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News

Dean: CLASS to face hard times

Antel says decisions by UH System Board of Regents will have adverse effects on college

By Geronimo Rodriguez
The Daily Cougar

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Dean John Antel on Wednesday held a meeting at the Wortham Theater to stress to faculty members the severity of the financial bind the college could face because of decisions made by the UH System Board of Regents.

In April 2005, the board approved keeping the tuition and fees increases at 5 percent or less for resident undergraduate students for Fall 2005, which Antel said, "will not be a pretty picture for (CLASS)."

"It was a really draconian decision made on their part," Antel said to about 55 of the faculty members at the meeting. "But they were on the receiving end of pressure from the state Legislature."

Antel said he hopes faculty members help him express to the board their frustration with the move.

"We want them to feel our pain when they don't come up with the revenue to finance our programs," he said.

Maria Gonzalez, an associate professor in the English department, said it's especially hard to deal with when the largest college at UH isn't able to increase its faculty.

"Once again, we're at the mercy of legislators who think they know everything, but they don't have a clue about what's going on here," Gonzalez said.

With about 300 permanent faculty members, CLASS serves about 8,000 undergraduates; it includes 14 departments and schools.

Antel also said during the meeting that University officials may make changes to UH's drop policy after legislators passed a bill to increase retention and graduation rates among Texas universities.

In September, Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill that capped the number of hours an undergraduate Texas resident may attempt for the in-state tuition rate at 150. Students who exceed that limit will be charged the out-of-state tuition rate.

The policy will go into effect in Fall 2006, but Antel said University officials are looking into adjusting its drop policy by Fall 2007 to help students with the change.

Officials may increase the amount of Q grades students receive upon enrolling at UH to six or seven from three, Antel said.

Students can receive a Q grade in place of any grade by withdrawing from a 1000 or 2000 level class by the final withdrawal date; this will keep the hours attempted from counting against them.

"To change a culture like this, there's going to be some pain," Antel said. "So we want to help students out as much as possible and gradually get tougher with the policy.

"(Faculty members) will be the stewards of this change, but we will try and help them out as much as possible."

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