Exactly a week after the UH Board of Regents approved a four-year fixed tuition plan, the Texas Senate approved Tuesday the bill that would require universities to offer a flat-rate option.

House Bill 29, by House Higher Education Chairman Dan Branch, R-Dallas, was passed in the House without opposition, but a notably different version of it was passed in the Senate this week.

Students and universities must wait to see if the House will go along with the changes or request a conference committee, as the bill was altered to include language adding restriction and requirements on new appointees to the state’s public university system boards, changes that have been occurring in the UH system recently.

In addition to requiring a fixed tuition option, the bill will also prevent new regents from voting on budget or personnel matters until they have completed ethics training, should HS 29 become a law in the form approved by the Senate.

Although Gov. Rick Perry has been a proponent of legislative efforts to require universities to offer a four-year fixed tuition option, there is uncertainty surrounding whether the governor, who appoints all the members of the boards of regents, would sign a bill restricting their authority.

Perry issued a statement on May 17 after the UH system adopted its flat-rate tuition saying, “As families gather around their kitchen tables working to budget and make college a reality, the leadership at Texas Tech University System and University of Houston System have now given them the peace of mind of knowing that tuition will remain the same for four years and at the same time encouraging these students to complete their degrees on time.”

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The UH student accused of vandalizing a 1929 Pablo Picasso painting at the Menil Collection nearly a year ago agreed Tuesday to a two-year prison term as part of a plea deal with prosecutors after gathering national attention.

Landeros

Uriel Landeros, a 22-year-old art senior, was identified and charged with criminal mischief and felony graffiti, both third degree felonies, after being caught spray-painting “Woman in a Red Armchair” on a cellphone video.

The video, which was later posted to Youtube, identified Landeros as he spray-painted a stencil of a bullfighter killing a bull and the word “conquista” — Spanish for conquest — to “promote revolution and change.”

“He acknowledged what he did was wrong in terms of he caused damage to the painting. But he also understood that a lot of times, to make a point, you have to go to these extremes,” said Landeros’ attorney Emily Detoto, in an article by The Associate Press.

Landeros agreed to plead guilty to the graffiti charge in exchange for a minimal prison sentence, as he has faced up to 10 years in prison.

Landeros wanted the criminal mischief charge dismissed because he believed “what he did to the painting was not criminal mischief, it was an artistic statement, an expression, much like graffiti art is,” Detoto said.

After Landeros was identified in the incident, he fled to Mexico in January but surrendered to authorities at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“It’s good the judicial process has done its work and come to a conclusion,” said Menil spokesman Vance Muse, according to The Associated Press.

Muse said the painting’s restoration is close to completion, but no date has been set on when it will be available for display again.

Landeros plans to return to UH after his release from prison to finish the one semester he has left for his bachelor’s to continue his art career, Detoto said.

“We’re hopeful that he’ll be able to turn a positive out of this experience.”

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Earlier this month, UH was named the 21st most affordable Texas school that offers online course by StateStats.org, in conjunction with partner website OnlineSchoolsTexas.com.

“We’re very excited for the opportunity to honor colleges and universities in Texas making serious strides in distance learning,” said communications and outreach manager for StateStats.org Matt Davis. “The University of Houston earned a spot on our list for its inexpensive tuition for in-state students and low student-teacher ratio.”

Analyzing data such as student-to-teacher ratio, in-state and out-of-state tuition, campus setting and program breadth, the two sites collaborated to create Top 25 Affordable Online Colleges in Texas. UH’s tuition rate for in-state students currently resides around $5,000 with a student-teacher ratio of 23-1.

“Personally, I think UH’s tuition rate is very reasonable,” said engineering sophomore Paul Garcia. “With my financial aid I get a refund that helps me pay for my textbooks and other things I might need for school.”

Other campuses on the list include UT Tyler, UT Arlington, Lamar University, Stephen F. Austin University, Blinn College and Texas Tech University.

