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Faculty mulls state crisis

By Nikie Johnson
Senior Staff Writer

Although Wednesday was Anne Jacobsonis first day as Faculty Senate president, she is already facing a host of problems for her yearlong term.

First on everyoneis minds is the impending state budget crisis and what it will mean to this University.

But the associate professor of philosophy will also have to address faculty compensation, faculty input in how research money is spent, a review of the Faculty Handbook and the fundamental question of her organizationis role.

"What do we the faculty want UH to be? … What is our vision?" she asked during her inaugural address at the Senateis first meeting of the semester. "What is our best conception of ourselves?"

Outgoing Faculty Senate President Joseph Eichberg began his farewell address with the budget crisis, saying he had met with UH President Arthur K. Smith and others about the issue.

"The subject is high on his agenda," Eichberg said. Gov. Rick Perryis recent mandate that all state institutes, including public universities, cut their budgets by 7 percent has caused much speculation as to what will be hit at UH.

"The University of Houston is considering what parameters should be considered for cuts," Eichberg said. He quoted Smith as saying "the most merciful solution" would be employed. UH has until Feb. 6 to file its plan.

Eichberg recommended that the Senate look into a few key issues this year, including the roles of department chairs, faculty compensation, research funding and communication between faculty members.

Among his greatest hopes, he said, are that a taskforce on shared governance be formed and that faculty be represented on the search committee for UHis next president.

In other business, the Senate heard from two visitors: associate history professor Karl Ittmann and UH Police Chief Robert Wilson.

Ittmann, who served on the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Advisory Committee, brought his concerns about the new facility to the Senate.

His first concern was that the faculty didnit have adequate input on the fees.

"There was no real consultation," he said. "We (the committee members) were simply asked to ratify something that had already been decided."

Tied into that was his concern that faculty are being asked to pay too much. He said the fee schedule is complicated, but basically, joining will cost faculty members $300 per semester.

He urged faculty members not to join the center: "Itis a slap in the face, the way weive been treated."

He also warned that, based on the documentation he received about the centeris budget, it would be running a deficit, because he doesnit think it will bring in as much revenue as it expects, and will be spending more than it has budgeted for.

Chief Wilson, of the University of Houston Police Department, talked mainly about recent bomb threats one UH worker received over the last few weeks. The calls started over winter break, when Wilson said the employee started working at UH.

He said UHPD, with the help of the Texas Rangers and the FBI, was able to find a suspect and arrest him. The calls have since stopped, Wilson said.

Although "we do take (bomb threats) seriously," he said, UH shouldnit worry too much because an actual bomb detonation is "very rare."

"I donit know of an occasion in the last 20 years when a bomb has gone off on a university campus," he said.

Wilson also addressed measures being taken to improve security at UH, including lowering hedges and increasing lighting in Lot 1A, which was hit especially hard by car thieves and burglars last semester.

The next Faculty Senate meeting will be at 12:15 p.m. Feb. 19 in the Farish Hall Kiva.
 

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