October 13, 2003 UNT Inhouse publication: Faculty Senate hears reports from Pohl, new VP for research and technology transfer

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Faculty Senate hears reports from Pohl, new VP for research and technology transfer

The UNT Faculty Senate heard a report from UNT President Norval Pohl about the university's goals and vision for the upcoming year during the senate's first meeting of the 2003-04 academic year Sept. 10.

Pohl discussed several issues facing the university and their connection to the university's vision statement. He talked about the need for faculty involvement in areas such as responsibility-centered management — a decentralizing budgeting technique that would bring more budgetary decisions to the areas where expenses are incurred and revenues are made.

Pohl also discussed a decision made by the UNT System Board of Regents to increase tuition by $7 per semester hour; its endorsement of a plan to bring more coordination to the offices of development, the North Texas Exes and the UNT Foundation; and its decision to fund a portion of the athletic center slated for construction on the Eagle Point Campus with reserve funds.

He also talked about UNT's continued enrollment growth and an organization designed to encourage parents of UNT students to get involved and stay involved in the UNT community.

Finally, Pohl spoke about the vision of UNT and the university's direction in the next four or five years. He foresees continued growth in the number of students, faculty and staff; less state support for higher education than has existed in the past; and higher visibility of UNT in the Dallas-Fort Worth region and at the state and national levels. He talked about some key challenges facing the university, including improving faculty morale, balancing a need for more funded research with a push from students for more focus on teaching, and creating scholarship dollars for students by growing the university's endowments.

Senators also heard a report from UNT's new vice president for research and technology transfer, Lloyd Chesnut, about his first months in the new position and his philosophy of research. He said he feels the number of grant proposals for funded research is small for the size of the university and that he will work to improve the success rate of the proposal process. He also talked about his plans for his technology transfer role; the development of intellectual property and research enterprises for faculty; and the development of the UNT Research Park and the possible creation of a small business incubator. He said his ultimate goal is for UNT to be recognized as a major research institution at the state and national levels as quickly as possible.

In other business, the senate:

Heard a report regarding the creation of a faculty ombudsman. The issue will be brought before the senate for a vote at its next meeting, Oct. 8.
Approved a report from the Committee on Committees regarding vacant committee seats.
Approved a report from the Curriculum Committee regarding the approval of 46 courses, the deletion of one academic minor and the approval of two degrees in international studies.
Heard a report from Frances Van Tassell, senate vice chair, about the Executive Committee's monthly meeting with administrators. Topics addressed during that meeting included the Commission on the Status of Women, relationships between vice presidents' offices, academic administrators' performance, responsibility-centered management, the absence of music at the annual Faculty Convocation and the use of UNT consultants.
Heard a report from Lou Pelton, senate chair, regarding critical issues facing UNT, including the role of academics at the university, growth at the UNT System level, the summer budget, faculty morale, graduate student enrollment, the role of international students on campus and facility-related issues.
Heard a report from Jack Becker, State Employee Charitable Campaign co-chair, about this year's campaign program.

The senate's next meeting is at 2 p.m. Oct. 8 in Wooten Hall, Room 322.

For more information about the Faculty Senate, visit the senate's web site, www.unt.edu/facsenate.