According to the Babson Survey Research Group, more than six million students nationwide took at least one online class in 2011; this marks the ninth straight year of increased participation in online education.

“Online education remains on the rise in Texas, with colleges of all types incorporating distance learning into their curricula,” said vice president and general manager of StateStats.org Wes Ricketts. “We wanted to showcase the wide range of Texas schools helping students earn their degrees remotely.”

According to a press release given by the websites, OnlineSchoolsTexas.com strives to provide Texans with information about alternative post-secondary educational options, as well as information and advice regarding career choices in the state. While it recognizes the importance of traditional colleges and universities, OnlineSchoolsTexas.com understands that the landscape of education is changing and works to suit the needs of a broader student base.

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Assistant chemistry professor Ognjen Miljanic has become the first faculty member from UH to become a Cottrell Scholar, a program that selects from hundreds of early-career science educators across the country in the physical sciences and related fields.

Miljanic

Sponsored by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, recipients are given $75,000 to further their research and educational programs.

“It’s a true honor and a great motivation for both me and my students,” Miljanic said. “I am especially glad to have been selected among a diverse group of researchers that included not only chemists, but also physicists and astronomers.”

Proposals for the Cottrell Scholar Award focus on both research and education achievements. Miljanic’s proposal to RCSA included several educational initiatives, such as web-based eLectures for the evening commuter section of his organic chemistry class. These lectures replicate the experience of being in class and listening to the professor, allowing students who are unable to attend to catch up with the subject matter at their own pace.

In addition, Miljanic introduced building 3-D printed models to illustrate concepts in chemistry, such as potential energy surfaces and orbital interactions of aromaticity.

“Ognjen is truly dedicated to excellence in both his research and teaching,” said the chemistry department chairman David Hoffman in a UH press release. “It is great to see his creativity and hard work recognized at the national level. My colleagues and I are very proud to have him on our faculty.”

In the research topic of his proposal, Miljanic strived to mimic nature by achieving molecular self-sorting in man-made mixtures of chemical compounds. Focusing on ways to better imitate nature’s ability to manufacture many of the molecules necessary for life, Miljanic’s research is designed to make sophisticated synthetic molecules with applications in environmental analysis, energy-related research and basic chemical industry.

The award is recognized in the Top American Research Universities report as defining Tier One universities. The program holds an annual Cottrell Scholar Collaborative that serves as a forum for sharing methods to improve undergraduate science in education in American research universities and increase retention of undergraduate science majors, as well as establish a network of scholar educators.

“The yearly meetings focus on establishing educational collaborations that will help bring our initiatives to completion faster. It is a great honor to be part of the Cottrell Scholar Collaborative,” Miljanic said.

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Upon approval from the Board of Regents on May 13, the Division of Research and the Cullen College of Engineering will have a multidisciplinary research and engineering building built to provide facilities that will be located north of Michael J. Cemo Hall and west of Calhoun Lofts Apartments.

“This building is a tremendous catalyst to get us to that point,” said Russell Dunlavy, chief development officer for the college. “Dean Tedesco’s vision is to move the college into the top 50 engineering programs in the U.S.”

The Board of Regents’ Facilities, Construction and Master Planning Committee approved the site and program for the four-story building that is proposed to be finished February 2016.

Through this building, College of Engineering faculty will have more lab space, and the building will house major core facilities that serve the needs of the University’s engineering, energy and health research, said Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Transfer Rathindra N. Bose.

Instead of having different research labs across campus, they will be housed in one central location.

“Our faculty deserves to have a state-of-the-art facility. The new research building will help us attract and retain top faculty,” said Dunlavy.

The University community believes the building will bring UH closer to Tier One status because UH has a Tier One target of $200 million in research expenditures by 2020.

Yet, the building with 19 labs will cost approximately $51 million, and the construction will destroy a parking lot with nearly 160 spaces.

Dunlavy said the University has received tremendous support from alumni and corporate partners and will continue to work with them to fundraise.

