Kasper announced as Interfaculty Council leadership

The Interfaculty Council recently announced its 2024-2025 executive leadership team. Among these members is UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry faculty member Kurtis Kasper, PhD.

Kasper serves as the chair-elect of the Interfaculty Council and has been a faculty member of the Department of Orthodontics at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry since July 2014, where he is a professor. He earned a doctorate in bioengineering from Rice University and a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Case Western Reserve University.

Kasper is also an associate professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

The UTHealth Houston Interfaculty Council was established in 1981 as the faculty’s representative body to the President. The council’s primary purpose is to increase communication between the faculty and UTHealth Houston administration and to promote matters that faculty deem important.

“The administration of UTHealth Houston is grateful to the members of the Interfaculty Council for representing the voice of the faculty members and for participating in faculty governance,” said Lisa Cain, PhD, ex officio council member and associate vice president of Faculty Affairs and Development.

"We value their input and ideas as we strive for excellence in changing the culture of health through graduate education, research, and engagement.”

Joining Kasper in the Interfaculty Council leadership team are Ross Shegog, PhD, MPH, IFC chair, and Bethany Williams, PhD, who transitions to past-chair.

The council has faculty representation from each school at UTHealth Houston and accomplishes much of its work through subcommittees. The administrative affairs subcommittee monitors and, when appropriate, represents faculty interests in deliberations over systemwide administrative policies and priorities. The faculty status, right, and responsibilities subcommittee deliberates on issues of status, rights, and responsibilities, and investigates any issues surrounding the perceived restriction of faculty rights. From time to time, the governance and academic affairs subcommittee will assess the scope of faculty responsibility over governance and academic matters at UTHealth Houston.

The council meets on the third Wednesday of each month. For more information, visit Interfaculty Council – UTHealth Houston.