(L-R) Keith Krolick, Ph.D., chair of the Faculty Senate presents Tod Sloan, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the department of anesthesiology, with the Faculty Senate Award for Excellence in Faculty Leadership.
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At its first meeting of the 2004-2005 academic year on Sept. 8, the Faculty Senate honored Tod Sloan, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the department of anesthesiology, as the first recipient of the Senate’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Leadership.

Dr. Sloan, who has been at the Health Science Center since 1989, was one of several faculty members who were instrumental in creating the general structure of the Faculty Senate. He served as the Senate’s first chairman and continued to serve on the Senate through 2003.

Dr. Sloan has served on several committees throughout the university. In 2003 he was appointed as the chairman of the Health Science Center’s Ad hoc committee for the Evaluation of the Promotion and Tenure System. In recent years he has served on the Faculty Tenure and Promotion Committee, the Electronic CV Project, the Core Facilities Committee, the Institutional Animal Care Program and the Information Technology Advisory Council. Since 2001 he has served as the director of the Mission Aligned Planning Center.

Bullets from the Sept. 8 meeting of the Faculty Senate

Inaugural Business:

- The gavel was passed from Barry Norling, Ph.D., out going chair to Keith Krolick, Ph.D., incoming Chair.

- A motion was passed by the Senate to accept the nomination of Dr. Margaret Brackley from the School of Nursing as Chair-elect of the Senate.

Presentation of first annual Senate Faculty Leadership Award

Dr. Krolick presented the First Annual Faculty Senate Leadership Award to Dr. Todd Sloan from the School of Medicine.

University Updates were presented by Steven A. Wartman, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president for academic and health affairs at the Health Science Center and dean of the School of Medicine:

- Brian Herman, Ph.D., will begin as vice president of research Nov. 1.

- Numerous major recruitments are ongoing. In addition to various Chairs being sought, positions needing filling include Director for SACI; Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs in the Medical School; Associate Dean for Student Affairs in the Medical School; Director, School of Medicine Teaching Academy; Associate Dean for Students in the School of Nursing; Assistant Dean for Medical Education and an Assistant Dean for Research at the RAHC.

- Preparation for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accreditation visit will begin next year.

- The final version of the Compact has been approved by the UT System and the Health Science Center will need to provide updates on our progress in Spring 2005.

- Jeff Turner, president and CEO of the University Health System, announced that he is stepping down.

- Larry Barnes, Ph.D., and Kathleen Stevens, Ph.D., co-chairs for the Health Science Center's Teaching Center (newly charged and in the data gathering phase of its work), will be invited to speak to the Senate in November or December.

- The Office of Technology Ventures, a cash-positive operation, is engaged in activities leading to the generation of several company spin-offs from HSC technologies that are generating significant sales.

- New International Visitors included in numerous visa categories have a very limited time period to report to International Services in order to authorize their stay

Report from Standing Committee on Parking and Traffic Safety: Shawn Komorn, chairman of the Parking and Traffic Safety Committee, was asked by the Senate to comment on concerns surrounding sudden recent changes in parking space distribution. Komorn told the Senate that parking issues are notoriously complex, as land surrounding the campus disappears to build buildings, and that no state dollars can be used for parking facilities, so costs must be absorbed in other ways, such as increasing parking fees or re-assigning open spaces as more costly reserved spaces. Komorn encouraged faculty with concerns to attend any future meetings of the Parking Committee.

Procedural Issues: Dr. Krolick reminded the Senate that there is a stipulation in Senate Bylaws that every 5 years there is to be a recalculation of Senate membership to guarantee that all schools are fairly represented. As this will be Year 5, Senate membership will be re-assessed, as well as a review of the Senate's bylaws.

Full minutes of the September meeting can be found at: www.uthscsa.edu/facultygovt/minutes/sept2004.html