Welcome to the Faculty Senate

• For the latest COVID-19 updates at the University of Houston, please visit https://uh.edu/covid-19/

Jan. 15, 2-3pm – The Division of Research invites faculty to join in a virtual session that features on-campus experts in various aspects related to the UH research and innovation enterprise. Register to join live and hear about offshore energy research opportunities, cost allocation tips, strategies for data management, and more! This is the third such forum that DOR has offered, and the previous two forum recordings can be accessed on the R&I Forum webpage.

Starting Jan. 19 – We have moved past 2020 and are ready to embark on a new year afresh. As we get ready for Spring 2021 courses, the Provost’s office has assembled relevant policy language for syllabi, including the current face covering policy when on campus, excused absence policy, recording of class requirements, and syllabus changes. The syllabus language is part of the Provost’s COVID-19 Updates and Resources webpage. It should be noted that Interim Grading Policy that was in effect last year has now expired.

Opening Jan. 20 – UH faculty, staff, and students will be able to get tested for COVID-19 on campus, Monday-Friday 8am-5pm...for free! Set to open Jan. 20, the walk-up kiosk will be located in front of the UH Student Center South and will provide PCR saliva swabs. You do not need to have symptoms to get tested at this site, and test results are expected to be within two days. More details are provided at On-Campus Testing.

Deadline Feb. 1, 5pm  – The Office of Undergraduate Research and Major Awards has announced a call for nominations of faculty who are involved in undergraduate research mentorship at UH. Mentorship activities involve personalized, creative, and enriching projects outside of courses that support undergraduate students in research and scholarship. A $1500 cash award is included in the recognition. Visit the Undergraduate Research Mentor Awards webpage for nomination instructions.

Now available – The long-awaited ad-hoc breakout room feature for Microsoft Teams is now (finally) available. Up to 50 breakout rooms can be created at once, and participants can be divided up automatically or specifically assigned by the meeting organizer. Similar to Zoom, announcements can be broadcast to the rooms, and breakout rooms can be closed to bring people back to the main room. The Instruction@UH blog has a handy article with all the ins and outs of this new feature. Check it out and give it a try!