The University has already completed the Health and Biomedical Sciences Center and Engineering Research Center; a Health and Biomedical Sciences Center 2 is in the planning phase.

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The Board of Regents approved the four-year fixed tuition rate plan Tuesday after asking the Texas Legislature for a delay in the implementation of the option until Fall 2014 earlier in the semester.

The University welcomes the idea of a four-year fixed tuition option, President and Chancellor Renu Khator said in January.

“But we (were) proposing modifications to make it a true option for students, since many of our students are part-time and many are unable to make a four-year financial commitment at once,” Khator said.

Although a fixed-tuition option for current students has not been decided on, the four-year fixed tuition rate will be offered to incoming freshman and transfer students beginning in the Fall.

“Predictability in college pricing is an important factor in a student’s ability to plan for higher education and achieve his or her degree in a timely manner,” said the Finance and Administration committee in its written request for approval.

“To that end, UH System universities are developing an option through which incoming freshmen will be guaranteed a fixed rate for tuition and fees for four years, provided they meet annual academic progress requirements.”

The Finance and Administration committee believes that fixed tuition rate can provide simplicity, predictability and clarity for students and improve the number of degrees awarded, graduation rates and the faster progression to graduation.

The board also approved the initiation of the design phase for the expansion and renovation of Hofheinz Pavilion, as well as the introduction of new degree plans, including a Master of Hospitality Management degree for UH main campus and a Bachelor of Science in Geoscience degree for UH-D.

Amid the discussion of policies, the Board of Regents also recognized and welcomed a few individuals.

Interim Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Paula Short was congratulated  for being named a Fulbright Specialist and joining the ranks of 98 academics and professional who will join a Roster of Specialists for a five-year term.

The Fulbright Specialist Program promotes linkages between U.S. academics and professionals at overseas universities or institutions with education-focused programming and is designed to award grants to qualified U.S. faculty and professionals to engage in short-term collaborative projects in more than 100 countries worldwide.

“This is an opportunity for me to give back,” Short said in a news release. “The University of Houston will benefit from my experiences with new cultures and increased understanding of other countries in my teaching, research and leadership roles within the University and work with the larger Houston community.”

Chair Nelda Luce Blair also took the opportunity to welcome the new student regent of the Board, Benjamin Wells, and thanked the current student regent Gage A. Raba, who will be leaving the position on May 31.

Blair applauded Raba for his “enthusiasm, commitment and dedication.”

Additional reporting by Minh Dam.

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Many educators teach to give something back to their students, to prepare their students for success, and nevertheless to teach what they love. Mathematics professor Jeffrey J. Morgan has continued to prove to himself that teaching is what he was meant to do as he has been selected as the 2013 Piper Professor by the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation and has received a $5,000 honorarium for his superior college level teaching.

Morgan

Each year, the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation, a Texas-based nonprofit organization that supports charitable, scientific and educational undertakings, chooses 10 outstanding educators from across the state of Texas for this honor. Morgan is the 10th professor from UH to receive this honor.

“I teach to give something back that was given to me,” Morgan said. “It was clear from a young age that I had a hunger for teaching, and this was because a few excellent teachers in (kindergarten through 12th grade) played an amazing role in shaping my life.”

Morgan came to UH in 2002 and has served as the chair of the mathematics department for 10 years. Under Morgan’s leadership, the department introduced common exams to unify standards and approaches across class sections, built electronic databases and course management software, creating online learning materials and instituting mandatory attendance requirements.

Morgan is also a co-director of teachHOUSTON, a math and science teacher-preparation program. This six-year-old program is designed to help urban schools attract and maintain middle-school and high-school teachers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields by immersing aspiring educators in public school classrooms early in their college careers.

Chemistry professor Simon Bott was selected as a Piper professor last year and also serves as co-director of the teachHOUSTON program with Morgan.

