Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Thinking About a New Name....

This past week representatives from STAMATS, a higher education consulting group that is assisting the University of Houston-Downtown on its name change, visited the campus and met with students, alumni, faculty, and staff. The discussions were varied, but quite helpful. I had an opportunity to participate in a few of those meetings and would like to share my thoughts and observations.

As a new president, I arrived at a time of considerable change and controversy. A few years ago, the former president of the University of Houston-Downtown, Max Castillo, suggested that UHD change its name. Last year, after considerable discussion, the UH System Board of Regents voted to change the name of UHD. We are now in the process of selecting a new name.

There is a lot of unease and anxiety on campus. Understandably so. Alumni are proud of the institution they attended, as are our current students. Some feel they are being forced to give up a name they love. Others are worried that they will lose connection to UH.

Be assured that whatever name is ultimately selected, this campus will remain a very important part of the UH system. UHD, no matter what the name becomes, will remain Houston's University of access and opportunity. But, we are a long way from choosing a new name. At this point, we are simply renewing the discussion. STAMATS is helping us in that process.

There are a number of very good reasons for changing the name of UHD. First, unlike most systems, where there is usually one university from a university system in a city (such as U.T. El Paso, U.T. San Antonio, etc), Houston is home to four separately accredited universities from the same system, two of which are just a few miles apart from each other, UH, (often called 'main campus' or 'University Park campus') and UHD. UH is bigger and more established. It is a research university, has more alumni, and has a very good football team. So, UH clearly has established name recognition.

Proximity and similarity of names causes some confusion, which is the second problem. Many people do not realize that UH and UHD are two separate universities. Some students apply to one university, but show up at the other. Companies get confused when they are asked to give to UHD. Some respond, "We already gave scholarship money to the main campus." They don't realize that UHD is a separate university and must raise scholarship money for its own students.

Third, UHD lacks a clear identity. Very few people know what UHD does or can describe how it is different from UH. In fact, a survey done last year found that when Houston residents were asked to name four-year universities that serve the city of Houston, only 5 percent included the University of Houston-Downtown in their lists. Of those, a large portion thought UHD was a branch campus of UH, others thought it offers doctoral programs or had a Division I football team.

Fourth, UHD is located downtown, but our students come from all over Houston. Thirty years ago, 90 percent of our students resided within the inner loop. Today, that number is down to just 40 percent. UHD serves the entire city of Houston. We have students from as far south as Kemah and as far north as Montgomery County. We have learning centers in several parts of Houston. So, we are more than a downtown university--although we love our location! The current name simply does not reflect our service area.

Fifth, and perhaps most importantly, UHD is now in the process of planning for its future. We have begun discussions on where we can excel. We are developing exciting goals and work plans. We are laying the groundwork to build a very different university over the next few years.

This is a great opportunity to select not only a name, but to build our reputation as a new and very distinct university. You probably have already seen our billboards with the slogan, "At UHD, We are Making a Name for Ourselves!" Those are UHD students on those billboards. Several of the students have won major awards. In the coming months, we will be telling their stories, along with the stories of our great faculty, staff, and alumni. We are doing great things, and we will do a better job of getting the word out all over the city.

During this next year, we will make great strides in building a new university. We will build pride, we will build identity, and we will build reputation. And, Houston will know us by what we do. Help us to build that reputation and help us become a great university.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Going Good to Great II

On Friday of this past week, UHD held a second retreat. We expanded from 50 to roughly 70 faculty, staff, and students. This retreat applied the concept from "Good to Great" to UHD. Our faculty led the workshop and preparation. Doug TeDuits moderated, Akif Uzman (Natural Sciences) and Rob Jarrett (English) co-chaired.

In preparing for the workshop we had several work groups meet. One reviewed the UHD Mission, a second looked at possible Peers, a third examined Issues identified at the last retreat, and I prepared a few PowerPoint slides summarizing the G2G concept and how we might apply it to the University of Houston-Downtown.

If you know about Jim Collin's book, Good to Great, the Hedgehog concept is key. (See my earlier blogpost on Good to Great) You draw three circles. In the first is the organization's passion (or its mission). The second houses its resources and economic engine, and and the third circle lists where the organization excels and has the potential of being best in class. Where the three circles overlap, you find your potential BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals).

In goal-setting, an organization can't set goals that are easy to attain, even if you have to stretch. You need to set goals so high (like reaching for the stars) that you must transform the organization to attain them. Here is a summary:

In the first circle, "What is UHD Passionate About?" groups came up with: student access, student success, community engagement, engaged citizens, diversity, high quality education, and student-faculty interaction.

In the second circle("What Can UHD Be Best At?") groups listed: having a holistic approach, student engagement, best Hispanic education, experiential learning, top unique academic programs, international education, best at educating non-traditional and diverse students, and student access.

In the final circle, "What Drive's UHD's Resource Engine?" the groups listed: funding (including all money inputs), partnerships, student success, faculty/staff, diversity and location, branding, graduate programming, effective data, technology and community.

