UTMB Faculty Senate Minutes
Monday, November 13, 2023
Teams Virtual Meeting
4:30PM-6PM

 Open Senate Meeting:

  1. Call to Order – Shannan Rossi, PhD, MBA, Faculty Senate Chair

  2. Attendance “Roll Call” & Establishing Quorum
    1. GSBS – Laura Dickson
    2. JSSOM – Juliet McKee
    3. SHP – Claudia Hilton
    4. SPPP – Monique Pappadis
    5. SON – Connie Heard
  3. Agenda Adoption
  4. Consent Agenda Adoption – Approved
  5. Review & Approval of Minutes– October minutes were approved.
  6. Guest Speaker Presentation:

    1. John Flores, Associate Vice President of Information Security & CISO, provides his presentation for a new “Bring Your Own Device” program coming to UTMB.
      1. Details:
        • People can bring their own devices to work for work purposes. The goal is to control risk from devices used on the UTMB network.
        • MDM (Mobile Device Management) is a widely adopted security control.
        • Securing mobile endpoints is recommended by CISA and others.
        • Mobile device threats are rising, and Threat Actors are exploiting these types of devices.
        • For frequently asked questions visit the FAQ website.            
  7. Dr. Ananth Kammala introduces a call-to-action proposal for EV charging stations at UTMB.

    1. The rising popularity of electric vehicles among UTMB’s faculty, staff and students underscores the pressing need for convenient EV charging infrastructure on our campus.
    2. EV charging stations play a pivotal role in reducing our environmental footprint by promoting clean, emission-free transportation.
    3. Implementation Plan
      • Objective: Initiate a pilot project to install EV charging stations in once of UTMB’s parking garages, with an initial deployment of 12 charging stations.
      • Compatibility and Cost: Consulted with a renowned EV company (Tesla) and opted for universal wall connectors priced at approximately a maximum of $2,000 each, ensuring compatibility with all North American EVs.
      • Collaboration: Collaborate with qualified vendors or partners experienced in EV charging solutions to handle installation and maintenance, working closely with EV companies for seamless integration.
      • Strategic Location: Carefully select a parking garage strategically positioned to serve a significant portion of our faculty, staff, and students, maximizing accessibility and promoting EV adoption.
      • User Friendly Experience: Explore billing, scheduling, and accessibility options to ensure a seamless and user-friendly experience for all stakeholders, promoting sustainable transportation and reducing emissions.
        • Dr. Juliet McKee moves to involve the University Committee in further discussions of this plan, Dr. Claudia Hilton provides a second.
  8. Unfinished Business & General Orders
    1. -None currently.
  9. New Business
    1. The chair will entertain a motion to move into executive session (closed session) for committee meetings.
      1. Dr. Juliet McKee motions to move into executive session.
  10. Discussion of committee assignments
    1. University: Dr. Smith-Phillips- The committee discussed parking pertaining to the EV’s. No further update.
    2. Research: Dr. Robert Abbott- Two items to follow up on for Researchers:
      1. How is money managed for UTMB accounts in terms of “rolling over into the next year” or if you must spend down money by the end of the fiscal year.
      2. How money is restricted from UTMB, in certain instances there is NIH conflict with requests.
    3. Clinical: No new reports
    4. Education: Dr. Brian Downer presented the following:
      1. The committee is interested in some of the implications of chat GPT or AI in general and how that affects education and student learning.
      2. Clarification will be provided to the committee as to who will serve as Chair and Co-Chair.
  11. Announcements: None
  12. Adjournment