This is the final edition of UH Together for the 2025–2026 academic year. We are grateful to every faculty member who read, responded, shared feedback, or simply forwarded a link to a colleague. The newsletter launched as an experiment in communication, and your engagement has made it worth continuing.

This week, we offer a brief look back at the year — what was raised, what was resolved, and what lies ahead as we move into 2026–2027.

We look forward to seeing many of you at the final Faculty Council Meeting on May 13. Have a restful and restorative summer.

A Note on Faculty Intellectual Property and AI

A recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education raised concerns about a university scraping faculty course materials for use in an AI platform — without faculty knowledge or consent. We want to assure UH faculty that our Board of Regents policy protects against this.

Under BOR Policy 21.08.4, the University does not claim ownership of copyright in materials developed by faculty, including books, journal articles, syllabi, study guides, lectures, and unpublished lecture notes. Standard teaching materials such as PowerPoints, lecture recordings, and course-related software are explicitly considered faculty-owned. The University would only assert ownership in limited circumstances — such as when a work is externally sponsored or specifically commissioned by the University with additional compensation.

In short: your course materials are yours. If you have questions about how this policy applies to your work, please reach out to the Faculty Council or your college dean.

Update on Microsoft Authentication: Tips to Reduce Login Friction

Following faculty concerns about the transition from DUO to Microsoft-based authentication, UH IT has shared several ways to make the process less disruptive:

Frequent re-authentication prompts: IT is actively working with Microsoft to address this issue. In the meantime, using Microsoft Edge is the most reliable way to reduce how often you're prompted to log in. Chrome can also be configured to hold your session, though it's less consistent. IT would like to connect with faculty experiencing this problem to document specific issues — contact the IT Support Center if you're willing to help troubleshoot.

More information to follow, and we are hopeful this will help us with the transition.

What We Addressed

Since the newsletter launched in October 2025, the Faculty Council has used UH Together to communicate on a wide range of topics raised through the Your Voice Matters forum and Faculty Council committee work. Key areas addressed this year include:

Promotion & Tenure: We highlighted SAM 06.A.09 and supported the P&T Seminar Series, offering faculty practical guidance on documentation, external reviews, and portfolio building.

Non-Tenure Track: We highlighted SAM 06.A.09, Section 6, and supported the NTT faculty promotion series by offering guidance on promotion eligibility, documentation standards, and the peer review process central to rank advancement.

Shared Governance & Legislative Context: We provided detailed coverage of Senate Bill 37 and the Texas Education Code provisions governing faculty councils, keeping faculty informed about the evolving policy landscape.

Faculty Resource Guide: The joint task force continues work on the Faculty Resource Guide, which will address teaching practices, syllabus design, and AI use in the classroom, with distribution expected ahead of Fall 2026. Following significant faculty feedback, the Faculty Council established this joint task force to also revise the draft Self-Evaluation Guidelines — a process that demonstrated the Council's commitment to faculty expertise, academic freedom, and transparent process.

Faculty Handbook Update: The handbook revision is nearing completion. Faculty input has been accepted, and the final document will be ready for the Fall.

Accessibility & Digital Compliance: We raised awareness of WCAG 2.1 AA compliance deadlines and provided practical guidance on accessible course materials.

Syllabus Standards: We clarified requirements under Texas HB 2504, Simple Syllabus, and SB 37 so faculty could approach course design with confidence.

Faculty Well-Being: We highlighted mid-semester burnout resources, access to NCFDD and Magna Commons, and the importance of sustainable academic practice.

Graduate Student Support: We addressed graduate assistant health insurance, SHIP coverage, and the Faculty Council’s ongoing attention to stipend competitiveness.

What Is Still in Progress

Watermark Faculty Success: The new faculty activity reporting and review platform is rolling out this year. Faculty should watch for onboarding communications from their dean’s office and FED.

Performance-Based Funding: Texas is moving toward performance-based funding models that may affect future institutional budgets. The Faculty Council will continue to monitor and communicate developments as they unfold.

Core Curriculum Review: This ongoing review will carry into 2026–2027. Faculty with interests in general education are encouraged to engage through their college’s Faculty Council representatives.

Looking Ahead to 2026–2027

The Faculty Council will return in the fall with a renewed commitment to transparent communication, faculty advocacy, and shared governance. If you have topics you would like to see addressed in next year’s newsletter, please reach out through the Your Voice Matters forum or contact your college’s Faculty Council representative.

Thank you for a meaningful year. We look forward to continuing this work together.

CORRECTION: UH Faculty Development resource is LinkedIn Learning through the AccessUH portal, not the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD).

Final Faculty Council Meeting of the Year

The final Faculty Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, from 12:00–2:00 PM in the Space City Room #214 at the Student Center South. All Councilors are asked to attend in person.

Spring 2026 Commencement Ceremonies

Wednesday, May 13 – Saturday, May 16

https://www.uh.edu/commencement

Do you have ideas, feedback, or topics you would like to see featured in UH Together? We would love to hear from you! Share your thoughts here: https://forms.office.com/r/iDkuvcvbWB.