, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs indicated that the Regents rule be followed and encouraged faculty participation.
• Dr. Shine has approved $5 million dollars in funding for Health Education. Dr. Stobo will direct the grant programs.
• UT-System is reviewing as to how billing in hospitals relate to cost.
• Practice and Compensation Plan – the President is responsible for the compensation plan.

VII. Chair-Elect Comments – Dr. Hudnall
• Faculty Ombudsperson - Dr. Hudnall summarized for the Faculty Senate the discussion held by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee and the Council of Deans regarding the Faculty Ombudsperson. They agreed that the Faculty Ombudsperson should not be a lawyer and that a Senior Academic Faculty member would be preferable. They would like to find someone from another institution. The executive committee expressed to the COD the Senate’s concerns that the ombudsperson be free of any conflicts of interests and be independent of UTMB. They also discussed how actively involved the ombudsperson would be in the grievance procedures, and they agreed that this person would assist the faculty, but would not be part of the grievance process, the ombudsperson would be able to sit in on the grievance sessions.
• Core Committee for Women Faculty – Dr. Hudnall reported that the Core Committee for Women Faculty is developing a proposal focusing on faculty proposal development and leadership skills. Dr. Mary O’Keefe, Chair of the committee is championing the endeavor. This is a positive initiative for UTMB to develop. The committee asked if the Faculty Senate would play a role in this initiative. The Faculty Senate can review and vote on the proposal.

VIII. Past-Chairs Comments – Dr. Baker
• Faculty Grievance Policy – Dr. Baker reported that the Faculty Senate Executive Committee discussed the faculty grievance policy with the Council of Deans. She said the policy had been passed last summer, and the COD was reviewing it. Several questions were raised; is it a paper review or an in-person review? That is not specifically stated in the policy. She will ask the Faculty Governance Committee to review the policy again. Information is being received from other institutions and will be forwarded to Dr. Kurt Mossberg for distribution to the committee.

VIV. Senate Business Committee Reports
- Academic Affairs – no report.
- Faculty Quality – no report.
- Governance – no report.