Welcome to the Council of Principal Investigators (CPI)
The Council of Principal Investigators (CPI) comprises individuals elected to represent Principal Investigators (PIs) from UT Health San Antonio research community.
The CPI’s mission is to ensure continued improvement of the research environment for faculty, students and staff. Acting as an independent voice for the PIs it represents, the CPI works with administration to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of the research and training environment, with the goal of maximizing the impact and national recognition of UT Health San Antonio in biomedical research and education.
The CPI meets monthly to consider specific issues relevant to research. Recommendations are formulated, then discussed with and implemented through the appropriate organizations or administrative offices.
Accomplishments
Making the CPI a stronger voice for researchers
The CPI holds regular meetings with UT Health SA leadership to discuss concerns of importance to researchers and the research enterprise. These meetings have been constructive and productive, keeping an open line of communication between the administration and researchers as well as contributing to the advocacy mission of the CPI to ensure that research remains a central component in the Institution’s mission.
Improved communication with institutional support services
The CPI worked with several institutional administrative units to improve communication and coordination of activities that directly affect the research enterprise, including construction projects, maintenance activities, and fire drills. In particular, advance notification of such activities near animal facilities was discussed to minimize disruptions to ongoing experiments and the impact on animal welfare.
Other Accomplishments
- Engaged Human Resources to discuss issues affecting the recruitment, onboarding, and management of research personnel, including hiring processes, staff role alignment, and challenges associated with research workforce management.
- Elevated faculty concerns regarding the absence of a faculty ombuds process. Discussions with university leadership highlighted the current reliance on school-level leadership for faculty conflict resolution. CPI continues to advocate for effective, confidential mechanisms that support faculty in resolving workplace conflicts and maintaining a productive research environment.
- Facilitated direct engagement between investigators and institutional leadership during the UTSA–UT Health SA integration through discussion with Facilities Management, Information Management and Services (IMS), Faculty Affairs, Graduate School, Human Resources, Research Operations, the Vice President for Research, the Chief Operating Officer, and other administrative units.
- Increased investigator awareness of emerging institutional research resources and initiatives, including the Science One research building, the Nexus Initiative, high-performance computing resources, enterprise AI tools, research computing services, the Multispecialty and Research Hospital research program, and the Research Mentoring Academy.
- Discussed the future of graduate education in light of the UTSA–UT Health SA integration with Graduate School leadership, including cross-campus degree programs, curriculum development, student recruitment, trainee mentoring, and administrative processes affecting graduate education.