In the final session of the day, groups listed possible BHAGs: leading in student success through experiential learning; becoming a 'communiversity' which links learning and engagement in all aspects of what we do; creating engaged citizens; leading in graduating minority students, particularly in the sciences; increasing retention and graduation rates by 3-5% a year through various interventions; creating a university where everyone can graduate; becoming the best darned public undergraduate university in Texas!

The process is not finished. And these are still very rough goals. But the discussions were lively and the groups engaged. So the process has begun for UHD. In the coming months, we will refine the process further, involve more faculty, staff, and students, and sharpen our circles and goals. I will describe what we are doing, as it unfolds, in future posts.

By the way, in our poll, nearly three-fourths of those who responded felt that UHD should focus on helping students to succeed.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Latinos and America's Future

This past week I spoke on the Julie Stav Show, a nationally syndicated, Spanish, talk-radio program about financial matters; attended a western regional conference focused on STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) with educators and legislators, and hosted and was a panelist at the preview showing of the upcoming CNN special, “Latino in America,” which airs October 21st and 22nd. At these various events, I have raised several key points, some of which are in the book I co-edited, Latino Cultural Citizenship.

First, Latinos have come to America for the same reason that others have-- to create a better life for their families. We are Americans, but we also have the strong desire to retain our ethnic heritage and identity. Most of us speak English as our main language of communication, even so, we want to retain Spanish and encourage our children to learn Spanish.

Latinos are transforming America, just as they are transformed by it. That is the central thesis of Latino Cultural Citizenship, the notion that as Latinos claim space and rights, they also define themselves. How the country as a whole comes to grips with the growing Latino population is vital to the future of America. How so?

Currently, there are 46 million Latinos in the U.S. One out of every two new births in this country is Latino. That number will grow significantly by 2050. But, if Latinos continue to be under educated with high dropout rates and with lower college attendance rates and lower college graduation rates, it will cost this country billions of dollars.

A Pew poll found that 80% of Latino youth feel that college is important but only half feel they will ever attend college. According to U.S. census data, in 2006 of 100 Latino 9th graders, 53 will graduate from high school, 27 will enter college right after high school, and only 10 will graduate from college within six years of entering college. Ten out of 100!

According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, if the U.S. does not close the achievement gap of Latinos and African Americans, by 2020, it will cost the U.S. about $805 billion in lost revenues, taxes, productivity and income. By 2030, that number could grow to $1 trillion!

A recent study of U.S. workers in the global economy projects that by 2020, the U.S. will lack 15 million skilled workers, most of them in the STEM and high-knowledge areas, but also in health care and education. By 2030, the shortfall could reach 35 million. The Committee for Economic Development projects a decline of .29 percentage points a year, affecting incomes and Gross National Product, unless we increase college graduates, particularly in STEM fields.

The Latino population in this country is younger than the whites, Latinos currently account for 13 percent of the labor force. By 2020, Latinos will represent one-of-every six workers in America and one-fourth of new college applicants. By 2050, Latinos will account for one of every four workers in America and could represent one-of-every three students in college.

The future of America is bound up with the future of Latinos in America. So, we must increase the number of Latinos graduating from high school and going on to receive a college education. We have to address this issue. The future is here.

[By the way, 53% of those responded to our poll felt that the main obstacle to Latino success remains economic barriers and discrimination.]

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Challenging Times

I think all of us are worried about the future, especially if we have kids or grandchildren. Rising national debt, the pending end of Social Security and Medicare, the so-called 'jobless recovery' of the recession, massive unemployment, declining standards of living, low math and science achievement levels of K-12, and a depressing number of Americans who are losing their jobs, homes and their health care benefits. It's enough to make your head spin.

But, Americans are an optimistic and innovative people. We find solutions. We apply our creative energies. Take higher education. Students, whether they be those coming out of high school or adults needing re-training or a degree, realize that college is beneficial. In this economy, the one segment of the population that has been least likely to lose their jobs during this recession have been those with college degrees.

That doesn't mean that having an A.A., a B.A. or an M.A. will protect you, like some magic shield. Banks and Wall Street firms have closed, laying off thousands of accountants. Engineers are losing jobs at GM, as are line workers in assembly plants. But, in the 21st Century economy, college degrees are as essential as a high degree was in the 20th century.

That's why the massive cuts to higher education taking place in many states are both depressing and short-sighted. Students find few seats available in community colleges and public four-year universities.

Tuition, fees, books, and other costs associated with college have skyrocketed at many institutions. Student and parent indebtedness has risen far faster than income. More students are applying for financial aid and maxing out their credit cards. More parents are taking on second or third mortgages--even selling family possessions to pay for college. And students are working more hours.

Meanwhile, public universities compete for the "best" students and for rankings by U.S. News & World Report that emphasize the number of students a university rejects, rather than the number of working class or minority an institution graduates. So universities, rely more and more on test scores and less and less on need, increasing merit-based scholarships over need.

Don't get me wrong, I encourage merit and believe in raising standards in K-12 and higher education. America cannot compete internationally without improving achievement of our students and ensuring better learning by our students. I believe in rigor and excellence.