“I feel very privileged to work with him.  He created teachHOUSTON and put a great team together of former high school and middle school teachers,” Bott said. “He has a very strong and ambitious agenda and set of goals for teachHOUSTON that will elevate the teaching of math and science in the Greater Houston area.”

In addition to his many responsibilities as a professor and chair of the math department, Morgan provides support and resources to math and science teachers in the community. He organizes competitions, workshops, and develops free exercises and practice exams for both students and teachers for kindergarten through high school.

Morgan is immersed in mathematics across the board at UH and has played a significant role in educating many college students who may otherwise have slipped through the cracks of higher learning. A substantial number of students have been inspired to become math majors because of their experiences in his courses.

“I am always trying to figure out how something works — even if I have to dismantle it. My curiosity for life is perhaps my greatest gift. I look forward to experiencing everything life brings my way and sharing that passion with my family, friends, colleagues and students,” Morgan said.

“Outside of family and faith, my commitment to teaching is the most important thing in my life. I love UH, and I plan to stay here as long as I can make positive contributions in teaching, service and research. I will continue to teach, work with teachers and contribute in any way I can, so long as I can find a way to make a difference.”

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Dennis Quaid is becoming one well-decorated alumnus, after receiving the President’s Medallion at Saturday’s graduation ceremony and receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award just last year.

Quaid recently tied up the first season on his TV show “Vegas.” Under the educational influence of Cecil Pickett and Sidney Berger, Quaid recounted his time at the University and attributed his drive and success to the theater department.

Watch Quaid’s speech here. | Video courtesy of UH Media Relations

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After a semester of UH lacking a senior vice chancellor and this month’s open forums, the Provost Search Committee nears its adjournment.

Foley

The finalists are Henry Foley, vice president of Research and dean of the Graduate School of Pennsylvania State University, and Jorge Haddock, dean of School of Management for George Mason University. The remaining two will soon learn who takes the official position in UH’s Office of Academic Affairs.

“If you consider my record, you will see that I am a scholar and a researcher, as well as a teacher, but more importantly that I have held every academic leadership position save for Provost or President,” Foley said in the cover letter for his curriculum vitae.

According to the letter, Foley’s administrative experience is strongest in finance, strategic planning and change management. At Penn State, he currently oversees a “research enterprise” with $810 million of annual expenditure activity, a budget of $49 million and about 450 professional staff members.

Including top flight scientists from Huck Institute for Life Sciences and the Materials Research Institute, six internationally reputed experts from these enterprises report to Foley while he remains working in this role.

“Through each of these institutes, I am in touch with all facets of the university’s scholarship and research, from those who are interrogating Bose-Einstein Condensates to others who are most interested in the literary articulation of the human condition,” Foley said.

In Haddock’s cover letter, he outlines his background as a tenured professor in a level-one research institution and dean of a liberal arts college of more than 4,000 students.

Haddock

“Numerous experiences have prepared me for this position,” Haddock said in the letter. “I am a traditional scholar who rose through the ranks at Rensselaer from assistant to full professor.”

In a parenthetical statement of the same paragraph, Haddock said that to the best of his knowledge, he is the first person belonging to an under-represented minority to accomplish that feat.

Haddock said he has authored or co-authored 75 publications, 42 other scholarly reports and multiple research proposals resulting in 20 approved projects.

“In terms of leadership roles, I consistently held administrative and leadership positions at Clemson and Rensselaer before transitioning to the Lally School of Management and Technology,” Haddock said.

“I am committed to a rigorous academic process.”

Initially joining Foley and Haddock was David Manderscheid. Manderscheid, the dean of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Arts and Sciences, removed himself from the race for undisclosed reasons before his forum, which was set for this past Wednesday.

The Provost Search Committee made it’s official observations and suggestions to President and Chancellor Renu Khator on Thursday, and pending her approval or dismissal, either Haddock or Foley will step in and release Paula Short, who has been serving in the interim position, from the chief academic officer’s responsibilities.

One of the provost’s first duties will be to appoint a search committee seeking a Law Center Dean.

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