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New Faculty Senate head sees chance for change

By Jim Parsons
The Daily Cougar

Giles Auchmuty took office as Faculty Senate president Wednesday, stressing the need to improve organization within colleges and continue the Senate's quest for shared governance at the University.

"There appears to be an excellent opportunity to change the UH atmosphere for the better," the mathematics professor said during the Senate's monthly meeting.

Auchmuty said he would like to lead the formation of faculty advisory groups for some administrative departments that have a "long tradition of being isolated from the academic side of the University," like the general counsel's office, human resources and media relations.

The faculty movement for shared governance -- input in administrative decision-making -- began in earnest during UH's presidential search a year ago, and new President Jay Gogue said he supports the idea.

Auchmuty said he hopes increased faculty involvement will reduce what he called historically "uninformed and often unusual decision making."

He said he also wants to examine the internal organization of the University's 13 colleges. Adherence to bylaws and faculty-dean relations vary from college to college, Auchmuty said, and those issues need to be addressed.

In other business, Vice President for Administration and Finance John Rudley and Associate Vice President for Plant Operations Dave Irvin discussed a proposed parking garage with senators.

The University retained Walker Parking Consultants to study parking demand on campus and possible locations and sizes for a garage. Walker recommended a 1,700-space, $28.6 million garage at Scott Street and Holman Avenue incorporating 48,000 square feet of retail space.

Retail rental and parking revenue would help pay for the garage, Rudley said. An annual student permit for the garage is expected to cost $200; a faculty garage permit would cost $350.

Some senators questioned whether students and faculty would be willing to pay a premium to park in a garage that's located as far from the center of campus as some outlying parking lots.

Rudley said enhanced shuttle service and the draw of retail would mitigate those concerns, but College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Sen. Steven Craig said it's already difficult to get students to use the shuttles, and asking garage users to pay more, then ride a bus to class, would be a difficult sell.

However, other senators said a garage on the edge of the campus is the best option. "We don't want it in the middle of the campus," College of Education Sen. Sara McNeil said. "We have a beautiful campus."

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Sen. Ernst Leiss asked about security in the proposed garage, but Rudley said the structure would have a police presence and likely would have security cameras installed.

Although the garage remains a proposal, Irvin said if it is approved by necessary groups, culminating in a vote by the UH System Board of Regents, the building could be completed as early as Fall 2005.

The results of Walker's parking study are available from the UH Plant Operations Web site, www.uh.edu/plantops. Irvin welcomed input from the University community on the study and garage proposal.

The Faculty Senate will next meet Feb. 18.

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