But, I am also committed to access and opportunity. I chose to be president of a university like UHD (and was excited to be selected as its president) because it is an urban, engaged, comprehensive university. Its students are overwhelmingly minority (31% Hispanic, 27% African American). It is also a New Generation university. UHD's students are commuters, work 30 hours or more, often have their own families, and usually are the first in their families to go to college.

By the way, UHD remains the best value in higher education in the region. It has one of the lowest tuition and fee structure in Texas combined with wonderful academic programs.

UHD is caught in a dilemma though. We have very little space at our campus. We teach night courses and weekend courses, as well as day courses. The campus is rapidly approaching the maximum size for its buildings. We need more buildings. We need to expand our courses to learning centers throughout Houston and expand our hybrid and online offerings.

But, we also confront our past as we embrace our future. UHD has been an Open Admission university--one of the few remaining in the country. Many of our students are not adequately prepared for college. A vast number of our students fail in the first semester or second semester and drop out. By the 21st day of the third semester, we lose 60% of first-time, full-time freshmen.

Many of these student leave the university with heavy debt (often ranging from $9,000 to $11,000). In addition, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, is concerned that UHD duplicates services better provided by community colleges--at a cheaper cost to the state and to the students.

In addition, the federal government has issued instructions to universities to admit students based on their "ability to benefit." It is concerned that several universities admit students, who then receive financial aid, that lack requisite skills for success. Those students then fail and often are unable to re-pay student loans. Meanwhile, accreditation bodies are increasingly tying re-accreditation to student outcomes as demonstrated in both learning outcomes and graduation rates.

So, the university is beginning a conversation on admission standards. Later this month, State Commissioner, Raymond Paredes, will visit UHD and address these changing needs, This is simply one part of an on-going discussion.

UHD is committed to opportunity, student success, and excellence. That will not change. If and when we adopt admission standards we will not set arbitrary standards, but rather we will adopt standards based on the ability of students to benefit and succeed. Our students will continue to be diverse and heavily first-generation, reflecting Houston.

We will expand our efforts to reach out to students in early grades to mentor them and prepare them for college. We will expand training of teachers and the civic engagement of our undergraduate students in HISD schools, as mentors, tutors, recruiters, and guides. We will expand dual credit and work closely with HISD and other high school districts on early college initiatives. We will expand our partnerships with Houston Community College and Lone Star Community College with joint admission programs.

We will recruit and graduate more students. And, we will continue our commitment to Houston's future. We will continue to be the First Choice of students who desire a university where they can learn and where they can succeed.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Health Care Insurance Reform

On Thursday, September 30th, I was part of a panel of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Second Annual Health Summit. Given the nationwide debate on health care insurance reform, the Summit was particularly timely.

The Health Summit began with a presentation by David Lopez, President and CEO of the Harris County Hospital District, who discussed his observations on Hispanic health disparities. Then, he, I and Randy Giles, CEO of United Healthcare, spoke for a few minutes and answered questions.

You might wonder why a university president is speaking about health care reform. Actually, I ran a small health center with several clinics. Later, I obtained my doctorate at Stanford in public policy with a focus on health care. These are some of the points I made in my presentation.

In 2007, according to the Journal of Health Affairs, total health care spending in the U.S. was $2.4 trillion or $7,900 per person, without addressing health care costs and extending insurance coverage to the uninsured and under-insured, total health care spending in the U.S. could rise to $8 trillion a year by 2025.

Health care and insurance costs are out-of-control. Medical tests and procedures, pharmaceuticals, lack of competition, malpractice insurance, among others, all affect the cost of health care and all are rising at rates faster than inflation. Health care insurance has simply skyrocketed.

In Texas, in the past nine years, average insurance premiums rose from $6,638 to $12,271 a 91.6% increase! By contrast, during the same period, wages rose only 19.7%. Of all states in the U.S., Texas ranks first in the percent of its population who are uninsured and first in the percent of non-elderly who are uninsured. One-fourth of Texans lack medical insurance. Roughly 60% of all uninsured Texans are Hispanic. That’s 3.4 million Texas Hispanics without health insurance.

The U.S. has more than 46 million people without medical insurance and 25 million people who are under insured. The recession exacerbated the problem as 7 million additional Americans have lost health insurance. Of the more than 3 million bankruptcies filed in the past two years, over half resulted from medical bills.

The U.S. spends nearly $100 billion per year to provide health services to the uninsured, often for preventable diseases or for those that physicians could have treated more efficiently with earlier diagnosis. The human cost is great. Last year a research team at Harvard Medical School estimated that roughly 45,000 Americans die each year as a direct result of lack of coverage.

The huge number of uninsured Americans costs all of us. Hospitals provide about $34 billion worth of uncompensated care each year. Another $37 billion is paid by private and public payers to cover the uninsured. According to the Baylor Health Care System estimates, patients with insurance are charged 150% of actual costs to offset costs for the uninsured. The Center for American Studies estimates that families pay about $1,000 of their annual premiums and individuals pay over $400 per year to cover the cost of providing medical care to uninsured patients.

Without health care insurance reforms those numbers will grow. Let’s hope that this time Congress will pass some form of medical insurance reform. It won’t be perfect, but it will be a starting point. We can’t wait another ten years to begin solving the problem.