The merger of the former Office of Communications with the Office of Public Affairs and University Web Services in the Department of Marketing and Communications is designed to strengthen how UTHealth Houston and McGovern Medical School share their story and engage with our audiences. By bringing these teams together, we are creating a unified voice that can more effectively represent our mission of education, research, and patient care.
McGovern Communications Transition FAQ
As we enter a new era and continue our mission to transform health care and carve the pathway to continued success, we are pleased to announce a new way of providing excellent communications for McGovern Medical School and UTHealth Houston. Visit the Scoop newsletter announcement.
Merger Overview, Transition, and Support
The merger will have a positive impact on promoting and positioning McGovern Medical School faculty, staff, trainees, and students. Covering the needs and priorities of the school and fulfilling the university’s mission will be of utmost importance in establishing criteria for project acceptance.
The cost recovery model, which was employed by the former Office of Communications for more than 20 years, will end Monday, Dec. 1, 2025. Effective immediately, web support has no associated charge.
Cost recovery is ending to better align communications resources with the university’s mission and ensure equitable access across all schools, centers, and units. This change also streamlines operations by allowing teams to focus on strategy, brand elevation, storytelling, and service. A centralized approach ensures consistency and quality across communications efforts while enabling projects to be prioritized based on impact and alignment with institutional goals rather than funding availability.
As of Dec. 1, the former Office of Communications will no longer be a cost recovery center. Projects will be accepted based on alignment with our university mission, established criteria, and priority level. Services we no longer provide will be available from other sites on the UTHealth Houston campus or through external vendors.
If you requested a service or project prior to Dec. 1, 2025, you will be required to pay with your university/department account. Any services requested and accepted on or after Dec. 1, 2025 will not require payment.
All projects that have already been initiated and accepted for FY2026 will be honored as originally committed. As we move away from the cost recovery model, we want to ensure stability for departments during this period. If services and projects are no longer supported, the Office of Public Affairs will aim to connect requestors with other internal or external resources that will successfully support their goals within established budgets.
Our newly formed team will provide guidance and resources for requests related to services that may no longer be offered by the school. For assistance contact the Office of Public Affairs.
Services continuing after Dec. 1, 2025 (dependent on mission alignment, criteria, and scope): Services not continuing after Dec. 1, 2025:
The former Office of Communications is transitioning to a hybrid schedule, with team members working both on-site and remotely throughout the week. While staff presence may vary day to day, support remains fully accessible via phone, email, and Microsoft Teams. On most days, someone will be available in person; however, when no one is on-site, a QR code posted on the office door will provide a quick and convenient way to reach the team.
First, complete and submit our request form: go.uth.edu/mmscomms. On the day of your appointment, arrive at MSB B.340 for your session.
Passport photo services are no longer provided as of Dec. 1, 2025. Please visit travel.state.gov passport photo guide for requirements for taking and uploading your own passport photo.
Yes. The former Office of Communications will continue to provide roster production services during this transition to ensure business continuity and to support our clinical partners. For students, trainees, or larger parties, a group headshot appointment can be scheduled, upon request, to make the process more efficient. Group appointment dates should be scheduled at least three weeks in advance and will depend on the photographer’s schedule. Over the coming months, meetings with offices and departments will be scheduled to explore new approaches for creating and maintaining rosters. Our goal is to develop solutions that are easier to update, more user-friendly, and potentially templatized to better meet the needs of the university community.
Event coverage will be evaluated based on how each event aligns with the mission, scope, and priorities of the school and the university. The goal is to capture the important moments that highlight the achievements and activities of McGovern Medical School.
Poster requests will be accepted through Dec. 1, 2025. A list of approved alternatives will be provided prior to the Dec. 1 transition, including other campus-based design and printing services at UTHealth Houston and recommended external vendors. More specific information will be provided as details are finalized. For questions about this, please email [email protected].
The production of written communications for the Scoop newsletter, as well as McGovern Medical School publications and website, will continue as usual. If you have a story to share or a topic you’d like us to explore, please email [email protected].
University Web Services will partner with you to meet your web needs. The team will continue to provide support in the areas of: Additionally, all web services will now be provided free of charge. Moving forward, the team will also assist departments with important initiatives, such as accessibility remediation, file and page cleanup, and other improvements to ensure your content remains accurate and user-friendly.
Please use the Project Request Form for initiating any of the following branding and marketing and communications projects: web, photography/videography, graphic design, and print and collateral publications.
You may contact the team directly through Microsoft Teams, phone, or email. To request branding, marketing, communications, web, photo/video, and other relevant projects, please use the request form at go.uth.edu/mmscomms.
For questions about any of these changes that are related to the cost recovery ending plan, please reach out to the Office of Public Affairs.
Cost Recovery and Project Funding
Services and Availability
Photography and Rosters
Then, access the Microsoft Bookings Calendar to schedule an appointment for a headshot portrait. They are scheduled by appointment only and are free of charge. Appointments are available on a first come, first served basis. Times listed on the calendar are the only times available to book individual headshots.
Poster Printing
Writing for Communications and Websites
Project Requests and Processes