Functional Integration

Functional Integration Team (FIT) launched, members include Claudia Delgado, Siobhan Fleming and Anthony Francis.

Three working groups have been established to focus on key priorities:

• Strategic Research Initiatives: identify and align research programs across both campuses. This effort is designed to strengthen collaboration.
• Research Administration & Operations: assess, align, and integrate administrative and operational functions that support research activities across both campuses. This initiative aims to build cohesive and efficient service models, optimize the use of institutional resources, and ensure consistent delivery of high-quality support to faculty and research staff.
• Innovation & Strategic Partnerships: enhance and unify efforts that advance research commercialization, industry collaboration, and strategic alliances across both campuses. This initiative focuses on fostering a cohesive innovation ecosystem that accelerates technology translation, expands partnership opportunities, and amplifies the economic and societal impact of institutional research. Through this effort, we will align programs, leverage shared resources, and strengthen the infrastructure that supports a dynamic and collaborative innovation enterprise.

Functional Integration Team (FIT) launched, members include Sadie Basllesteros, Cara Bennett, Kathleen Blanton, Corina Castillo-Johnson, Virginia Galloway, Laurie James, Kris Kwolek, Terii Lopez, Natalee Marion, Jason Pirruccello, Sarah Pryor, Kristi Salazar, and Erika Valladares.

During FY25, seven working groups identified strong foundations and highlighted remaining work to be done within Office of Legal Affairs systems and procedure development. To complete the remaining work, new cross-functional groups focused on key priorities are being established to support a fully integrated, client-centered legal function.

• Texas Public Information Act (TPIA): ensure continued compliance with TPIA requirements, recommend future processes, cost recovery models, systems, and metrics that improve efficiency and service.
• Litigation & Professional Liability Claims: ensure ongoing support for litigation and clinical claims and recommend future processes that enhance client advocacy, procedural efficiency, communication, and records management.
• Third Party Agency Investigation: ensure effective institutional response to third-party agency investigations and recommend future processes to minimize disruption, support resolution, and improve coordination across stakeholders.
• Internal Investigations: ensure timely and effective legal support for internal investigations and recommend future processes and KPIs that enhance cross-functional coordination and internal case resolution.
• Transactions & Contracts: ensure contract and transactional support continues and recommend future processes, prioritization models, and potential incentives that enhance legal value and operational efficiency.
• Outside Counsel & Compliance (OCC): ensure proper engagement and oversight of outside counsel and recommend future compliance practices, engagement criteria, and systems for tracking legal services and institutional knowledge.