Prepared Remarks
Tim Hudson
President, University of Houston–Victoria

Legislative Appropriations Request ( LAR ) Hearing
Before Governor’s Office of the Budget and Legislative Budget Board

Hilton University of Houston Hotel
September 18, 2006

  1. UHV descriptors

    1. Upper level; serves large, rural geographic area with low college participation rate and the Fort Bend County area with high college participation rates and a rapidly growing diverse population. Headcount more than 2,600.

    2. Historic mission of access to quality education and outreach to region

    3. Today's descriptors:
      1. Effective and accessible teaching
      2. Collaboration in program delivery
      3. Outreach & partnerships within region

    4. Three ongoing strategies:
      1. Responsive growth
      2. Quality improvement
      3. Demonstrable accountability

    5. Words which describe us:
      1. Vibrant
      2. Customer friendly
      3. Purposive

  1. Student Demographics

    1. Profile
      1. 60% graduate
      2. 72% part time
      3. 18% Hispanic; 14% African American

    2. Locations
      1. Victoria County 22%
      2. Ft. Bend County 23%
      3. Harris County 23%
      4. Other: 24%
      5. Foreign 8%

  1. Funding requests related to successes & strategic priorities:

    1. Restoration of 10% reduction - $503,074 for the biennium

    2. Fund approved Tuition Revenue Bonds as soon as possible at $5,704,560 for the biennium in debt payments
      1. Academic buildings in Sugar Land
      2. Regional Economic Development building in Victoria
      3. Applied Health

    3. New exceptional line item for Master of Science in Nursing at $1,100,000 over the next biennium

    4. New exceptional line for Off-Campus Initiative Support – funds to assist in the development of new teaching centers in high demand parts of our metropolitan area. Request $4,000,000 for the biennium

    5. New Exceptional item – Research Center for Online Learning – Produce needed research and disseminate its findings to Universities and Community Colleges in Texas to inform those in higher education of the most effective online methods to achieve student learning. Request $700,000 for the biennium

    6. Continue funding for Small Business Development Center and the Center for Regional Outreach at current levels.

    7. Fully fund employee staff benefits

    8. State salary increases for all State employees including higher education

  1. Measures of Success

    1. Responsive growth
      1. Accomplished by:
        1. Purposive, strategic planning and use of resources
        2. Access for students through off-campus sites: 47% of our students are served at these sites
          1. University of Houston System at Sugar Land (expand facilities – partnership with WCJC, Ft. Bend County, and City of Sugar Land.)
          2. University of Houston System at Cinco Ranch
        3. Expand academic program offerings – most recently Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Master of Science in Computer Information Systems and a Master of Science in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship.
        4. Through aggressive use of distance education technologies - 54% of credit hours generated are on-line; 73% of faculty deliver courses online.
      2. Measures of success: all related to Closing the Gap’s goals of increased participation and success.
        1. Performance measures
          1. high retention: 85%
          2. high graduation rates sustained: 80%
          3. semester hours completed: 92%
        2. Measures related to increasing access: Center for Regional Outreach
          1. 10,000 students heard presentations from our student ambassadors
          2. mentorship training developed
          3. One of the Coordinating Board’s semi-finalists for 2001 Texas Higher Education STAR award for programs that show exceptional contribution to the state’s Closing the Gaps higher education.
          4. Will shift focus on training needs for instructors at the community college level in order to ensure enough faculty to handle the vast influx of new students in the new future.

    2. Quality improvement
      1. Expand faculty research

      2. Provide competitive and equitable pay based on performance

    3. Demonstrable accountability
      1. From FY2001 to FY2006 financial aid has increased 129% to $11.4 million.
      2. Ratio of institutional support vs. instruction remains low and is tracked: 12%.
      3. Utilize HEAF funds to expand technology which supports cost-effective student teaching and expanded facility needs. UHV appreciates the 50% increase in HEAF funding per year beginning in FY2008.