Zhiqiang An

This document outlines The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston's mission to educate health science professionals, advance biomedical and social sciences, and provide exemplary clinical care and public health practices. It aims to enhance human life by improving disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, and promoting community well-being through new knowledge creation, scholarship, and addressing health needs. The vision is to achieve 'excellence above all' as a global leader in collaborative efforts to treat, cure, and prevent diseases through education, research, and clinical practice, fostering a diverse, ethical, and service-oriented environment.

This document provides guidance on the integration of Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) services within health systems, emphasizing how implementation research can help. It defines health service integration, outlines different types (functional, service, organizational), and presents a draft framework for NCD service integration across five key domains: People and Community, Policy and Leadership, Financing, Capacity and Infrastructure, and Models of Care. The guidance details key steps for integration, interventions to facilitate combined NCD-TB-HIV services, and parameters for ensuring compatibility. The overall aim is to improve the delivery of comprehensive, coordinated, and patient-centered health services.

The meeting covered various updates and announcements, including President's Scholars Awards applications, the UTHealth Office of Faculty Affairs and Development Wellness Committee, and the UT System Healthcare Professional Wellbeing Task Force. Discussions included new employee orientation, a distinguished speaker series, and a new Grants 201 PI training program. UTHealth Houston updates included budgetary information, research awards, clinical research initiatives, and new construction projects. The meeting also addressed the presidential transition, the impact of the general election, legislative session expectations, tuition changes, and the Regent's Strategic Research Fund. Finally, updated IFC bylaws were approved, and subcommittee breakouts were held to discuss governance, academic affairs, faculty wellness, and administrative affairs.

The meeting included a leadership transition, with Dr. Ross Shegog acknowledging the outgoing chair and welcoming the new chair. Announcements included the nomination of two individuals for the Regents' Outstanding Teaching Award and a reminder about the President's Scholars Awards. A guest speaker discussed cybersecurity and initiatives to enhance security measures. Another guest discussed the presidential search process and the importance of following regents' rules. New business included a discussion of the Interfaculty Council's role in faculty governance and academic affairs, shared governance, and the need for a central location to store information. Unfinished business included finalizing by-laws.

The meeting covered various topics including updates on the President's Scholars Awards, the Faculty Affairs and Development Wellness Committee, and collaboration with the Chief Information Officer. Discussions included the Professional Wellness Assessment (PWA) survey, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and the University Federal Credit Union (UFCU). Unfinished business involved bylaw amendments concerning representation from the new School of Behavioral Health Sciences. New business included upcoming meetings, the presidential election process, a review of policies related to Regents' rules, and the inconvenience of late one-year contracts for faculty. The meeting also addressed the recent HOOP review and encouraged the standardization of school reports.